International creative leaders from VML, Dentsu, Saatchi & Saatchi, Hakuhodo, Publicis Groupe, TBWA\Media Arts Lab, and more will mentor and evaluate emerging talent in Busan.
MAD STARS has officially announced the global jury panels for the Young Stars and New Stars MAD Competitions 2026, bringing together some of the advertising industry’s most respected creative leaders to guide and assess the next generation of talent.
The two competitions, designed to simulate real-world creative pressure and collaboration, will feature jury members from leading global networks and independent agencies including VML, Dentsu, Saatchi & Saatchi, Hakuhodo, TBWA\Media Arts Lab, Publicis Groupe, Horizon FCB, Cheil Worldwide, Innocean, and ADK Marketing Solutions.
Representing markets across Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Oceania, the juries reflect MAD STARS’ growing international reach and its commitment to nurturing young creative voices through mentorship, feedback, and hands-on competition experience.
Real-World Challenges for Emerging Creatives
The Young Stars MAD Competition is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students from all academic backgrounds worldwide, while the New Stars MAD Competition welcomes professionals in marketing, advertising, and creative communications with fewer than five years of industry experience.
Both competitions begin with an online preliminary round, with shortlisted participants advancing to the on-site finals in Busan, South Korea, taking place from 25–28 August 2026 at SIGNIEL BUSAN.
Finalists will receive a live brief during the festival and have approximately 30 hours to develop and present a campaign solution under real-world creative conditions. Entries will be judged on strategic thinking, creativity, and execution, with jurors providing direct industry feedback throughout the process.
In addition to competing, finalists will gain access to the wider MAD STARS 2026 program, including conferences, networking sessions, workshops, and talks featuring leading global creatives.
Applications for the competitions are now open.
- Young Stars deadline: 25 May 2026
- New Stars deadline: 4 June 2026
Young Stars Jury Led by Chow Kok Keong
The Young Stars jury will be chaired by Chow Kok Keong, creative partner at k2x. With more than 310 international awards to his name — including honors from D&AD, Cannes Lions, The One Show, Clio, Spikes Asia, and MAD STARS — Chow brings decades of experience across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.
Recognized for his strategy-driven creative work and advocacy for AI-enhanced creativity, Chow has also served on juries for major international award shows including D&AD, Clio, and AdFest.
The Young Stars jury panel also includes:
- Chandu Rajapreyar — Group Executive Creative Director, Hakuhodo International Vietnam
- Enkhbayasgalan Tungalag — Chief Executive Officer, KMG Group
- Karan Novas — Partner & Chief Creative Officer, Tulom
- Mark Verhagen — Executive Creative Director, VML
- Shinichi Kobayashi — Executive Creative Director & Creative Innovation Officer, ADK Marketing Solutions
- Sunghyuk Hong — Executive Creative Director, Innocean
- Youji Noh — Executive Creative Director, TBWA\Media Arts Lab
Mukund Olety to Lead the New Stars Jury
Heading the New Stars MAD Competition jury is Mukund Olety, Chief Creative Officer of Open X at VML, currently overseeing creative for The Coca-Cola Company across Europe.
Ranked among the world’s top 100 chief creative officers, Mukund has led award-winning work for brands including Nike, Mercedes-Benz, McDonald’s, Samsung, and Unilever, earning more than 100 international awards throughout his career. He is also widely known for mentoring young creative talent globally.
Joining the New Stars jury are:
- Alex Pineda — Chief Creative Officer, Horizon FCB Dubai
- Hyeah Nahm — Executive Creative Director, Publicis Groupe Korea
- Kayoung Seo — Creative Director, Cheil Korea
- Kinami Hasegawa — Executive Creative Director, Dentsu Inc.
- Martin Tsai — Business & Creative Partner, Saatchi & Saatchi
- Michael Ahmadzadeh — Co-Founder, electriclimeº
- Roman Carlo Olivarez — Executive Creative Director, TREYNA Group Philippines
A Global Platform for Future Talent
Over the years, MAD STARS has evolved into one of Asia’s most influential creative festivals, offering emerging professionals a rare opportunity to engage directly with industry leaders while solving live brand challenges under intense time constraints.
With its international jury line-up and hands-on competition format, the Young Stars and New Stars MAD Competitions 2026 continue to position themselves as key launchpads for the next generation of creative talent.
Participants may apply individually or as part of a two-person team through the official YOUNG STARS and NEW STARS application pages.
