AME's Grand Jury are respected within the industry for their award-winning campaigns. With a reputation for innovation, creative excellence, strategic prowess, they deliver distinctive and effective results for global brands. The AME  jury panel thoughtfully reviews all entries and sets the bar for effective excellence.

2021 AME Grand Jury member Jacopo “Apo” Bordin is the Head of Strategy and Growth for Grey Italy. He joined Grey in 2019 after spending most of his career abroad.

Born in Italy but raised in Switzerland, Jacopo started his professional journey in San Francisco. A long-time admirer of the “Famously Effective” philosophy, he believes that creativity has never been as important as it is today for brands to grow. His roster of clients spans across categories and includes, among others, Netflix, Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics LG, Amazon Game Studios, Adidas, McDonald’s, and Mars Petcare.

In the interview below Jacopo shares his insights on new innovations, what he's looking forward to in award-winning work, changes in the brand's voice during COVID and much more.

AME Awards: As a strategic creative, what stand-out attributes do you recognize in award-winning creative effective advertising

Jacopo "Apo" Bordin: Clarity in the problem spotting. Simplicity in the solution. An interesting and sound execution.

AME Awards: Why are effectiveness competitions like the AME Awards important?

Jacopo "Apo" Bordin: Effectiveness competitions are important for several reasons. Among others, they are a reminder for both agencies and clients that creativity should and can solve problems.

AME Awards: How has the brand’s voice changed since the pandemic confinement measures? Speak to the evolution of brand positioning, values, and tone of voice during COVID.
Jacopo "Apo" Bordin:I can only speak for what I directly witnessed and pushed for with my clients. And that is that during such a unique event like this pandemic, a brand is revealed for what it really is.

It’s not about changing a brand. It’s more about proving that all the virtuous qualities expressed in terms of brand values and positioning are not simply words on powerpoint slides, but they are actual promises that the brand lives by. For their consumers, their employees, suppliers, and partners. The biggest trap for any brand is to lose itself in the pursuit of relevance. Even during a pandemic. With that said, it’s obvious that certain themes and topics that were not at the forefront pre-COVID tend to come to the surface for both commercial, equity, and moral reasons. Same goes for the tone of voice which while not changing, in some cases it has been adjusted to ensure a respectful and tactful approach to communication.

AME Awards: What will advertising look like next year? What brands have evolved and succeeded during this year and why?

Jacopo "Apo" Bordin: Tough to say, because we don’t know what the world will look like next year. It’s also hard to generalize the answer because different companies are and will be facing different situations. Some are struggling to stay afloat, while others have experienced a significant growth. So, while for some 2021 could be a year of recovery, for others it will be a year of further growth both in terms of brand building, product innovation, and market growth. The optimistic in me hopes to see fewer but more strategically thoughtful activities. A lower focus on the shiny and a higher focus on the fundamental substance of a brand.

AME Awards: What innovations are changing the way agencies create on behalf of brands or launch new products?  Does big data and AI play an even bigger role today?

Jacopo "Apo" Bordin: Going back to my previous answer, I’m hoping to see agencies and clients adopting “innovations” such as the ongoing work that the likes of Mark Ritson, Les Binet, Peter Field and others are bringing forward. What our industry needs are not big data and AI. Our industry needs to keep learning and understanding how creativity can help brands grow. Only then we’ll be able to figure out how technology innovations like big data and AI can be of most help and use.