TLDR: INNOCEAN has been awarded the prestigious Grand Prix at MAD STARS 2025 for its groundbreaking ‘Night Fishing’ campaign with Hyundai Motor Company. The agency also championed the future of advertising by co-hosting a pivotal lecture on AI-powered Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising, aligning with the festival’s ‘AI-vertising’ theme.
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – INNOCEAN has once again solidified its position as a global leader in marketing communications, sweeping the top Grand Prix award at MAD STARS 2025, Asia’s largest international festival for marketing, advertising, and digital content. The agency’s triumph was highlighted by its innovative ‘Night Fishing’ campaign, developed in partnership with Hyundai Motor Company, which earned the coveted Grand Prix in the PR category.
The ‘Night Fishing’ campaign, a 13-minute ‘snack movie’ starring actor Sukku Son and the Hyundai IONIQ 5, garnered significant attention as the first branded content to be screened in Korean theaters. Praised for its groundbreaking creativity and cinematic storytelling, the campaign was shot from the car’s point of view, maximizing immersion and delivering effective brand storytelling. Beyond the Grand Prix, the campaign also secured two Golds, two Silvers, and three Bronzes across Branded Entertainment, Film, and Media categories.
In total, INNOCEAN amassed an impressive 14 awards at MAD STARS 2025, including one Grand Prix, two Golds, three Silvers, three Bronzes, and five Crystals. The agency also received recognition for its in-house social contribution campaign, ‘Life-saving Bathhouse’ (one Silver, two Crystals), and the ‘Genesis GV60’ campaign (three Crystals).
Beyond the accolades, INNOCEAN played a significant role in shaping the discourse on the future of advertising. The agency partnered with Shinsegae Property to co-host a thought-provoking session on ‘AI-Powered Digital Out-of-Home Advertising.’ This lecture explored how Artificial Intelligence, when integrated with outdoor media, can transform DOOH into a ‘public medium’ that not only connects people and cities but also delivers profound cultural and contextual value.
INNOCEAN CEO Yongwoo Lee reflected on the agency’s achievements, stating, ‘Building on our achievements at MAD STARS 2025, we will continue to strengthen our position as a global creative leader by delivering innovative ideas and differentiated solutions.’
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MAD STARS 2025, now in its 18th edition, was held from August 27th to August 29th across Signiel Busan and the Haeundae area. This year’s festival theme, ‘AI-vertising: The Era of AI-driven Advertising and Marketing,’ underscored the industry’s rapidly evolving relationship with artificial intelligence, making INNOCEAN’s focus on AI-powered DOOH particularly timely and relevant.
