IDIDTHAT JUDGE
MARTIN SCHLUMPF

Martin Schlumpf is the Executive Creative Director at Joe Public South Africa. He believes that advertisers have the power to drive progress and positively impact the world through creativity. Martin is passionate about work that inspires and moves people on a deeply personal level, achieved through honesty, authenticity, and humanity.

He champions creativity that celebrates who we are, breaks down stereotypes, and challenges racial, cultural, and gender biases.

With over 20 years of experience in advertising, Martin has worked across all disciplines, including film, print, activations, direct, design, digital, and radio. He has played a key role in building established brands and launching new ones, leading numerous 360-degree campaigns from concept to execution across industries ranging from banking to fast food.

Martin is currently ranked the No. 1 Executive Creative Director in Africa and the Middle East, according to the 2025 Loeries Awards. His work has earned multiple accolades both locally and internationally, including recognition at Cannes Lions, D&AD, The One Show, LIA, Clios, and Effies.

I DID THAT CRAFT AWARDS
Judge’s Pick – Martin Schlumpf

JUDGES COMMENT ON DIRECTION
“Hats off to Greg Gray on this one. General Raj doesn’t arrive quietly, and neither does Greg’s direction.
This is bold, assured filmmaking that understands exactly what it has in its hands. The direction leans into the theatre of the concept with complete confidence, never winking at the camera, never undercutting the world it has built. That commitment to the reality of the character is what makes everything work.

The performance direction is exceptional. General Raj is fully realized, commanding, layered and utterly believable. That kind of performance doesn’t happen by accident. It is drawn out by a director who understood the assignment completely and communicated it with conviction on set.

There is a cinematic quality to the storytelling. Wide shots establish authority and close-ups reveal character. The edit breathes with the performance, a sign of a director who trusted what was captured on the day.

What impresses most is the tonal control. The world of General Raj sits in a precise space between epic and absurd, and maintaining that balance consistently, with a fearless embrace of Bollywood grandeur, is a directorial achievement genuinely worth celebrating.

General Raj may command the screen, but it is Greg’s vision that put him there.“

AWARDED
12 May 2026

I DID THAT CRAFT AWARDS
Judge’s Pick – Martin Schlumpf

JUDGES COMMENT ON ART DIRECTION
“The Art Direction does its job quietly and effectively. The environment feels considered without drawing unnecessary attention to itself, which, in a performance-led commercial, is precisely what is required.

The colour palette is warm and inviting, complementing the tone of the piece without competing with it. Set dressing feels lived in and believable, providing an authentic backdrop that allows the performance the space it needs to breathe.

There is a understated competence here that deserves acknowledgement, a foundation that supports the storytelling without ever getting in the way of it.”

AWARDED
12 May 2026

I DID THAT CRAFT AWARDS
Judge’s Pick – Martin Schlumpf

JUDGES COMMENT ON ART DIRECTION
“Kim has done an outstanding job on this piece.
His direction demonstrates a clear and unwavering point of view. Every creative decision, from casting to blocking to pacing, feels guided by a singular emotional truth – that coming home is one of the most profound human experiences we all share. What makes this particularly clever is the dual layer of that idea. Not only do the characters want to go home with the shoppers, but the viewer themselves is coming home, to the brands they know, trust and love.

Performances feel entirely authentic. The restraint shown in allowing silence and stillness to carry weight speaks to a director who trusts his audience implicitly.

I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic. To guide a cast, both human and animated, toward something that feels this warm and familiar requires a director who understands people as much as he understands picture.

Kim didn’t just direct a commercial. He created a moment of homecoming.”

AWARDED
12 May 2026

I DID THAT CRAFT AWARDS
Judge’s Pick – Martin Schlumpf

JUDGES COMMENT ON VO/AUDIO CRAFT
“The sound design is understated in the best possible way. Ambient sound is layered with genuine care and quiet moments are allowed to remain quiet. That restraint is what gives the emotional beats room to breathe, and ultimately, room to land.

The score grows organically alongside the narrative, never forcing emotion but walking you quietly toward it. Rooted in something distinctly local, it carries a warmth that feels inherited rather than composed. The final musical resolution arrives with a genuine sense of homecoming, mirroring the thematic heart of the film in a way that is both moving and completely earned.

The audio alone, takes you home.”

AWARDED
12 May 2026