Thomas Koch Interview(s)

What truly motivates me to be part of the PHNX Jury is the opportunity to witness the collision of raw creativity and groundbreaking innovation. The PHNX Awards celebrate ideas that not only challenge the status quo but also redefine what’s possible — and I’m energized by the chance to engage with both established visionaries and emerging disruptors who push these boundaries.

Fairness is the bedrock of my approach. Beyond impartiality, I aim to champion a judging process that values diversity of thought and cultural impact as much as technical execution. In a landscape where AI, sustainability, and ethical design are reshaping industries, I’ll prioritize entries that dare to merge creativity with purpose — ideas that spark dialogue, emotions, drive progress, or solve real-world problems.

Additionally, I hope to spotlight collaborations that bridge industries or generations, as these often yield the most transformative work. By fostering a space where experimentation and authenticity thrive, I believe we can ensure the PHNX Awards not only honor excellence but also inspire the next wave of creators to think fearlessly.

At its core, advertising thrives on creativity that connects and converts — and award shows like PHNX should celebrate work that masterfully balances artistic ambition with real-world impact. While purpose-driven campaigns rightfully earn applause, I believe we must also spotlight ideas that redefine commercial creativity: work that isn’t just clever but compellingly effective, driving tangible results while forging emotional bonds with audiences.

One frontier demanding recognition is AI-driven creativity — not as a gimmick, but as a discipline reshaping storytelling, personalization, and craft. Categories like AI-Advertising or Dynamic Storytelling could honor campaigns that leverage machine learning to deliver hyper-relevant narratives at scale or use generative tools to amplify human ingenuity. Imagine recognizing a campaign where AI crafts thousands of culturally nuanced ad variants or predicts emotional triggers with surgical precision — that’s where creativity meets scalability.

Beyond AI, I’d champion collaborative hybrid disciplines — like commerce-driven content (think shoppable films) or ethical data artistry, where brands turn consumer insights into narratives without compromising trust. These aren’t just ‘ads’; they’re experiences that blur lines between creativity, tech, and behavioral science.

Finally, let’s celebrate creativity that quietly revolutionizes industries: B2B campaigns with the flair of consumer storytelling, or local ‘small-budget giants’ that out-innovate global players. PHNX has the power to remind us that creativity isn’t about budget size — it’s about the size of the idea’s impact.

Established leaders like the UK, USA and Netherlands remain benchmarks — the UK for emotinal storytelling, the US for tech-driven scale, and the Netherlands for minimalist artistry with commercial grit. The Asian market is underrated, with many emerging talents and innovative ideas.

Maybe AI-driven efficiency — merging speed (overnight ideation, instant cultural variants etc.) with precision (hyper-targeted, data-sharpened storytelling). But we must spotlight work that pairs this velocity with ethics: AI auditing bias or ensuring brand safety.

Find joy in what you do and share that joy with the world. To agencies: Show respect and appreciation to those who find enjoyment in their work.

Tim Cook, Craig Federighi, the team around MAL and my mother.