HEALTHY TRANS TASMAN RIVALRY AT CAXTON AWARDS IN QUEENSTOWN

Four agencies headed an exclusive clutch of just 10 shops on both sides of the Tasman to score gongs at the 32nd Annual Caxton Awards and Seminar, the first time the awards were open to agencies from New Zealand - and the first time it was held there. The event was staged at the magnificent Millbrook Resort, Queenstown over the weekend.
Four agencies won four Caxtons apiece - DDB Auckland, Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney, Saatchi & Saatchi Auckland and Leo Burnett Melbourne.
However, the Quinlivan Black Chairman’s Award eluded them all, instead going to George Patterson Y&R, Melbourne’s ‘Nativity Scene’ ad for the Melbourne Cricket Club.
Five others won Caxtons: Perth shops Marketforce and The Brand Agency won two each, while one Caxton apiece went to another Perth shop, 303, CHE Melbourne and McCann-Erickson, Brisbane.
Says Chairman of Judges, Paul Catmur, ECD of DDB Auckland: "Out of all the Caxton winners the Boxing Day ad was much appreciated by the jury and also the one that I personally felt was the best, true ‘newspaper ad’. It therefore wins the Quinlivan Black Award.
"It’s impactful, topical, humorous and clearly understanding of the target market. It was the ad that members of the jury felt most like showing to other members of the jury and I suspect it would be the same for consumers.
"The WA water shortage ad showed great understanding of the attributes of newsprint, though curiously its strength let it down. The jury was so impressed by the thought of a printing technique that only revealed itself when wet, we were disappointed to learn it was only the colour from the reverse side showing through. Bloody juries, eh…
"Whilst there were some good ads I think the standard of newspaper ads is being held back by agencies not producing newspaper ads that were designed for newspapers. Too many are magazine ads stuck into a newspaper because that’s what the media schedule says. Juniors coming through seem unaware of the printing vagaries of newsprint and also the way that people interact with the medium.
"Intricate art direction dies a death when passed through the newsprint rollers, so work to the medium’s strengths of intimacy, immediacy and impact. (Coincidental alliteration but it works for me.)

"I also suspect that the criteria that juries lay down for handing out awards often do not take into account the particular nature of newspaper advertising. Judging newspaper and magazine ads on the same criteria is akin to judging radio against TV.
I would like to thank the organisers of the Caxton’s for letting us Kiwis play with their ball and I hope by the time you read this we will all have had a jolly time in Queenstown. It’s a great setting for a great tradition, I only hope my liver is up to the challenge."