By Asja Dupanović
This June, the industry will not be left without the celebration of the best work in creative communication. AdForum has decided to find a way to make a tribute to creativity around the world, the kind that creativity truly deserves. We spoke with Philippe Paget, CEO of AdForum’s parent company Maydream about the inspiration to create an online platform to judge and award the best work of the last 12 months.
What was the main inspiration for AdForum to take on the PHNX endeavor?
At the beginning of the lockdown here in Paris there was a lot of concern about the future of the industry, plus many announcements of awards shows being cancelled – notably Cannes but others too. We thought it was a shame that the best work of 2019 and early 2020 would not be honored and celebrated in the usual way, so we decided to step in. We also felt that an event in support of creativity would help raise the spirits of the industry. Hence the PHNX Tribute: a tribute to the power of creativity.
Why is it important for the industry to still celebrate best work this June?
We’ve known for years that awards motivate teams and provide a showcase for inspiring work, forming a virtuous circle that raises standards overall. Since the start of this crisis, particularly, we’ve seen once again the role creativity can play in passing on vital messages or enabling brands to pledge their support. So I think this year more than ever it’s important to recognize creativity’s role in our society.
What main impacts do you envision this project to have?
Already it’s been heartening to see the number of people who’ve shown their support. The jury is growing every day, with a great mixture of leading creatives, strategists, pitch consultants and the press. So I think to an extent it’s enabling a sense of community. We really are encouraging the industry to “rise and shine” as we say. So I hope the PHNX initiative will be seen as a step towards recovery, or at the very least a sign of optimism and confidence in the future. From our side, I hope it will show once again that AdForum is more than just an information service: it really does support this community.
