Advertising Creativity Market: LePub's Marie Poumeyrol on Judging Great Advertising

Marie Poumeyrol, global group creative director at LePub Milan and jury president for The Drum Awards' Advertising category, discusses what defines great advertising today. She emphasizes 'culture hacking'—brands authentically weaving themselves into cultural conversations rather than chasing trends. She highlights the importance of reactivity, citing the KitKat heist response as a standout example. Poumeyrol notes 'AI fatigue' among professionals and argues for human creativity first, with AI as a tool. She advocates treating creators as partners, not mere executors. For juries, she looks for work that evokes emotion, raises industry standards, and impacts culture beyond business metrics. She advises entrants to be simple and concise, warning that craft without substance fails. The interview covers industry trends and her judging philosophy ahead of The Drum Awards Festival starting November 30.