Asia's Largest Busan International Marketing Advertising Festival Opens, Promising Innovation in Entry Systems for the AI Era

[Financial News]  MAD STARS, Asia's largest and South Korea's only international advertising festival, opened in Busan in grand style on the 26th.
Now in its 19th year, the festival is hosted by the MAD STARS Organizing Committee and supported by Busan Metropolitan City Government and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. It will run for three days at Signiel Busan and throughout Haeundae.
The opening ceremony will be held at 5 p.m. that day at Signiel Busan, followed by the presentation of the International Honorary Award and the Merit Award to individuals and organizations that have contributed to the development of the advertising industry.
This year, the festival is introducing new changes to its submission system and event operations to keep pace with the rapidly changing industry environment and the AI era.
It has reorganized its entry categories into the Solution Group and the Positive Influence Group, while also launching new sections such as Health Stars in the health and wellness field and Use of AI, which evaluates the creative use of artificial intelligence technology.
The festival will also disclose whether and how AI was used in all entries, strengthening transparency and fairness in judging. In addition, it is introducing AI-based multilingual services for the first time at its conference and exhibition, allowing participants to receive real-time interpretation of lectures in their preferred language on their personal smartphones.
Information on the works will also be provided in eight languages, including Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese. A conference highlighting new trends and visions in the global creative industry will also be held.
Among the speakers will be International Honorary Award winner Raja Rajamannar, along with current professionals from global companies such as Publicis London, Cheil Worldwide and POLA in Japan, who will share insights and solutions on marketing strategies shaped by technological, data and cultural change, as well as creativity in the AI era.
The festival has selected the Philippines as the first country featured in its new national spotlight program, where major campaigns and past award-winning works will be exhibited. It will also host 63 junior advertisers from nine countries and 93 university and graduate students from 10 countries, who will present creative ideas and campaigns.
Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on the 28th, and they will be offered internship opportunities at major advertising companies in Korea and abroad. Details of the event can be found on the official MAD STARS website.


[email protected] Yuseonjun Reporter