TBWA\HAKUHODO Wins 10 Awards at MAD STARS 2025

​TBWA\HAKUHODO has received a total of 10 awards at MAD STARS 2025, the global advertising festival held annually in Busan, South Korea, which honours the fusion of creativity and technology. Among this year’s accolades, the agency was awarded Gold for its work on ‘Smart Eye Camera’.

Founded in 2008 with the support of the city of Busan, MAD STARS is the only international advertising festival in Asia open to entries from around the world. The festival shines a spotlight on creative solutions that merge innovation with cutting-edge technology.

This year’s theme, ‘AI-vertising, AI Advertising Marketing Era,’ highlighted the transformative role of AI in the marketing and advertising industry. Judging was conducted by over 350 international jurors representing more than 70 countries, awarding Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Crystal accolades across diverse categories.

The Smart Eye Camera (SEC), developed by OUI Inc., a Keio University School of Medicine startup, received Gold in both the SDGs Stars and Innovation Stars categories. SEC is an iPhone-based ophthalmic medical attachment that delivers diagnostic performance equivalent to a traditional slit-lamp microscope, while remaining affordable and portable. This enables accessibility to eye care in regions with limited medical resources.

TBWA\HAKUHODO has supported OUI Inc.’s mission to “reduce global blindness by 50%” by leveraging creativity to accelerate adoption of SEC through intuitive UI design, tutorial videos, and experience design that allows even non-specialists to perform screenings. The project also supports enhanced ophthalmic access in developed countries, as well as applications in veterinary medicine. The recognition celebrates its innovative integration of technology and design, embodiment of the SDGs principle of “leaving no one behind,” and its significant social impact in preventing avoidable blindness worldwide.

The full results of MAD STARS 2025 are as follows:

Award Details:

TITLE: Smart Eye Camera (Client: OUI Inc.)

■ GOLD

Innovation Stars / Innovation

SDGs Stars / SDGs

TITLE: INTELLIGENT PUPPET IRUYO
(Client: Nissan Motor)


■ SILVER

Design Stars / Use of Design

■ CRYSTAL

Innovation Stars / Innovation

TITLE: PRIDE FILTER (Client: Marriage For All Japan)

■ BRONZE

Direct Stars / Sectors

Diverse Insights Stars / Culture & Context

TITLE: PRIDE CODE (Client: Spotify Japan)

■ CRYSTAL

Media Stars / Use of Media

Brand Experience & Activation Stars / Use of Brand Experience & Activation

TITLE: THE SYMPHONY PLOTTER (Client: The Japan Philharmonic Orchestra)

■ CRYSTAL

Design Stars / Use of Design

TITLE: SEAT TO LEAD (Client: Mynavi)

■ CRYSTAL

PR Stars / Culture & Context