The Brand Agency and Austereo Perth win Silver Sirens at the national Siren radio awards

The Brand Agency has picked up a Silver Siren at the national Siren Awards, presented yesterday in Sydney. Their winning ad was in the Single category for Perth Zoo called “Slender Tailed Meerkat”. It was written by creative team Josh Edge and Rikki Burns (pictured left).

The national Siren Awards, now in their seventh year, are run by Commercial Radio Australia and are designed to recognise the best radio advertising in the country. A winner is announced in each of the three categories: single, campaign and craft as well as an overall winner who receives the Gold Siren. The awards are judged by the Siren Council, comprised of creative directors and producers from advertising agencies and studios throughout Australia.

The 2011 Siren Awards also included a new award known as the Siren Client Award which was judged by a panel made up of clients, rather than agency creative directors. This Award was won by radio network, Austereo Perth for an ad for Allpest, called “Does not negotiate – Rats”, written by Alida Henson, Garry Dean, Ingrid Paxton and Matt Dickson (bottom pic). The winners received a cash prize of $5000.

It’s a great result for Western Australia picking up two of the five awards.

“Matt Dickson and his small but exceptionally talented team of creatives at MIX 94.5 and 92.9 are to be congratulated,” said Austereo Perth General Manager Linda Wayman. “Austereo has always been totally committed to fostering creative writing in radio in Perth, notably through our Perth Radio Writers Awards and we extend that commitment to fostering creativity in our own work environment. We believe this award -the first time a radio station rather than an agency has ever won it -vindicates not only that long term support for innovation in radio writing but also our commitment to providing creative solutions for our clients. Since it was some of Australia’s top clients who voted for Austereo’s Allpest ad, we can only assume we are on the right track.”

The overall winner was Leo Burnett Melbourne who won the 2011 Gold Siren award for best radio ad of the year for a campaign called “Slow Mornings” for 7-Eleven.

2011 Siren Award winners

Siren Awards 2011 Overall Category Winner (Gold Siren)

Agency: Leo Burnett, Melbourne

Writer: Andrew Woodhead and Eamonn Dixon

Client: 7-Eleven

Commercial Title: “Slow Mornings”

Siren Awards 2011 Single Category Winner (Silver Siren)

Agency: The Brand Agency, Perth

Writer: Josh Edge and Rikki Burns

Client: Perth Zoo

Commercial Title: “Slender Tailed Meerkat”

Siren Awards 2011 Campaign Category Winner (Silver Siren)

Agency: Leo Burnett, Melbourne

Writer: Andrew Woodhead and Eamonn Dixon

Client: 7-Eleven

Commercial Title: “Slow Mornings”

Siren Awards 2011 Craft Category Winner (Silver Siren)

Sound Engineer: Martyn Zubb

Production Studio: Oasis Post, Adelaide

Client: Adelaide Zoo

Campaign Title: “Bath”

Siren Awards 2011 Client Category Winner (cash prize)

Agency: Austereo, Perth

Writer: Alida Henson, Gary Dean, Ingrid Paxton and Matt Dickson

Client: Allpest

Commercial Title: “Does not negotiate – Rats”

LISTEN TO THE WINNERS HERE

Chief executive officer of Commercial Radio Australia, Joan Warner said the Siren Awards provided a great opportunity to recognise excellence in Australian radio advertising and had grown in stature each year: “This year there has been a record number of entries with over 800 – an increase of 34% on last year and a fantastic result which highlights how important this Award has become.”