As part of our Inside the Jury Room series, we interviewed Janine Diaz, Regional Media Performance Lead, APAC for Volvo, to hear their perspective as a judge this year for the Festival of Media APAC Awards 2026.
In the interview, Janine takes a talks about how brands are leveraging AI and also gives advice to entrants who want to impress the jury this year.
What advice would you give to entrants of the Festival of Media APAC Awards who want to impress the jury this year?
Be clear about the role media played in solving a real business problem. The strongest entries don’t just show good execution — they explain why certain media choices were made, what was prioritised, and how success was measured.
What stands out most is disciplined thinking. Clear objectives, honest measurement, and a direct link between media decisions and outcomes will always matter more than scale alone or overly complex stories.
How are brands leveraging AI in smarter ways to create more impactful campaigns?
The smartest use of AI today is focused on improving decision-making, not just driving automation. Brands are using AI to better understand demand signals better, refine audience strategies, and personalise messaging, while still keeping strong human oversight.
The campaigns that stand out are those where AI helps sharpen planning and accelerate learning, rather than replace strategic thinking. When used this way, AI drives relevance and effectiveness — not just efficiency.
