ANA Judges' Journal: Doris Huang

What will it take to have your work make it to the winners’ circle?  

ANA’s Judges’ Journals features a series of Q&A sessions with leading industry executives participating on ANA Award juries. Gain insight from the judges on what they will be looking for and what makes the difference between a good vs. award worthy submission. 

In this segment, ​Denise McDevitt, ​senior vice president, award programs at ANA connects with Doris Huang, managing partner at Admerasia regarding her role on the 2024 ANA Multicultural Excellence Awards Jury.

Q> What current trends are you seeing in multicultural and inclusive marketing? What has been the biggest shift since a year ago?

Doris> My opinion of the biggest shift in the past year has been the increased demand for accountability and transparency in the industry. More consumers are holding brands to higher standards for their representation and inclusion practices. Because of that, more brands are publicly sharing their diversity and inclusion commitments and making sure their marketing aligns with these values. There's also a stronger focus on measurable outcomes and impact in multicultural marketing.

Q> Every entrant wants to know what it will take to win an ANA Multicultural Excellence Award – what campaign components will you be looking for this year to distinguish good vs. exceptional?

Doris> Here are some key campaign components that will distinguish good entries from exceptional ones for the ANA - Multicultural Excellence Award:

Authenticity: Exceptional campaigns must genuinely reflect and respect the cultures they represent. They should go beyond stereotypes and demonstrate a deep understanding of cultural nuances.

Innovation and Creativity: We’re looking for campaigns that break new ground in terms of creativity and innovative approaches. Unique ideas that stand out and engage audiences in novel ways will be highly valued.

Cultural Relevance with strategic insights: The campaign should be culturally relevant, resonating with the target audience on a deep level. This includes understanding and integrating cultural trends, values, and sentiments into the campaign. Built on insightful research and a well-defined strategy that addresses specific challenges and opportunities.

Inclusivity and Diversity Engagement and Resonance: High levels of engagement with the target audience, including in-language/in-cultural media interactions, participation rates, and overall audience resonance, are key indicators of an exceptional campaign. Showcase diverse voices and perspectives including diverse casting, storytelling, and a commitment to representing different communities authentically.

By focusing on these components, entrants can elevate their campaigns from good to exceptional and increase their chances of winning an ANA Multicultural Excellence Award.

Q> When I’m talking with entrants, I encourage them to provide a bit of education on the industry sector, competitive landscape, current cultural sensitivities of the intended audience, etc. – what situation details and elements do you feel to be essential in a case study submission?

Doris> Here are some elements that I feel are essential in a case study submission: 

Background and Context, Target audience, Campaign Objectives/Goals, Strategy and Approaches, Implementation detail, Challenges and Solutions, Results and Impact, Learnings and Insights, Cultural Relevance and What are the Future Implications?

I think including these elements in a case study submission provides a comprehensive view of the campaign and allows judges to fully understand and appreciate the effort and thought put into it.

Q> In the submission form, we ask entrants to excite us with the 'ah-ha' solution they developed – what elements are you expecting the entrant to share in this section? What are you hoping to learn regarding the creation of a team’s big idea?

Doris> The key insights or revelations that sparked the big idea are how the insights were transformed into a unique, innovative concept and how the idea was brought to life, including key tactics and channels used. I hope to see more about the creative process, the team's collaborative efforts, and the strategic thinking that led to the development of their standout idea.

Q> The Multicultural Excellence Awards celebrate creative, relevant and impactful multicultural and inclusive marketing efforts that made a difference – as a judge, what does a submission need to provide in order to earn your top scores over other entries?    

Doris> To earn top scores in the Multicultural Excellence Awards, submissions need to provide the following:

• A compelling narrative that effectively communicates the campaign’s message and objectives can make a significant difference. Powerful storytelling that aligns with the cultural context can elevate a campaign.
• In addition, Highlights the campaign’s commitment to inclusivity and diverse representation. This includes showcasing diverse voices, and perspectives, and ensuring that all aspects of the campaign are inclusive.
• By meeting these criteria, a submission can distinguish itself and earn top scores in the Multicultural Excellence Awards. 

Q> My last question – if you could offer just one key suggestion, one request in your role as a Multicultural Excellence awards judge to teams preparing their entries – what would it be?

Doris> My one key suggestion to award participant teams in preparing their entries for the Multicultural Excellence Awards, it would be to ensure that their campaigns authentically reflect and celebrate the diverse cultures they aim to represent. This means going beyond superficial elements and truly understanding and integrating cultural nuances, values, and perspectives into the campaign. Authenticity resonates deeply and can make a significant difference in the impact and success of your entry.

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The ANA Multicultural Excellence Awards offer the ultimate opportunity to showcase work that makes a difference and celebrate the teams who are leading the charge in establishing an unwavering, authentic commitment to effectively include and engage with diverse, multicultural audiences.

The final deadline to submit work into the 2024 Multicultural Excellence Awards program is August 9th, 2024.

The ANA Multicultural Excellence Awards program is judged by a select jury of industry leaders to select the entries that represent best-in-class examples of multicultural marketing - work that features powerful cultural insights that ultimately helps brands to effectively connect with diverse consumers.

The ANA Multicultural Excellence Awards Celebration will take place on Tuesday, November 19th, 2024 at the Bellagio Casino & Resort, on the second evening of the 2024 ANA Multicultural Marketing and Diversity Conference. Awards will be presented to top brands and agencies for the top Multicultural Marketing campaigns of 2023 across 17 different categories. The event culminates with the Best in Show Award announcement, honouring the overall top campaign of the competition chosen from the Category Grand Prize winners.