Sound is Survival + Creative Cult Festival: Advertising 2022 Winners & 2023 Entries

Gamers get better sound quality in one of the best entries from last year, while one of the world’s best film festivals gets a groovy, genre-bending tribute trailer for its return.

“JBL Quantum” (above) is a Gold-winning key visual created to support the announcement of JBL Harman’s newest gaming headset. As an audio hardware manufacturer seeking to grow within the gaming headset space, JBL decided to team up with PETROL Advertising, an advertising company positioned at the heart of the gaming industry, with a keen understanding of a gamer’s needs and a successful track record of creating eye-catching advertising for gaming.

To introduce the headset to the market, Petrol created a fantastical 3D illustrated image of the headset out of various 3D elements, including 3D photography, illustration, and other mediums, to develop and finalize the art and make the “Sound is Survival” experience specific to individual game genres. Apart from the agency’s incredible artwork, PETROL also negotiated vital partnerships with gaming powerhouse 100 Thieves, along with launching the JBL Quantum Cup Esports Tournament, to help the company stand out in the highly competitive marketplace. With its unique creative visuals and strategic marketing, the announcement of JBL’s new Quantum Series was a great success, immediately attracting attention in the gamer community. 

WONGDOODY is an international creative agency that focuses on reimagining the human experience to help brands better connect with their audience. For the past 18 years, the agency has partnered with the nonprofit organization SFFILM to develop campaigns in order to promote its annual film festival, which takes place between the 14th and 24th of April. With the organization’s mission to amplify and support independent voices and talent within the film industry, SFFILM hosts the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) to champion the power of sharing original stories with diverse perspectives and rich emotional journeys and is one of the most highly regarded film festivals in the world. 

For their approach to the “Seek New Cinema – SIFF 2022 Trailer” (above), WONGDOODY created a kaleidoscope of film fandom by juxtaposing live-action and animation and creating a genre-bending tribute to cinema, welcoming audiences to pursuing a “higher plane of cinematic nirvana” and to choose the next cult classics. To play up the cult theme, the artwork teases the common perceptions of cults, though rather than depicting more notorious examples, the agency took a more playful route—“think Partridge family, not Mansion family. More crystals, kaftans, and comfortable footwear. And popcorn – lots of popcorn.” The insight behind the campaign’s call to “Seek New Cinema” is that SIFF is a ritual for many local film lovers to gather and open themselves up to transformation through this shared space. After a COVID hiatus, in-real-life human connection is what makes the in-theater communal experience even more special. SFFILM was thrilled with this year’s campaign and trailer and referred to it as a work of art that not only supports its mission but highlights the organization’s value in the community. Beth Barrett, SIFF’s artistic director stated, “We live in an age when people gather, not necessarily based on their geography, but around their passions, beliefs, and interests. Communities – online and in-person – are a source of great connection and joy, and the film community is a “cult” of passion and interest – with all of the accompanying ritual, celebrations, and history.”

You can find a complete list of last year’s Advertising Annual winners here. And to learn more about submitting your work to our Advertising Annual 2023 competition, click here.