Takahiro Hosoda and Yuhei Ito Appointed Jury Members for MAD STARS 2026

​Takahiro Hosoda, chief creative officer, and Yuhei Ito, head of design at TBWA HAKUHODO, have been selected as jury members for MAD STARS 2026 (Busan International Marketing Advertising Festival), the international advertising awards held annually in Busan, South Korea.

With 'MAD' standing for marketing, advertising and digital content, Takahiro will serve as a member of the MAD STARS 'Final Jury', taking part in the final judging rounds held on-site in Busan, while Yuhei has been selected as a 'Previous Jury' member and will participate in the preliminary judging process.

Eager to evaluate outstanding creative work from around the world that the festival is renowned for, Takahiro commented while reflecting on the colloquial English use of the word 'mad' which he felt embodies exactly the kind of creativity the world needs.

"Absurd. Crazy.

That is what the word 'mad' stands for.

In today’s world, I believe this is the highest form of praise.

What truly entertains, surprises, and moves people comes from madness.
It’s those ideas that refuse to be confined by convention.

No matter how intelligent AI becomes, this kind of thinking is not something it can easily replicate.

Through the judging process, I look forward to encountering bold, unconventional, and truly mad ideas, especially those emerging from across Asia.”

The festival and the announcement of award winners are scheduled to take place in August 2026.