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The ADC 104th Annual Awards, the world's longest continuously running awards program celebrating design and craft excellence, has launched its call for entries alongside a striking new campaign, 'Be Seen by the Best Eyes,' by Mullenlowe Design Studio.

Organized by The One Club for Creativity, the ADC Awards has recognized global achievements in advertising, design, photography, illustration, motion, gaming and more since its inception in 1920. This year's ceremony will take place on May 14, 2025, at Gotham Hall in Manhattan during Creative Week where the best work will be honored with Gold, Silver and Bronze Cubes.

Mullenlowe Design Studio, a newly formed group within Mullenlowe US, crafted the campaign as an ode to the most daring creative work. "This campaign was a chance for us to craft a love letter to the industry we love so much," said Fabio Brigido and Joao Paz, heads of design at Mullenlowe Design Studio. "It's a celebration of bold, ambitious work and an invitation to the creative community to show us something we've never seen before. That's what inspires us, and that's what this campaign is all about."

The campaign's surrealist aesthetic is built around a playful cartoonish style, heavily influenced by 90s MTV and avant-garde visuals. At its core is an eyeball motif, a metaphor for the discerning gaze of ADC's jurors-some of the sharpest and most experienced eyes in the industry. It's anchored by the humorous tagline, 'Let's see what you got.'

One standout vignette features the 'ADC Cuckoo Cube,' a whimsical object covered in small doors that burst open to release dozens of eyeballs in a chaotic, mesmerizing spectacle.

The campaign comprises nine animated vignettes, 40 poster executions, 275 unique jury-specific social posts (each featuring jurors' custom­designed eyeballs) and a suite of digital assets that extend its surrealist vision.

The campaign's development included a collaboration with award-winning boutique animation shop ROOF Studio, co-founded by Guto Terni. For Terni, the project was an opportunity to reconnect with the experimental spirit of his MTV days.

"This project is the perfect opportunity to dive back into full experimentation," said Terni. "The 'Be Seen by the Best Eyes' campaign has a strong concept with freedom for visual craziness, and I absolutely love that."

This year's ADC 104th Annual Awards introduces several updates, including new categories such as Pharma/Health/Wellness, dedicated juries for Product and Packaging Design and a reimagined
Typography/Lettering discipline. A tiered pricing system has also been introduced to encourage participation from smaller agencies, studios and freelancers, making the competition more accessible.

Submissions are open now, with fees increasing after each deadline period. The regular deadline is January 31, 2025, with an extended deadline of February 14 and a final deadline of February 28.

"What sets the ADC Annual Awards apart is their ability to gather the absolute best in the industry to review your work. While creatives have countless platforms to showcase their talents, there's nothing quite like being seen by seasoned experts," added Paz. "Our campaign brings this idea to life by featuring those keen eyes as the centerpiece of our design, along with the stories behind them. We're adding a surreal twist, infused with a touch of funky 90s nostalgia, as a nod to ADC's storied legacy."

As the campaign rolls out globally, MullenLowe's vibrant work underscores the ADC Awards' enduring ethos to celebrate bold, groundbreaking creativity. So the question remains: 'Let's see what you got.' After all, the best eyes in the business are watching.

This article was originally posted on The Drum: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2025/01/27/creativity-worth-seeing-mullenlowe-puts-adc-awards-the-spotlight