ADFEST 2026 Young Lotus Workshop Champions Next-Gen Creativity with Google’s AI Focus

Bangkok, Thailand – March 23, 2026 – The ADFEST 2026 Young Lotus Workshop concluded today, recognizing the innovative work of 29 young creatives representing 15 cities across Asia, the Pacific, and the Middle East. SOUR Bangkok’s Nicha Witayapaisitsan and Thirawat Prasertsang took top honors for their campaign, “Watch Like Me.”

Fostering Future Leaders in Advertising

The Young Lotus Workshop, established in 2004, is a long-standing mentoring program designed to nurture emerging talent in the advertising industry. ADFEST, a regional advertising festival, facilitates the workshop, bringing together young professionals aged 30 and under selected by local advertising associations. Participants receive fully-funded travel and accommodation to attend the workshop and the three-day ADFEST event.

Vinit Suraphongchai, Chairman of ADFEST, emphasized the workshop’s importance, stating, “Young Lotus is at the heart of ADFEST…The bonds and connections these individuals create during this time can last their whole career. We see it as a public service and contribution to the future health of the industry.”

Google Leads Workshop with “UNBOUND” Theme

This year’s workshop, project-managed by an eight-person team from Google, centered on the theme “UNBOUND: The Next Era of Creative Culture.” The focus was on exploring the intersection of creativity and artificial intelligence.

Geia Lopez, Head of Creative and Creator Partnerships at Google Southeast Asia, and chairperson of the Google team, highlighted the potential of AI, stating, “We see AI as a multiplier for human ingenuity…Our big opportunity is using this technology to fuse brand storytelling directly into the heart of culture.”

“Watch Like Me” Wins Top Prize

Nicha Witayapaisitsan and Thirawat Prasertsang from SOUR Bangkok impressed the judges with their winning work, “Watch Like Me.” Wei Watthanasittha, Creative Partnership Lead at Google Southeast Asia, explained the judges’ unanimous decision, noting the campaign’s success in “flipping the script on algorithms” and delivering brand love in a fresh, social, and actionable manner. The work demonstrated a deep understanding of Gen Z preferences, particularly regarding privacy.

Finalists Represent Diverse Creative Hubs

In addition to the winning team, four other teams were selected as finalists:

• Gurugram: Iman Sengupta and Kokila Srivastava from Havas Creative
• Ho Chi Minh City: Hai Anh Pham and Tien Bui Duc from PURPOSE.ANT
• Seoul: Hyerin Dho and Jaehyun Hwang from Cheil Korea
• Tokyo: Hiroaki Iwai and Taiki Tsuno from Dentsu Inc.

Popular Vote Affirms Bangkok’s Victory

Nicha Witayapaisitsan and Thirawat Prasertsang also secured the Young Lotus Popular Vote, tallied from delegate votes following the presentation of finalist work at ADFEST 2026.

Looking Ahead: Applications for 2027

The Young Lotus Workshop continues to seek applications from talented young creatives. Interested individuals can contact their local representative or YoungLotus@ADFEST.com for more information. Wei Watthanasittha encourages aspiring participants to “Be an absolute open canvas…Absorb every drop of learning you can.”

Follow the latest news and events via #ADFEST2026 and #HumanPlus on social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and TikTok. More information is available at www.ADFEST.com.