STEVE DE LANGE

Executive Creative Director Memac Ogilvy

How much work are you entering this year?

Half as much as we’d like.

What do you think is your strongest work? Ideas are like children – when you love one more than the other it’s best to keep it to yourself.

Which categories do you think you are strongest in?

See above.

Which other categories will be the most interesting to watch?

Personally, I find all the categories to be precisely the same amount of interesting. But as a community I think we should all collectively pour one out for the now defunct Mobile Lynx category – forever on our mantlepieces and forever in our hearts.

What themes do you expect to see in the work this year?

If historical precedent is anything to go by, multiple attempts to safeguard women, children, peoples of determination and various contentious democracies. But not necessarily in that order.

Which campaigns by other agencies do you expect to do well?

Call me a dreamer, but I’ve always enjoyed advertising that endeavors to build brands and/or sell goods and services. Really enjoyed the idea for McDonald’s ‘It’s a sign’ by FP7, the writing craft by Saatchi & Saatchi for Kinokuniya’s ‘Offset Boxset’ and the sheer leftfield irreverence of Wego’s ‘Tony the Snowman’ by M&C Saatchi.

What do you hope to get out of the Festival itself?

Dubai Lynx is an excellent opportunity to network and compare the everreceding hairlines and expanding waistlines of erstwhile colleagues. But in all seriousness, it’ll be great to see and meet the bright young minds who are writing the next chapter of our industry. (Side note to those selfsame bright young minds, please stop using ChatGPT to write the next chapter.)

What advice do you have for those attending Dubai Lynx for the first time? Dubai Lynx is a celebration of our region, our industry and the countless men and women who toil tirelessly to delight, entertain and inspire.