SAATCHI & SAATCHI SCORES NEW ZEALAND’S ONLY TWO BRONZE DIRECT LIONS
Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand won New Zealand’s only two Direct Lions tonight, with Bronze gongs for Toyota and TVNZ. The wins, together with finalists was enough to rank the agency #3 in the world at the Cannes Direct Lions behind Shackleton Madrid and JWT Mumbai.
Indiawon the Grand Prix with an entry from JWT Mumbai which flabbergastedthe Direct jury, starting out as a direct response ad in a newspaperbut which went on to captured India’s imagination, ultimately involvinghundreds of millions of people.
Australia nabbed the top international ranking in the Direct Lionscompetition along with the United Kingdom with both countries landingfive Lions each.
New Zealand born Canadian judge,Matt Shirtcliffe, executive creative director for Proximity Canada,said Australia’s work stood out this year because of its irreverenceand humour.
“As a New Zealander living in Canada, it gives me adifferent perspective,” he told a press conference. “Australian workhas a very clear tone. Australia seems to do irreverence and humour aswell if not better than any other country. It’s very very hard not tolike that natural Aussie humour.”
One of the most notable pointsthis year in the Direct Lions was the abysmal showing of the UnitedStates. It had just 75 entries and won no Lions while countries likeCosta Rica landed two Gold Lions and
three Silver. Thailand won two Gold and even Latvia managed a Silver.
“We’vebeen discussing that,” said US judge Janet Barker-Evans from DraftfcbChicago. “We’re surprised as any one. We did see large agencies makingsubmissions but there’s probably a lot of great smaller shops who don’tconsider entering at Cannes.”
Themes this year noted by the Directjury were an abundance of coffins, seeds, voodoo dolls and conceptsinvolving death. The jury laughed off a question from CB when asked ifthose campaigns had worked.
New Zealand Lions
Bronze
Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand, Toyota Hilux ‘Hilux Motion’
Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand, TVNZ ‘Around the world in 80 days’
6 Comments
“we did see large agencies making submissions but there’s probably a lot of great smaller shops who don’t consider entering Cannes.”
The smaller agenies don’t have the budgets to enter the awards. Plus there’s too many Awards – all of them money making ventures taking advantage of the industry.
Winning an award is about creativity but it’s also about being at the right agency at the right time with the right client, the right brief, the right suits and a client who’s willing to run it. When all these line up then maybe you can win.
Here’s a question – are award winning creatives with 10 years experience more creative than some graduates fresh out of school? I’d say they’re equally capable – it’s just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.
And before you pass judgement – yes I am jealous I’m not a winner. But I’ll be over it in 5 minutes. But bitter – no. It’s just the way the “system” works.
No direct Lions, DDB? No direct Lions?
I was bitter when I read the The French Cafe had won Metro Restaurant of the Year Award.
I was suspicious because the Crispy Roast Duckling had been consistently good for a number of years. Naturally, I suspected something was afoul, perhaps it was a scam dish.
But then I realised that The French Cafe Crispy Roast Duckling reminded me of albums by the band Slayer.
With Slayer, every year is 1981.
They record an album, then the band gets snap frozen and put away somewhere cold. When time comes around to record a new album, they simply thaw them out, tell them it’s still 1981, hand them their instruments and off they go again at 100mph.
So, kind of like Slayer, it’s the will and drive to make an excellent Crispy Roast Duckling that probably drives the owners of The French Cafe on. Once you’re renown for doing at least one good thing right, it’s easy to build on top of what you’ve got.
That makes a lot of sense however, one still does wonder, is it really right to eat something so young and innocent?
Surely an adult duck could be made to taste just as good.
And what about the lambs?
It’s ‘Silence of the Lambs’ on this blog. Especially if you’ve got something to say about certain ‘award addicted ‘CD’s. Now who would that be?