As the judging phase of the Gong-Gong Awards 2025 officially wraps up, we spoke to two key jury presidents — Sharon Mills (Social & Influencer) and Andreas Shifokoka (Digital Excellence) — to get their honest take on this year’s judging experience, the quality of entries, and the future of Ghana’s creative industry.

Q&A with Sharon Mills

Jury President – Social & Influencer Category

Q: How would you describe the overall judging experience this year?
Sharon Mills:
It was both exciting and sobering. I was honoured to lead the Social & Influencer jury and also serve on the regional and global panels. There’s real talent here in Ghana, but honestly, I expected more in terms of both volume and depth. We need more commitment when it comes to entering strong, meaningful work.

Q: What was your impression of the quality of entries?
We had everything — high-budget, well-produced campaigns, very authentic storytelling, and unfortunately, some entries that felt more like “let’s try and see.” While I respect the effort, I believe that awards entries should reflect the very best we have to offer.

Q: Why was no gold awarded in your category?
That was intentional. Before judging began, my jury and I agreed on a benchmark. We asked, “What does excellent social and influencer work look like in Ghana?” None of the entries hit that mark. This isn’t to discourage anyone — it’s an invitation to rise higher and set a stronger standard.

Q: Any concerns around transparency or bias in the judging process?
Transparency was a top priority for me. Judges whose agencies had entries didn’t evaluate them. Although anonymization wasn’t in place, we took deliberate steps to minimize bias and maintain integrity.

Q: What message do you have for Ghana’s creative community?
Don’t be discouraged — be inspired. The lack of gold doesn’t mean failure. It means there’s room to grow. Our work represents not just our clients, but our country. Let’s keep pushing the bar.

Q&A with Andreas Shifokoka

Jury President – Digital Excellence

Q: How did you find the Digital Excellence judging process this year?
Andreas:
It was rewarding in many ways, but also highlighted some gaps. There were a few standout digital campaigns that truly excited me — smart, strategic, and impactful. But overall, the process could be smoother with better systems in place.

Q: Any challenges you encountered?
Honestly, I was disappointed that some jurors didn’t show up. In my category a couple of the jurors never showed up to judge after accepting to do the work. That affected momentum, but we made sure to maintain fairness. I didn’t judge any of my own work, and where needed, we pushed entries to other panels for additional input.

Q: Was there a gold winner in your category?
Yes, there was one gold awarded. But just like Sharon, we were careful to only award work that met our agreed standard.

Q: What could AAG do differently to improve the judging process?
A lot has been done by AAG from what I’ve been told existed before now. Stronger infrastructure is key — clearer instructions, better use of technology, and more media visibility. If jurors and agencies see the value and the spotlight, they’ll take it more seriously. This is an industry-building moment.

Q: Any final reflections?
I may not be Ghanaian — I’m from Southern Africa — but I love advertising. I live for this work. It was an honour to be part of the process. But the passion must come from within Ghana’s creative industry. Own it. Lead it. Celebrate it.

 Closing Thoughts: A Shared Challenge to the Industry

From both Sharon Mills and Andreas Shifokoka, there is great quality in Ghana’s advertising industry. However, the bar needs to be pushed consistently. There should be continuous positive disruptions to inspire current quality and the future of the industry in this country. Sub-standard approaches must not be pampered.

However, it should also be known that “Awards are not the finish line — they’re a reflection of where we’re headed.”