Las Vegas is a city built on the roll of dice and the flip of cards. When I land there, my wager won’t be on roulette wheels or poker tables, but on creativity itself. Being one of just 125 young creatives chosen worldwide feels like hitting a jackpot, but the real prize I’m after is perspective, mentorship, and a sharper way of seeing the work we do.

For me, it’s also surreal. This is only my second time traveling abroad, and both times it has been for work. I come into this like David facing the giant not armed with experience or a polished trophy cabinet, but with curiosity and the hope that fresh eyes can be an advantage.

A different kind of jackpot

For five days, 125 mentees from over 40 countries come together in Las Vegas. The program (Creative LIAisons) is run alongside the London International Awards judging and features 13 global chief creative officers who’ll be speaking, mentoring, and sharing their perspectives. What makes it special is that it’s free to attend: flights, hotel, everything is covered. That matters in an industry where opportunities often depend on who can afford them.

The setup is straightforward but powerful: listen to some of the most influential voices in advertising, sit in jury rooms as top creatives debate what deserves an award, and take part in workshops and challenges that push you out of your comfort zone. It’s wild to think I’ll be doing all this in the same room as Aaron Starkman, Reed Collins, Swati Bhattacharya, Angelo Maia, Kindra Meyer, Gabriel Schmitt, Samira Ansari, Aldo Ramirez Zeron, Gabriel Jardim, Richard Brim, Roxane Schneider, and Chaka Sobhani. To me they’re like creative superheroes and I’m just the lucky fan who gets a backstage pass.

What I expect to learn

I’m looking forward to the jury room access most. I was lucky to get my first choice, the Evolution and Creative Use of Data Jury. I wanted this room because even in the age of AI, data still sits at the center of how brands understand people and tell stories. The question is no longer whether data matters, but how creatively it can be used. Sitting in that room and hearing the debates around what deserves bronze, silver, gold, or nothing at all will be a masterclass in how the industry separates clever use from meaningful use.

The other big draw is the mentorship. Past mentees describe conversations that gave them confidence, clarity, and even pushed them to rethink their careers. Some left with renewed energy for the job, others with the courage to move to a new country or chase bigger goals.

And then there is the mix of people. This year’s group includes creatives from Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas, people who all bring different cultural perspectives to the same creative problems. I’m excited to see how those differences collide not just in discussions but in practice, since we will also be working together on a full-day “Create and Make” workshop. My team of ten will be tackling a live brief for Westfield X Disney, in collaboration with AKQA. Developing and pitching ideas in just hours with new peers from around the world feels like exactly the kind of uncomfortable, exciting scenario where the best lessons tend to happen.

Finally, there is the CCO Roundtable. Five global chief creative officers and creative leaders will sit down to answer the questions we have always wanted to ask but rarely get the chance. I’ve submitted three of mine:

What is the red flag in a portfolio that makes you stop looking?

When you see a book from an emerging market, what makes you think this person can work anywhere in the world, and how can I strip out bias from mine?

What is the biggest cultural blind spot you see in non-Western creatives trying to work in the US or Europe, and how do we fix it?

I don’t know if all of them will get picked, but even if one gets answered, it will be worth it. And if not, I will try to find a way to ask in the hallways.

Beyond the work

Of course, it’s not just about the jury rooms and workshops. Part of the value of Creative LIAisons is the people you meet outside the official sessions. Past mentees talk about making friends they still collaborate with years later, and I’m hoping for the same. Sharing ideas in the daytime and stories over dinner at night feels like the kind of balance that makes the week memorable.

I’m looking forward to the fun too, the conversations that spill out of the seminar rooms, the late-night laughs, a few beers, and maybe even a small gamble just to say I tried it in Vegas. More than anything, it’s the chance to spend time with people from all over the world who care about creativity as much as I do.

Looking ahead

Advertising, at its best, thrives on risk and reinvention. That’s why programs like Creative LIAisons matter. They don’t just celebrate the people already at the top, they invest in and bet on those still finding their way.

I’m heading to Las Vegas not expecting certainty or guarantees. What I do expect is to return with sharper eyes, new friends from across the world, and a sense of what creativity looks like when it’s debated, challenged, and celebrated at the highest level.

Siddharth Kumar works with One Hand Clap and was one of two winners of a competition Manifest hosted earlier this year for LIA Creative Liaisons.

Also read:

LIA Creative Liaisons 2025: Betting on myself in Vegas