ONE Asia Creative Awards opens 2026 entries
Kuala Lumpur selected for ONE Asia judging
The 2026 ONE Asia Creative Awards has opened for entries, with organisers introducing new categories and confirming Kuala Lumpur as the host city for this year’s judging sessions.
Founded in 2021 by The One Club for Creativity, the awards programme recognises creative work from across the Asia-Pacific region and applies the same judging standards used for The One Club’s global One Show and ADC Annual Awards.
Entry deadlines announced for 2026
Entries for ONE Asia 2026 are now open, with fees increasing across multiple submission deadlines. The early bird deadline closes on June 5, 2026, followed by the regular deadline on July 17, the extended deadline on August 28 and the final deadline on September 18.
The One Club for Creativity said jury members for this year’s awards will be announced in July, with finalists expected to be revealed later in the year and winners announced in November 2026.
Winning work contributes points toward both the Campaign Brief Asia Rankings and The One Club Global Creative Rankings.
Muma Malaysia develops campaign platform
This year’s campaign promoting the awards was developed by Muma Malaysia in Petaling Jaya following the agency’s recognition at the 2026 One Show in New York.
The campaign, titled Where Taste Matters, focuses on the role of human judgement and creative decision-making in an industry increasingly shaped by generative AI tools.
The campaign materials were produced without the use of AI-generated content, with the agency emphasising handcrafted production techniques and human creative input.
Choo Chee Wee, co-founder and creative partner at Muma Malaysia: “AI generates things very fast, and that's quite exciting for our industry. But volume is not the same as value.”
Choo Chee Wee: “What really makes the difference is taste. It's the ability to recognise what feels true, what is crafted with intention, and what will stay with people. Instead of generating a thousand options in a second, knowing which one is the one... that's still a deeply human act.”
Awards expand categories for 2026
The One Club for Creativity has added three disciplines to the awards programme this year, alongside updates to its artificial intelligence category.
The Creator Content discipline recognises creator-led storytelling and platform-based brand campaigns. Luxury, Fashion and Lifestyle has been introduced to recognise creative work across premium consumer brands and experiences.
Production & Craft consolidates several existing craft-related categories, while the Creative Use of Artificial Intelligence category has been expanded to reflect broader AI adoption across creative industries.
Adam Izen, chief awards officer at The One Club for Creativity: “Great work doesn't happen by accident. It comes from people with perspective, instinct, craft, and something meaningful to say.”
Adam Izen: “This campaign is a celebration of the creative voices shaping culture across APAC, and a reminder that originality, discernment, and human insight remain at the heart of truly impactful ideas.”
Kuala Lumpur hosts judging sessions
Judging for ONE Asia 2026 will take place from October 17-19 at The Majestic in Kuala Lumpur, with DirectorThinkTank serving as the exclusive judging sponsor.
A student masterclass in partnership with Level Up is scheduled for October 20 as part of the programme.
Tay Guan Hin, APAC regional director at The One Club: “Malaysia has genuine cultural richness and a multilingual consumer base.”
Tay Guan Hin: “Every year, ONE Asia partners with a country we genuinely want to engage and grow with. The creative community has always been warm, welcoming, and we're thrilled to bring this year's judging experience for the first time to Kuala Lumpur.”
Follow Marketing Report on LinkedIn
Subscribe to the Marketing Report Newsletter
Send us your press releases, columns, interviews…
Join Marketing Report in our LinkedIn Groups
