The 2026 ONE Asia Creative Awards has chosen its jury, with five top creatives from Australia and New Zealand included.

Confirmed judges from Australia are: 

• Rob Galluzzo, CEO, EP, at Finch, Sydney 
• Sara McGregor, National ECD at AKQA Australia, Melbourne
• Anna Yates, ECD, at Havas Host, Sydney.

Representing New Zealand on the jury are: 

• Melanie Bridge, CEO at The Sweetshop, Auckland
• Kat Tadaki, Art Director at McCann New Zealand, Auckland.

Along with having many of the region’s most recognised senior-level leaders, the ONE Asia jury also includes unique perspectives of brand marketers, directors, and the next generation of creative talent in the region.

View the complete list of 2026 ONE Asia judges here.

Entries to this year’s competition can be submitted now, with fees increasing after each deadline. The regular deadline is July 17, 2026; extended deadline August 28, 2026; and final deadline September 18, 2026.  

A hallmark of ONE Asia is its commitment to deep engagement with the creative community by holding judging in a different APAC country each year.  After successful past editions in Seoul, Manila, and Shanghai, this year the awards head to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Judging will take place October 17-19, 2026 at The Majestic in Kuala Lumpur, with production company DirectorsThinkTank serving as this year’s exclusive judging sponsor. A student masterclass with Level Up is scheduled for October 20.

Finalists will be revealed in autumn, with winners announced in November 2026. ONE Asia winners have their points recognised in the as the ONE Asia Creative Rankings and The One Club’s Global Creative Rankings as well as the annual Campaign Brief Asia Rankings.

New for ONE Asia 2026

Three new disciplines join the awards this year, alongside an expanded AI category.

• Creator Content is a new discipline recognising the growing influence of creators and creator-led platforms in brand storytelling. 
• The Luxury, Fashion and Lifestyle discipline will recognise the unique creative approaches of luxury, fashion, and lifestyle brands, celebrating work that builds brand culture through storytelling, design, experiences, collaborations, and community engagement.
• Production & Craft is a newly consolidated discipline, bringing together the former Moving Image and Sound Craft and OOH, Print and Digital Craft categories.
• Creative Use of Artificial Intelligence has been expanded and refined to better reflect how AI is transforming creative work.

This year’s call for entries campaign, Where Taste Matters was created by Muma Malaysia Petaling Jaya.

Where Taste Matters makes the case that in a world flooded with generated content, taste – the kind that comes from instinct, experience, and genuine human judgment – is the only thing left that separates the memorable from the forgettable.  

“This year’s jury brings together senior leaders behind some of the region’s most recognized work, brand marketers who know the impact of every decision, and a new generation with fresh perspectives,” stated Tay Guan Hin, APAC regional director, The One Club for Creativity. “They all come from a range of agencies, brands, countries, and cultures, and all are held to the same high standard of Taste.”

Find more information and enter at ONE Asia Creative Awards.