The AME Awards International Grand Jury represents some of the world’s most creative and strategic minds in advertising, marketing, and communications. AME recruits these award-winning industry execs who are known globally for their innovation and strategic/creative chops and tasks them with the job of selecting the World’s Best Advertising & Marketing Effectiveness.

With Juries representing 5 regions, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, and North America, all AME’s entries are judged on cultural relevance. Following regional judging, all Gold-winning work from all regions goes through an additional round of judging with all entries reviewed by the full international Grand Jury to determine a Platinum Award for each of the five regions.

This week ‘s Grand Jury Perspective features 2018 AME jury member, Gertjan Tijms, Director, Strategy & Innovation for TBWA\Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Gertjan rejoined TBWA in 2013 after a one-year stint with the company in 2010. With his business strategy background, Gertjan brings his passion for finding strategic and innovative solutions to business problems to all areas of marketing for a range of brands. His experience covers various sectors, including Capital Markets, FMCG, Government bodies, Sports, and Telecommunications. He is a football fan and supports his home team from afar, FC Groningen.

AME Awards: Why did you agree to judge this year’s AME Awards?

Gertjan Tijms: I'm excited to be part of the AME 2017 Grand Jury. I agreed to be a judge because I particularly enjoy marketing effectiveness awards and I believe that at the end of the day a campaign needs to drive home business results and impact. I'm looking forward to seeing the world’s best entries and be inspired by some great insights and smart campaign development.  

AME Awards: What are the hallmarks of an award-winning campaign?

Gertjan Tijms: For me, an award-winning campaign is based on a culturally relevant insight, it needs to be connected to a genuine brand story and lastly it needs to create impact. The impact can come in many different forms - impact on society, the way people interact with your product or service and preferably some form of a business impact if the campaign was done for a commercial organization.

AME Awards: How do the entries differ from country to country?

Gertjan Tijms: Great case studies need to create impact and connect with local popular culture. As marketing and advertising professionals, we are constantly operating at the forefront of cultural changes, which happen on a daily basis, and we sometimes are in a position to influence culture with smart marketing and communications work. Every country has its own unique intricacies and cultural systems that need to be well integrated as part of a successful campaign. 

AME Awards: In your opinion, what is your favorite ad that embodies both creativity and effectiveness?

Gertjan Tijms: The campaign "Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America". A great insight and simple creative Ad showcasing how someone with a gun can enter a supermarket whereas a girl with an ice-cream cannot. This campaign was highly effective - causing not only people and businesses to change their behavior, it also resulted in some policy changes.