Nihal Atawane Interview(s)

PHNX Jury Interview 2024

Why did you think it was important to join the PHNX jury this year?

The industry is changing rapidly and with that, emerging talent needs more diverse perspectives on their work. It's important for them to hear not just from industry veterans, but also from professionals who've been in their shoes more recently.

What do you think of our hybrid jury, featuring creatives but also strategists, clients and people from all corners of the industry?

I think it's fantastic. The more perspectives on the work, the better.

What do you think of the idea of free entry until the shortlist stage?

I think that's how it should be everywhere. Monetizing awards raises the barrier of entry for a lot of young talent who depend on them for growth, feedback, and better opportunities.

How would you define the perfect PHNX Awards winner?

Someone who combines creativity with an idea that's grounded in business thinking. Because that's what we're here to do at the end of the day—help our clients grow their business.

What is having the biggest impact on creative trends at the moment?

This is going to be low-hanging fruit, but AI. I think the creative industry is exploring the limits of commercial AI, and the audience is curious about it. While it does make for some interesting work, I think ironically the ideas that explore humanity through AI tend to work best.

Who would you nominate as your two or three “creatives of the year”?

1. Sakshi Choudhary
2. Lucas Ribeiro
3. Alexandre Kazuo Kubo