AWARD: Meerkats scores one Silver and three Bronze; Marketforce and The Brand win Bronze

CB Exclusive – The most outstanding creative communications work in the Asia Pacific region was celebrated at the AWARD Awards tonight at Carriageworks in Sydney, the culmination of the three day festival of commercial creativity, Circus, Australia’s answer to Cannes.

The AWARD Network of the Year went to Publicis, AWARD Agency of the Year went to Saatchi & Saatchi, Sydney and Lion Nathan was proclaimed AWARD Client of The Year.

Best of Show was awarded to Clemenger BBDO Melbourne for the Guide Dogs Australia”Support Scent” campaign, which also won two Gold Pencils.

Meerkats, Perth scored one Silver Pencil and three Bronze Pencils – all for the HBF campaign, placing it in the top 10 agencies at AWARD this year. Marketforce, Perth won a Bronze Pencil for the Office of Road Safety ‘Breathe’ radio spot and The Brand Agency, Perth won Bronze for the Drug Aware ‘Camel Girl’ web film.

VIEW THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS:

AWARD FINALISTS WITH GONG.pdf

Saatchi & Saatchi, Sydney led the agency pack in the metal stakes – not including craft – taking home 6 Silver and 15 Bronze, followed by George Patterson Y&R Melbourne with 3 Silver and 13 Bronze. In third spot was Mojo Sydney with 7 Silver and 4 Bronze, followed by DDB New Zealand with 6 Silver and 5 Bronze and Clemenger BBDO, Melbourne with 2 Gold, 2 Silver and 6 Bronze.

A total of six Gold Pencils were awarded on the night. Clemenger BBDO, Melbourne was a multiple Gold winner with its “Support Scent” for Guide Dogs Australia campaign, while Special Group Auckland won Gold for Orcon+Iggy ‘Together Incredible’, Happy Soldiers Sydney for Tontine ‘Dated Pillows’, Clemenger BBDO, Wellington for NZTA ‘Theatre Ad’ and Colenso BBDO Auckland won a Craft Gold in Animation for NZ Book Council ‘Going West’ .

Happy Soldiers won its gold in the newly created creative innovation category, awarding unexpected ideas and challenging entrants to contribute a solution that defies convention.

90 judges from across the region, under the chairmanship or Erik Vervroegen, from Goodby, Silverstein Partners San Francisco, selected the winners from the 2000+ entries.

Says Vervroegen (left): “The quality of the work was very high. If you can make it as a finalist in a show like the award awards, it means your work is very good. bronze is amazing, silver and gold are beyond amazing. Everybody was voting in the same direction, very consistent.”

Says Craig Davis (below left), AWARD chairman: “AWARD is here to champion commercial creativity, at a time when it has never been more important to business or society. I am proud of our industry and – after these last three days – am more convinced than ever about the very real contribution we have to make.”

“The AWARD Awards round of a phenomenal three days of ‘Circus’, said Daniel Leesong, CEO of The Communications Council.

“We thank all the judges for their insights and vision, and Erik for bringing his international perspective to the AWARD awards. The winners set the bar for truly inspiring and outstanding creativity. Congratulations!”

Hosted by Julia Zemiro, the night was themed on the ‘Ian is Getting Ready’ concept developed by Publicis Mojo Sydney for the 2010 AWARD Call for Entries.

This year a number of new categories were introduced including the new music video, applications, social media, environmental design, and branded content categories, with a view to reflecting how the industry’s work is evolving.

AWARD TOP 10 AGENCIES

1.    Saatchi & Saatchi, Sydney – 6 Silver + 15 Bronze = 270 points

2.    George Patterson Y&R, Melbourne – 3 Silver + 13 Bronze = 190 points

3.    Mojo Sydney – 7 Silver + 4 Bronze = 180 points

4.    DDB New Zealand – 6 Silver + 5 Bronze = 170 points

5.    Clemenger BBDO, Melbourne – 2 Gold + 2 Silver + 6 Bronze = 160 points

6.    Leo Burnett, Sydney – 2 Silver + 10 Bronze = 140 points

7.    Special Group Auckland = 1 Gold + 4 Silver + 1 Bronze = 120 points

8.    Colenso BBDO, Auckland – 4 Silver + 3 Bronze = 110 points

9.    Three Drunk Monkeys, Sydney – 2 Silver + 2 Bronze = 60 points

=10. Meerkats Perth – 1 Silver + 3 Bronze = 50 points

=10. TBWA\Tequila, Auckland – 1 Silver + 3 Bronze = 50 points

Agency points: Gold – 30, Silver – 20, Bronze – 10 – not including Craft, unless agency produced.

AWARD TOP TVC PRODUCTION COMPANIES

1.    Revolver – 2 Silver + 6 Bronze = 100 points

2.    Exit Films  – 3 Silver + 3 Bronze = 90 points

3.    Plaza Films – 2 Silver, 1 Bronze = 50 points

=4.  @radical.media – 1 Silver + 1 Bronze = 30 points

=4.  The Sweet Shop – 1 Silver + 1 Bronze = 30 points

=6.  Prodigy – 2 Bronze = 20 points

=6.  The Feds – 2 Bronze = 20 points

=8.  Curious – 1 Bronze = 10 points

=8.  Film Construction – 1 Bronze = 10 points

TVC Production Company points: Gold – 30, Silver – 20, Bronze – 10 – awarded specifically for Craft