The 2024 AME Grand Jury Spotlight Interviews celebrate the exceptional minds shaping the landscape of advertising and marketing communications. Our esteemed panel for 2024 includes visionary leaders renowned for creating influential, results-oriented campaigns for leading brands worldwide.This diverse jury coming from top-tier agencies around the globe represent some of the most recognized creative and strategic trailblazers in the industry.

2024 Grand Jury member Jamie Scott bring 25 years of strategic leadership experience to the jury panel. He is an economist with a fascination for consumer behavior. His nineteen years as Managing Director of Showpony has provided a variety of great opportunities from launching iconic brand Budweiser in Australia and filming with Sapporo Beer in Japan, to writing strategies for Bridgestone, Bendigo Bank and national sporting franchise, Adelaide Football Club. Under his leadership, Showpony is now a leading creative agency with offices in Melbourne and Adelaide and a shelf full of awards from here and overseas that’s built a reputation for creativity and effectiveness.

In the interview below Jamie shares his thoughts on effectiveness competitions, corporate social responsibility, and what he'll be looking for in award winning work.

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

Jamie Scott: Jeff Goodby said that advertising is “art serving capitalism”. Effectiveness awards are about proving that point to everyone including the C-suite.

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

Jamie Scott: I love reading an entry that takes a new perspective on solving an old problem. That makes me smile and look forward to the details. Then, as I’m reading the story of how this campaign came to life, I contemplate the client meeting and the courage of everyone in the room to do something new because being first feels a lot like being wrong.

AME Awards: With an increasing emphasis on corporate social responsibility, how do brands effectively communicate their values and societal contributions in their marketing strategies?

Jamie Scott: Brands need to act responsibly and be visible leaders of change. It’s more than dropping a badly behaved ambassador, it’s about always on application of values.