MAD STARS 2026 Names Raja Rajamannar, Aurora Straton and Tara McKenty to Executive Jury

Why It Matters

The jury’s high‑profile composition raises the benchmark for creativity that delivers measurable business and cultural impact, influencing how agencies and brands craft future campaigns.

Key Takeaways

• Raja Rajamannar brings Mastercard’s data‑driven branding expertise
• Aurora Straton integrates emerging tech with culturally resonant storytelling
• Tara McKenty leads tech‑focused creative effectiveness at AKQA
• Executive jury ensures balanced evaluation of creativity, tech, impact
• MAD STARS 2026 deadlines emphasize rapid global campaign submissions

Pulse Analysis

MAD STARS has become one of the premier global festivals that celebrates the intersection of creativity, technology, and measurable impact. Founded in 2015, the event now attracts more than 350 judges from 70 locations, offering a platform where brands, agencies, and platforms showcase work that shapes cultural narratives. The 2026 edition, slated for late August in Busan, South Korea, continues this trajectory by tightening its judging framework and expanding the Grand Prix categories. Organizers emphasize a rigorous, data‑informed evaluation process that rewards not only artistic flair but also business results and societal relevance.

The announcement of Raja Rajamannar, Aurora Straton and Tara McKenty to the Executive Jury underscores MAD STARS’ commitment to a triad of expertise: brand stewardship, platform‑era innovation, and effectiveness‑driven creativity. Rajamannar’s tenure at Mastercard, highlighted by the evolution of the *Priceless* campaign into a multisensory data‑rich experience, brings a deep understanding of how analytics can amplify brand equity. Straton’s two‑decade Google career positions her at the forefront of immersive storytelling powered by emerging technologies. McKenty’s leadership at AKQA and her Rare initiative injects a focus on equitable, technology‑centric creative outcomes.

For agencies and marketers, the new executive lineup signals a shift toward submissions that demonstrate clear ROI, cultural resonance, and technological fluency. The accelerated entry deadlines—early bird in May and final submissions by mid‑June—push creators to iterate quickly and align campaigns with real‑time consumer insights. As the jury evaluates work across the SOLUTION and POSITIVE IMPACT groups, winners are likely to set benchmarks for future brand‑platform collaborations. Consequently, brands that embed data, immersive tech, and inclusive design into their creative pipelines will gain a competitive edge at MAD STARS and beyond.