AME Awards Grand Jury members are award-winning strategic leaders, equipped with extensive experience and insightful perspectives. Their dedication to driving impactful, innovative work not only sets the standard for excellence but also inspires future generations of marketers and advertisers. Their experience brings a wealth of expertise to the judges' table and their thoughtful evaluation will play a crucial role in determining this year's most creative and effective works submitted to the 2025 AME Awards.
2025 Grand Jury member Amanda Blackman is Chief Strategy Officer for AKA USA. Amanda oversees campaign, creative, and growth strategy for AKA’s clients and oversees the destination, attraction, sports and cultural verticals. She has over 20 years of experience in advertising, branding, and getting people to go places.
She is a passionate believer in the power of experiences to improve lives, and the power of great advertising to move people.
In the interview below Amanda shares her perspective on the role of storytelling in effective campaigns, what defines award winning effective advertising, and why effectiveness awards are important.
AME Awards: From your perspective as a creative strategist, what standout qualities define award-winning, effective advertising today?
Amanda Blackman: Award-winning advertising today should be relevant, resonant, and ultimately results-driven. It reflects a deep understanding of audience mindset, cultural context, and platform behavior—meeting people where they are with ideas that feel both timely and timeless.
The best work isn’t just creatively ambitious; it’s strategically sound. It moves people emotionally, sparks conversation, and above all drives measurable impact. At its core, effective advertising today lives at the intersection of storytelling, cultural fluency, and performance.
AME Awards: Why are effectiveness competitions like the AME Awards essential for measuring impact and industry growth?
Amanda Blackman: Effectiveness awards like the AMEs matter because they keep us honest. Creative for creative’s sake is fun—but work that actually moves the needle is what grows brands and builds careers. These competitions shine a light on ideas that not only stand out, but deliver, showing the industry what real impact looks like.
AME Awards: In your experience, what role does storytelling play in the effectiveness of a campaign? Are there elements of narrative or structure that make campaigns especially memorable or impactful?
Amanda Blackman: Storytelling is the difference between a message people see and one they feel. In my experience, the most effective campaigns use narrative to create emotional stakes, build tension, and deliver a payoff—whether it’s a laugh, a gasp, or a moment of recognition. The structure doesn’t have to be traditional, but the elements are always there: a clear point of view, a human truth, and a reason to care. That’s what makes the work memorable—and what makes people act.
AME Awards: What future-forward trends and innovations will we see brands adopt for 2025?
Amanda Blackman: In 2025, brands will lean even harder into personalization at scale—driven by AI but grounded in human insight. Expect immersive storytelling through hyper-targeted creative that adapts in real time as well as a rise in brand utility: brands and experiences that aren’t just entertaining but useful. At the same time, as a potential recession looms, many brands will aim to do more with less—shifting budgets toward performance channels and leaning away from riskier, bold creative. The challenge will be finding ways to drive results and stand out—because safe rarely sells.