AdReview Awards honoured a range of achievement
Ogilvy had a strong showing at the 2009 AdReview Awards, claiming the honours in three categories. But DDB’s stellar creative form (which earned it a Cannes Grand Prix), and its pound-for-pound out-punching of the larger agency, bagged it the Agency of the Year accolade. Full details are in Tony Koenderman’s AdReview, which is published with this issue of Finweek.
Ogilvy Johannesburg’s work for KFC won two awards: The Big Idea and Radmark Radio Campaign of the Year. The agency also came out tops of the closely contested Gauteng Agency award.
Jupiter’s business and creative performance earned them Marketing Communications Group award. Commercials director of the year was Keith Rose who directed the Allan Gray TV commercial devised by KingJames Cape Town. Yet it was Draftfcb which walked away with campaign of the year for African dictator who tells Vodacom customers and prospects: “We’ve been having it.”
Among the Cape agencies it was last year’s newcomer and creative extraordinaire FoxP2 that dominated. The 2009 newcomer of the year is sports sponsorship agency Matchworld. Sports sponsorship agencies’ outstanding performance saw Exp awarded Marketing Services Company. Its MD Justin Sampson and Interbrand Sampson executive chairman Jeremy Sampson are the first father and son to win in the same year. Interbrand took the Design Shop of the Year.
Another interesting win is Magna Carta taking the PR Consultancy of the Year for the fourth consecutive year. The judges ended up with the tough choice between having a new winner and settling on the best. Gloo also maintained its winning streak for the third straight year as Digital agency.
With something like 25 media agencies now in business, it was decided tolevel the playing field by acknowledge small (billing below R450m) and large agencies. Media Agency of the Year went to Mindshare and Applied Media Logic was named Small Media Agency. Although there was no Durban agency of the Year, TBWA Durban took The Boabab Award for its success in building relationships with clients.
Mike Schalit was recognised as Advertising Person of the Year. Known for his creative genius, it was his devotion to socially responsible and sustainable advertising that set him apart.
Due to the remarkable number of outstanding small agencies, awards were also made to Six Hot-Shops. Not all are traditional but have all found a sphere in which they excel: Mick & Nick, Mediology, 34, HDI Youth Marketeers, MetropolitanRepublic and Fine Healthcare.
