Yaa Boateng, CCO, Managing Director, The Storytellers, Accra (Fusion jury), says, "One of the most exciting trends in Ghana right now is how brand and influencer partnerships are evolving. Brands are moving away from traditional celebrity endorsements and instead building more intentional relationships with micro and nano influencers who feel credible within their communities. It's all about co-creation now. Influencers aren't just a media channel, they are creative partners. The work feels more authentic, culturally relevant and effective because it comes from voices people already trust."
Boateng adds what she is looking for as a judge, "As a judge, I'm looking forward to seeing work that treats influencer partnerships as a creative idea, not just a distribution channel. I want to see how brands genuinely collaborate with creators to tell stories that feel honest and culturally relevant. The strongest work will be the kind that understands not just great storytelling, but also how influence is built on trust and uses that trust to deliver ideas that create impact."
Andrew Mageto, Photographer, Cinematographer, INKA Creative, Nairobi (Photography jury), says, "True creativity in our region is finally breaking free from the rigid structures of the advertising space, which tends to lean towards sales based and less creative. I've been captivated by the rise of young collectives who are reclaiming the 'local aesthetic' not as a trend, but as a language. By using culture, fashion and lifestyle as their medium, visionaries like 199x, Edwin Maina, and Matthew Matete are redefining the art space, proving that our most powerful stories are those that reimagine who we were and who we are becoming."
Mageto adds what he is looking for as a judge, "I'm inspired by the wave of African work making its way into the spotlight right now. While South Africa has long been a creative anchor for the continent, there is such a vibrant wealth of stories in other regions just waiting for their moment. I'm constantly on the lookout for the barrier breakers who are finding fresh, soulful ways to bring these narratives to life."
Glenda Venn, Global Design Curation Director, JLL Design, Johannesburg (Architecture / Interior / Environmental Design jury) says, "I have an overview of the work our design teams are doing across the world and conversations about what is inspiring them. The explosion of data driven graphics and artworks is shaping experiences and providing levels of interactivity we hadn't been able to realise before. From exhibitions to large scale interior lobbies and building facades things move and change in response to data inputs be it natural light and time of day, or number of daily transactions within a company."
Venn adds, "However, the counter response to this digitisation and flood of visual stimuli is leading to an emergence of the quietly crafted environment where experience is at a sensory and deeply comforting level. A slowing down into softer, gentler environments where brand is felt and not shouted. From workspaces to listening lounges people are looking for spaces that offer respite or unique, deeply felt experiences."
Venn further adds what she is looking for as a judge, "How my fellow creative peers are using their strategic and creative extraordinariness to design a better world. And while judging, engaging with creative leaders to hear their points of view on the work."
The final deadline for entry for the ADC 105th Annual Awards is Friday, February 20. Finalists and winners will be announced in May during Creative Week 2026 in New York, concludes the ADC.
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*Image courtesy of contributor