Advertising News South Africa

Creative Circle results for December 2009, January 2010

The Creative Circle results for December 2009 and January 2010, which were held back for judging together because of the end-of-year slow-time, are finally in.

CategoryDecember 2009January 2010
Newspaper1. Land Rover “Everywhere URL” - Y&R SA Jhb1. Independent Newspapers/Cape Times “Buzz Aldrin/Moon” - Lowe Bull CT
2. Bostik/Mirror Glue “Amputee” - DDB SA
Magazine1. Volkswagen/Crafter “Wedding” - Ogilvy CTHeld over
OutdoorNo award1. CNA/Assorted: in this case books - Camp. “Reconciliation Day” - The Jupiter Drawing Room (South Africa)
2. Greenpeace “Flying Fish” - Ogilvy Jhb
3. Associated Magazine/Marie Claire “Clothing Trail” - Net#work BBDO CT
TV/cinema1. Diageo/Guiness “Scout” - Saatchi & Saatchi CT1 Topsy Foundation/Aids Reversal “Selenah” - Ogilvy JHB
1. Brandhouse/Windhoek Lager - Camp. “Keep it Real” - The Jupiter Drawing Room (South Africa)2. 1st for Women “So Backwards” - Black River FC
2. International Anti-Fur Coaltion - Fur Free “Handbag” - Lowe Bull CT3. Kalhari.net/Books/Music/DVD's & Games “Farmer” - Joe Public
Radio1. 1Time Airline/Livingstone Camp “Lions/Asprin/Black Mamba” - Da Vinci Edison Bell1. McDonald's/24 Hour “Whenever your Day Ends” - DDB SA
2. Independent Newspapers/Cape Times “World Cup” - Lowe Bull CT
3. Noah Orphanages “Bedtime Story” - Grey SA

Judges December 2009Judges January 2010
Rui Alves, Lowe Bull (chair)Rui Alves, Lowe Bull (chair)
Catherine Conradie, OgilvyCatherine Conradie, Ogilvy
Greg Watt, DDBGreg Watt, DDB
Donovan Goliath, Net#workBBDODonovan Goliath, Net#workBBDO
Rajesh Ranchod, TJDR Rajesh Ranchod, TJDR
Charles Pantland, TBWA\Hunt\LascarisCharles Pantland, TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris
Adam Wittert, Saatchi & SaatchiAdam Wittert, Saatchi & Saatchi
Olivia Russell, DraftfcbOlivia Russell, Draftfcb
Paul Strappini, JWTPaul Strappini, JWT
Stephan du Toit, PenquinStephan du Toit, Penquin

CategoryDecember 2009 chair commentsJanuary 2010 chair comments
GeneralOne of the few things that stayed lean over the indulgent festive season was the quality and quantity of work that was entered. Although a few worthy pieces broke through and got the acknowledgment they deserved. Even though we lowered the amount of nominations needed for less populated categories (three votes are required per category during a normal month) the jury still felt hard pressed to consider work that in any other month's) would probably not have got a second glance. Particularly in the December magazine and newspaper categories which had only five and four entries respectively. In the end high standards prevailed and the work was scrutinised which easily revealed weaker pieces. The work that was not up to scratch was promptly shown the door. There was nothing category defining about our collective industry output over this period. And I'm stating the obvious when I say that these where not our finest months ever in the history of advertising.
NewspaperLandRover's “Everywhere URL” broke through the clutter with a simple idea that made itss point quickly. Again this was a very poor category and no other work was put back in for consideration.The Cape Times “Buzz Aldrin” ad' was chosen as the clear winner. Second place was initially shared by Bostik/Mirror Glue “Amputee” and Cape Times “Tiananmen Square” but the latter was bumped out when some of the jury concluded that the Tiananmen square execution on its own might not be understood without seeing the other ads in the campaign to help close the loop. Bostik/Mirror Glue “Amputee” maintained second place despite many jury members not knowing what the product actually does.
MagazineThe judges warmed up to the VW/Crafter campaign but in the end only one ad in the campaign was deemed worthy of an award. It was one of the biggest droughts I've ever witnessed in this category.
OutdoorSlightly better populated then its poor cousins print and newspaper but still no real substance. Two pieces of work where talked about after judging: Project Concern's “stop violence against women” and Lucky Pet Food's D9 tactical posters which came close to an award but not close enough.CNA's “reconciliation day” poster campaign made it to the top followed in second place by the Greenpeace “Flying Fish” ambient event(?) which at least tried to do something different with the medium of outdoor. Marie Claire's naked issue “Clothing Trail” idea won third place after two weaker elements of the campaign (“Cheek” and “Chin”) were dropped out.
TV/cinemaA tie for first place between Windhoek Lager's “Keep it Real” campaign and Guinness' single entry called “Scout” which the jury decided to keep as a first place tie. The only question here was whether all the Windhoek spots in the campaign were of an equal calibre but in the end the campaign was carried across by the stronger spots. This was closely followed in second place by the International Anti-Fur Coalitions “Handbag” spot which uses shock and awe tactics to drive its point home. The jury thought the voting was fair and there wasn't much discussion around television.The Topsy foundations moving film “Selinah” came out on top without any debate. Humour ensured that 1st for women's “so backward” came in a close second and Kalahari.net “farmer” was third by a slightly wider margin. When asked for one memorable piece of work from the two months some of the judges picked “Selinah”.
RadioThe 1 time Airline radio campaign was a clear winner according to the score sheet. The wide gap in scores as well as a discussion about craft and executional excellence cast doubt on the next two contenders. Car magazine's “Toast to Car Magazine” and Animal Anti-cruelty's “Guy Fawkes Day Attack” came close to an award but the jury thought the execution and production values let them down.Many entries this month. MacDonald's/24 hour “Whenever your day ends” made use of a VO artists long working day as the vehicle to deliver their message. Then came Cape Times “World cup” spot which created a voice tapestry to show different points of view being covered in a single news story. Noah Orphanages “Bedtime story” cut through the clutter in third place. Quite a few spots sustained a high level of humour across the category because of great craft in writing and higher production values then the previous month's radio entries. Sadly these same spots had not been pinned onto a strong enough central idea which let them down in the end.

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