25 Years of Craft: The APA Show Celebrates Its Iconic Legacy at the V&A!

This year’s judges reflect on the APA’s legacy of craft, collaboration, and cultural influence, and share with LBB’s Olivia Atkins how the Showcase will continue to inspire the next generation of talent

For a quarter of a century, the APA Show has stood as advertising’s most reliable cultural time capsule. Since 2000, its annual Collection has captured not just the best-crafted commercials, but also the shifting aesthetics, cultural moods, and creative ambitions of the industry. To be selected is to join a lineage of work that defines what great really looks like.

This September, the Showcase marks its 25th anniversary with a return to London’s Victoria & Albert Museum, a stage it has graced before, and one that feels especially fitting today. The V&A, a world-renowned home of design and culture, provides the backdrop for a milestone moment: a celebration of the artistry, collaboration, and resilience of advertising at a time when budgets are squeezed, technology looms large, and the role of craft itself is under question.

Craft in an Age of Anxiety

If one word defines the APA Showcase, it is craft. From its inception, inclusion in the Collection has demanded more than just a strong idea, every element, from performance to post production, must work in perfect harmony. That ethos has given the APA its reputation as a beacon of excellence.

“A key guiding principle of the APA is how agencies and production companies come together to get the best out of each other,” reflects Rick Dodds, creative partner at Don’t Panic. “Unlike other award shows, where one discipline is singled out, to be in the APA collection every element has to be flawless. Each individual craft working in harmony, that’s what makes it so meaningful.”

In an industry increasingly threatened by automation and shrinking resources, that reminder feels urgent. “Craft in our industry is increasingly under threat due to tightening budgets and the rise of AI production tools,” Dodds continues. “In the coming years, we’ll rely on the APA Showcase to remind everyone – from creators to clients, boardrooms, even financial directors – of the power of the perfectly crafted film.”

Landy Slattery, creative innovation director at 4Creative, puts it simply: “It’s proof that this industry isn’t about selling stuff, it’s about making people feel something. Production isn’t the backroom, it’s the beating heart of creativity.”

Over the years, the Showcase has evolved alongside the industry itself. While its early days were rooted firmly in TV advertising, today it embraces branded entertainment, digital platforms, social campaigns, and effectiveness.

“We had a rethink for the 25th anniversary,” explains Steve Davies, chief executive of the APA. “Even a good format can’t stand still forever. So in addition to the best ads, we now have a branded entertainment section and an effectiveness showcase. Brands want to know about effectiveness, so that’s what we are providing them with.”

For judges, this adaptability is what has kept the Showcase relevant. “The landscape of advertising has changed considerably, but the APA always finds a way of navigating and embracing change with ease,” says Megan O’Hagan, head of production at Publicis London. “That’s why it has lasted 25 years and why it will continue to grow.”

The Showcase has become more than a reel of best work, it is a snapshot of the industry’s shifting priorities. “It demonstrates such a wide variety of work, providing a snapshot of trends each year,” says Damian Hook, head of short form and advertising at Blue Zoo. “That’s valuable insight for how the industry is shifting and where we need to be as a studio.”

A Legacy of Collaboration

Though run by the UK’s production sector, the APA Show has always celebrated collaboration. Its winners are the product of agencies, brands, production companies, and in-house teams working together to bring ambitious ideas to life.

“This isn’t just a production celebration anymore,” says Davies. “It’s an industry celebration. Our members’ work is created in collaboration with agencies, brands and in-house teams, and this show honours everyone who contributes to the power of great advertising.”

That inclusive ethos extends to the Showcase’s values. “The Showcase champions sustainability, embraces diversity, and shows how lean production methods can enhance creativity without overshadowing the craft,” notes Emily Morris, studio director at Sainsbury’s. “It’s raising the bar while also pushing the industry toward more future-focused ways of working.”

For many judges, the significance of the Showcase lies not just in its craft, but in its cultural role. “Over the years, the APA Showcase has been an invaluable mirror of our industry’s evolution,” says Jess Ringshall, chief production officer at Saatchi & Saatchi London. “It has consistently reminded me of the sheer depth of creativity and craft we have in the UK and beyond.”

Coral Garvey, creative director at Monzo, adds: “The APA Showcase has always been a reminder of just how fun, intricate and entertaining our industry is. It’s inspiring to see how different disciplines from film to design and technology push original storytelling, shaping culture year after year.”

For first-time judges Peniel Gebreselassie and Eleanor Weitzer, both creatives at Saatchi & Saatchi London, the Showcase has also been an education in production’s role: “It shines a light on the relationship between production and creative, a relationship that’s made some of the best work possible for the last 25 years.”

September’s event at the V&A promises to be more than just an awards night. Unlimited drinks, gourmet canapés, live music, and the thrill of seeing the year’s best work on the big screen will make it an evening to remember and a fitting tribute to a milestone year.

“The Showcase is like a jolt to the system every year,” says Landy. “It reminds us not to play safe, to keep showing the weird, the wild, the brave. If it does that, it’ll keep inspiring the next generation.”

If legacy is one part of the APA’s story, its other is about inspiring the next generation of talent. “For new directors, being selected can be transformative, placing them alongside established names and giving their work visibility on a bigger stage,” says Kreepa Naisbitt, senior film producer at BBH. “Looking ahead, the Showcase’s role is not just to celebrate excellence, but to broaden its definition, embracing new voices, new perspectives, and new mediums.”

Gareth Williams, senior integrated producer at Anomaly, agrees: “The future holds different methods of production, new technologies, new champions of creativity. We need to ensure barriers for entry are removed and the landscape shaped for success, and the APA Showcase is part of that.”

For younger judges like Gebreselassie and Weitzer, the Showcase is also a source of optimism: “It’s given us hope. The craft and storytelling – no matter the budget – has been outstanding. As new generations make their mark, the work will only improve.”

Looking Back, Moving Forward

From its beginnings as a niche collection of TV commercials to today’s cross-platform celebration of creativity, the APA Show has become an institution. For 25 years, it has defended craft, elevated collaboration, and shown advertising’s power to entertain, move, and inspire.

As Shishir Patel, ECD at Who Wot Why, puts it: “The APA fights for the makers. Our industry needs that – champions of the very human power of emotion, and the very human people that make emotional work that connects with other humans.”

The industry may be in flux, but the Showcase’s role remains steadfast: to celebrate the work, the makers, and the craft that keep advertising alive.

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