Field Notes
Upon arrival, I met the organizers and fellow jurors—including Alok Nanda, Anthony Lopez, Brendan McCormick, Ram Sinam, and Michael Johnson of Johnson Banks—before embarking on a four-hour drive to Pune, where the judging would take place. Along the way, we stopped at a bustling bus terminal market, but our hosts discouraged us from sampling the street food, worried we weren’t accustomed to it. This tough love extended to our meals at the on-site canteen, which were safe but uninspiringly sanitized.
There’s much to say about creative awards—something for another field note—but I’ve noticed a shift. Once the holy grail for agencies, younger creatives today seem indifferent, favoring public validation through social media and portfolio platforms.
As a judge, the role feels less like an authority figure and more like an editor—curating entries based on certain criteria and the collective vision of the jury. Winning doesn’t necessarily mean your work is superior, just that it fit that year’s framework. The real value lies in seeing how different cultures approach creativity and understanding how others respond to your work.
Two of my favourite entries
On the drive back to Mumbai, I shared a car with one of the judges. Our conversation turned to the challenges of running a studio, and he shared his hard-earned realization:
"At the start, you believe success means growth—more projects, more staff, more revenue. You think big clients will follow. But after 20 years, I see a direct relationship between scale and quality. When the founder is no longer directly involved, the work suffers—not because the team isn’t capable, but because the founder’s attention to detail is lost. So now, I’m restructuring. Not to grow, but to be closer to the work again."
His words stuck with me. Anonymous has always been small—never more than four people, including both partners. His insight reaffirmed the challenge many businesses face: how to scale without losing quality.
The Future of Work
Different models attempt to solve this tension. Some companies create small, independent teams within a larger organization, like Pentagram. Others spin off experimental labs—such as Space10 for IKEA—to test ideas without the burden of bureaucracy. The pandemic accelerated this shift, forcing businesses to rethink collaboration, agility, and resilience in a remote-first world.
At the same time, automation and AI are pressuring traditional jobs and industries. Yet, we’re also witnessing an explosion of startups, independent ventures, and self-employed creators redefining how products and services are made and delivered.
The future of business isn’t just about growth—it’s about balance. Between scale and quality. Between structure and flexibility. Between efficiency and creativity.
I can’t wait to see what new models emerge from this era—ones that tackle today’s challenges while shaping the world of tomorrow.
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Felix Ng
Co-founder, Anonymous
@felix.anonymous