Dentsu Inc. Wins "Network of the Year" at AD STARS

The Busan International Advertising Festival (AD STARS) was held in Busan, South Korea, from August 25 to 27. The Dentsu Group won 61 awards, including two Grand Prix, and was honored as "Network of the Year." This year saw a record-breaking 18,000+ entries from 61 countries and regions.

The Grand Prix in the Design category went to Panasonic's "Life is electric." This campaign visually represents electricity, something we rarely consciously notice. The video depicts 21 Eneloop nickel-metal hydride rechargeable batteries being charged using electricity generated by the movement of cute hamsters, children playing in a park, and energetic cheerleaders. It also won Gold in the PR and Print categories.

"Life is electric"

In the Film Craft category, Marukome's "World's First Cute Miso Soup" won the Grand Prix. Developed through a collaboration between Marukome and Asobi System, which promotes "KAWAII" globally, it promotes an unprecedented new miso soup.

"World's First Cute Miso Soup"

Within the Dentsu Group, other achievements included Beijing Dentsu's Citroën "Fami Navi" winning Silver in the Direct category, and Dentsu Singapore's Regional Environmental Awareness "Boy" winning Bronze in the Print category. These contributions from overseas offices also helped secure the Network of the Year award. Ted Lim, Chief Creative Officer (CCO) responsible for creative across DAN Asia, expressed his delight: "I'm delighted to see the achievements of our Asian offices recognized. Moving forward, I hope we can continue to inspire and elevate each other as the entire Dentsu Group advances together."

"Fami Navi" An app that allows users to record family voices onto their car navigation system, promoting safer driving. The voices of a young daughter or wife provide turn-by-turn directions, as if they were riding along. Surveys show 90% of users reported driving more carefully than before.

"Boy" sounds the alarm that excessive deforestation in Malaysia's Cameron Highlands will cause floods. The copy warns that unless deforestation stops now, 760 million people could lose their homes to flooding.

AD STARS is an international advertising festival established in 2008 in Busan, South Korea, with government support. Held in a city also known for the Busan International Film Festival and beach resorts, it evokes the Cannes Lions. It ranks alongside Spikes Asia and AdFest as one of Asia's premier festivals, but unlike the other two, it accepts entries from around the world. The lineup of judges and seminar speakers is also highly international. A major feature is that entry fees are free (except for the Integrated category), making it very accessible to entrants.

It is also dedicated to nurturing young creators, featuring competitions like "Young Stars" for students and "New Stars" for those with three years or less of experience. In the latter category this year, Dentsu Inc.'s Chihiro Kato and Marina Danjo won Bronze.

The festival is also proactive in expanding its scope to include emerging fields like marketing technology and branded entertainment. This year, it launched a new initiative: "GAME STARS," an exhibition program dedicated to the gaming sector. Furthermore, it co-hosted "ad:tech@ AD STARS," the inaugural Korean edition of the international marketing conference "ad:tech," fostering interaction between digital marketers and creators.