First-Ever "APAC Creative Index" Sets New Regional Benchmark for 2026

Feb. 23, 2026

ONE Asia Creative Awards and AD ADDICT have partnered to release the inaugural APAC Creative Index, a new landmark report that serves as APAC’s new creative compass for 2026.

The new report, available as a free download, synthesizes 2025 awards data from both leading global and regional shows to provide a series of definitive benchmarks, performance rankings, and strategic signals for the marketing industry across 22 Asia-Pacific markets.  

The APAC Creative Index 2026 was founded on the belief that awards are not merely moments of celebration, but powerful tools for learning, reflection, and continuous progress that help shape the future of the creative industry.  By examining winning work, the report provides insights and lessons about where creativity is heading.

To ensure a credible and well-rounded view of the industry, the report is built on a clear and transparent data framework, drawing from award results across globally and regionally recognized shows including The One Show, ONE Asia, ADFEST, Cannes Lions, D&AD, and Spikes Asia. 

The APAC Creative Index 2026 is structured into five core sections:

• Performance: Rankings of the top-performing campaigns, agencies, and brands of 2025
• Spotlights: Case studies and breakdowns of major award winning work to unpack why it succeeded
• Signals: Key insights drawn from winning work and industry movements, highlighting shifts expected in 2026
• Forecasts: Future trends and directional outlooks drawn from expert and industry leader perspectives
• Frameworks: Practical creative and strategic frameworks for developing high-quality, award-level work

Among the findings, the APAC Creative Index 2026 identifies eight critical "Signals" derived from 2025’s winning work that will define the creative landscape in the coming year:

• Emotion Over Automation: In an AI-driven world, consumers are gravitating toward "human" imperfections and raw emotion.
• The Age of Honest Brands: Transparency is the new currency. Brands like Vogel’s (New Zealand) won by openly admitting their bread "burns easily" to solve real consumer frustrations.
• Modernized Heritage: Local culture is being reinterpreted through contemporary global executions to revitalize cultural stories.
• “Purposeful” is the New Currency: Meaningful impact, such as ProMate’s "Second Life Notebooks" (Sri Lanka), which turned old notebooks into Braille books, is essential for building trust.

Ogilvy Singapore emerged as the #1 performing agency in the region, followed by Dentsu Tokyo.  Vaseline in Singapore took the crown as the highest-performing brand, driven by the viral "Vaseline Verified" campaign, followed by South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Company.

Tay Guan Hin, APAC Regional Director, The One Club for Creativity said:

"Some awards programs publish their own insight reports based on results in their show only. Instead, we stepped back and looked at the bigger picture, and connected the dots across a range of top shows to understand what the work is really doing, why it’s winning, and the kind of impact it’s having across different stages and juries.  When you look at the patterns and signals behind those ideas, you don’t just explain the past. You begin to see what’s coming next."

 

Pongpiti Phasukyud, Founder & CEO, AD ADDICT said:

“We want this report to act like a creative compass.  Something that helps the industry navigate performance, spot emerging trends, and keep sight of its North Star. By combining data with the perspectives of people who are actually making the work, judging it, and building brands every day, the direction becomes clearer.  You start to see what’s holding steady and what’s shifting course, which makes it easier for agencies and brands to plot their next move.”

 

ONE Asia, part of the global nonprofit One Club for Creativity, is a fast-growing regional awards program and platform established to support, celebrate, and elevate the creative industry across Asia-Pacific.  It exists to build long-term visibility and opportunities for the region by connecting the creative community and showcasing bold, culturally relevant work on the global stage.  

AD ADDICT is Thailand’s leading online media platform for advertising, business, and marketing, driven by a mission to elevate Asian creativity globally.