(somewhat) Arbitrary awards
So the big winner at Cannes was this campaign:
It won Grands Prix for Film, Press, Promo and Integrated. So that’s four separate juries who loved it enough to give it their last Rolo.
Funny thing is, at D&AD it scored a nomination in TV, an entry for Integrated and didn’t even get in for Press (I assume it was entered). It did get a Pencil for branding, but I don’t think that category crosses over.
So one Film jury of top-level international creatives loved it, while another liked it a fair bit; one Integrated jury of top-level international creatives loved it, while another quite liked it; and one Press jury of top-level international creatives loved it, while another didn’t.
And it’s not the only example (oddly enough from the same agency). This ad won TV ad of the year at the BTAAs, Gold at Cannes and nothing at Creative Circle:
The point I’m taking ages to make is that awards are, of course, matters of opinion. If your ad meets the right people at the right time it will do well, but another, somewhat arbitrarily selected group might ignore it.
So go and worry about something else.
I must say I was gobsmacked that it won the Grand Prix for press. I mean, it’s just a shot of the (albeit amusing) product. The idea is a great one, but just taking a snap of the products and sticking them on a blank layout doesn’t warrant a Grand Prix, I’m afraid.
We did a campaign years ago that picked stuff up everywhere.
Scottish Ad awards? Not even a nomination. Weird fuckers.
I always thought this campaign was very watford.
I did an ad that got in the One Show annual but nothing else. 3 years later someone else did the exact same ad and won a Campaign gold.
Cuntos.
Its a good integrated/PR idea for sure. But Grand Prix for TV? Genuinely surprised. And PRINT? Even more so. Bold client and kudus to the CLIENT for doing something different at christmas but the idea itself is pretty studenty and its not a ‘fuck me where did they come up with that?’ insight is it. A good ad dont get me wrong. Def another one of those yearly smart DDB HN ads they churn out every year. Def a silver/gold. But Grand PRix? Hmm. I though AMV’s christmas stuff was better and more interesting film wise. But hey ho.
it’s a funny one this campaign. Is not a great idea, but the fact they did it so well and went to town with it deserves recognition. Pats on the back to everyone involved, it feels a team effort not just creatively (how the fuck did they get the “products” made and stocked into the store… that in itself is pretty fucking good!) But… Grand Prix for film? You are having a laugh. Amir Cassay must’ve fought pretty fucking hard for it!
they’re always arbitrary unless you’re winning them.
in the cannes circus, it’s great that an idea won.
and not for tippex.
Amir Cassay was too shit-faced to even care.
I worked on HN for a few years and did very well out of it. This work moved it on from the usual visual wit approach that was looking ever-so-slightly last season, and is all the better for it. Though I think Jury Madness kicked in a little, especially in Press, this campaign made me jealous. Obvious declared interest; they are mates of mine, but I am just so fucking glad that the usual worthy ‘we saved the world by building a movement’ shit didn’t win. And that they didn’t wave their cunting national flag on the stage.
GOUT LEGS: Great ideas win in film every year. Dumb Ways to Die was an idea that was very different. And Van Damme is an idea that was very different. But HN is as someone above put, it quite studenty as a TV spot (great PR thing though etc).
The irony is…these amusing, different, quite ironically designed spoof products would actually make quite cool xmas gifts.
Adam, would you like to tell the class what you mean by ‘jury madness’?
Awards never mean anything unless you win one or thought that you should have won one.
I don’t think that’s true.
As a nipper (relatively speaking) I was obsessed with awards, but when I started to win them I started to care less and less about them.
I think it was a case of wanting something that was out of my reach, but when I got it I don’t think it held the same mysterious cachet.
Much like my fleeting relationship with Natalie Portman.
Natalie Cassidy?
Err… something like this, and fairly unique to Cannes.
After a hard day of judging the jury tends to head to the ludicrously expensive, yet expensable, Carlton Terrace. “Fuck me that Harvey Nicks work is good” says Jesus from the Interactive jury. This unswerving opinion builds across the tightly packed room. By the end of the night every Lom, Rick and Ali are singing its praises. Any Juror who wouldn’t know shit from shinola, now feels totally confident about where to put their X. Hey presto, it wins everything.
Only really good ideas can do this. And, like last year’s Stupid Ways to Die, once the momentum starts, it simply can’t be stopped. (Though I didn’t like that one as much as HN.)
Natalie Imbruglia (circa 1995).
I had an app in my spec folio a few years back where you hold your plane up to the sky and it tells you where it is going, what airline it is and the flight number. I showed this to Ogilvy One a few years back. Suffice to say the same idea but on a billboard has just won the direct grand prix for the same people i showed my folio to. Twats.
You bastard Adam.
I never breathed a fucking word.
Besides – my money was on the Worthy Movement bollocks so what do I know?
Anyone got any spare receipts they don’t need? I’m about two grand short on my exes..
Did you also show your Grand Prix winning app idea to these people?
http://www.flightradar24.com/
Or to air traffic control at Heathrow?
You must feel robbed.
@18 Anonymous.
Cheers, you got any more ideas?
I am surprised it won so much at Cannes. I just don’t find it clever at all and is a very conventional retail insight. I have had work run about how an offer is so good you’ll buy it for yourself this Christmas. Had one for Valentine’s Day too, where you should buy the product for that special someone: you. I am sure most people pitch and/or produce this idea at least once in their career. So it baffles me this was so well received.
Also, I like that they made the alternate products but I find the video way too long.