Tristan Reid’s LIA Diary #1: “Touching down in Las Vegas is like being dropped into a neon fever dream that’s been running since the ’70s”
Tristan Reid, Group Engagement Director, Ward Marketing Group, Sydney is representing Australia on the LIA Health & Wellness jury. Reid, along with many other Australian and New Zealand jurors, reports exclusively for CB.
Day One – Red Light, Green Light
Touching down in Las Vegas is like being dropped into a neon fever dream that’s been running non-stop since the ’70s. The Strip is a place where Elvis impersonators and oversized cocktails feel perfectly at home and where subtlety is on permanent leave.
Today was the first full day of judging at the London International Awards and it set the tone: Red Light, Green Light. Some ideas stopped us dead. Others surged ahead with clarity and purpose.
A few themes emerged strongly from the work. Population health was front and centre, with entries tackling the challenge of bridging health inequities – or simply confronting ignorance – with bold creative thinking. Women’s health also came through powerfully, with some work pushing boundaries in how these conversations are brought into mainstream culture. And then there was connection—whether addressing loneliness, or exploring adoption (human and animal alike)—reminding us that creativity at its best can make people feel less vulnerable.
To be honest, I expected AI to dominate. But refreshingly, very few submissions were ‘AI as the idea’. Instead, AI showed up as a supporting act—quietly powering bigger, more human concepts. The Innovation category in particular was a reminder that innovation isn’t about shiny tech. At its core, it’s about finding new ways to solve old problems, regardless of the tools used. As one of our creative directors put it, “COVID made health sexy.” And indeed, we saw entries from brands you wouldn’t expect, trying their hand at supporting public health.
We wrapped up the day with a team dinner, where the debates had already begun. Strong opinions surfaced around some of the work we’d seen—always a good sign that the judging is going to be robust. Tomorrow, the conversations deepen and I suspect the disagreements will only get livelier.