Australia has hit the ground running at Cannes and it could be a bumper year. That's because Australia has found its voice and because clients are willing to take risks in a small yet mature market, according to two judges representing Australia.
It also helps that agencies here know how to write a submission that does justice to the creative. (Probably a good thing we have so many awards shows in Australia then – good practice, right?)
Aussie agencies took two Golds for Creative Effectiveness, two for Promo & Activation (plus a Silver and two Bronze), one Grand Prix and four Golds for Direct (plus three Silver and four Bronze), and one Grand Prix and one Gold for PR (plus three Silvers and three Bronze).
Of that haul, McCann Melbourne is responsible for the lion's share. But other winners were for big brands that also tried something a bit different. Leo Burnett Sydney was one of the other Gold winners for its work for Coca-Cola (twice) plus Whybin TBWA Sydney (for Insurance Australia) and Ogilvy & Mather Sydney (for Coca-Cola South Pacific) also racked up Golds on day one.
Direct Lions judge Dave Bowman, executive creative director at Whybin TBWA, told AdNews he reckoned “Australia will have a really good year […] because it is embracing its tone of voice and reaping the rewards”.
But he also said that “without question, some countries are better than others” at putting submissions together.
Russ Mitchin, planning partner at DDB Sydney, judged the Creative Effectiveness category, which was won by Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam for its work for Heineken. He agreed that some agencies had done brilliant work, but had come up short with their submissions.
Mitchin said some of the judges had tried to make the case for work where “we all knew how good it was but it just wasn't [quite there] on paper. If we are having to create the case for them it just won't get on the list. The agency has just not done its ideas justice”.
Agencies that already spent thousands on their entries just needed to polish their act and “give their ideas a chance” when it comes to submissions, he said.
But Mitchin said that the amount of winners on day one for a small country was not surprising. It was precisely because Australia is a relatively small, isolated market that big brands were prepared to take risks, he said. And success breeds success.
He cited campaigns for Coca-Cola and McDonald's by way of example. “If it doesn't work out [it's not a massive problem in global terms]. So it is gratifying to see risk paying off. That should encourage other clients to try more risky ideas.”
Monday's local Cannes winners are listed below:
Creative Effectiveness Lions:
Australia's largest risk mitigator for Insurance Australia by Whybin\TBWA Sydney
Share a Coke for Coca-Cola South Pacific by Ogilvy & Mather Sydney
Promo & Activation
Gold: Dumb Ways to Die for Melbourne Trains by McCann Melbourne (two)
Silver: Overstay Checkout for Art Series Hotels, Naked Communications Cremorne
Bronze: Guilt Trips for V/Line by McCann Melbourne
Bronze: Air Force FM for Defence Force Recruiting by George Patterson Y&R Melbourne
Direct
Grand Prix: Dumb Ways to Die for Melbourne Trains by McCann Melbourne
Gold: Dumb Ways to Die for Melbourne Trains by McCann Melbourne (two)
Gold: Small World Machines for Coca Cola by Leo Burnett Sydney (two)
Silver: Air Force FM for Defence Force Recruiting by George Patterson Y&R Melbourne
Silver: Fair Go Bro for Virgin Mobile Australia by Havas Worldwide Australia North Sydney
Bronze: Telekinize the Rainbow for Skittles by Clemenger BBDO Sydney
Bronze: Guilt Trips for V/Line by McCann Melbourne (two)
Bronze: Small World Machines for Coca Cola by Leo Burnett Sydney
PR
Grand Prix: Dumb Ways to Die for Melbourne Trains by McCann Melbourne
Gold: Dumb Ways to Die for Melbourne Trains by McCann Melbourne
Silver: Durexperiment Fundawear for Reckitt Benckiser by Havas Worldwide Australia North Sydney and Frank PR Sydney
Silver: The Most Powerful Arm Ever Invented for Save Our Sons and Duchenne Foundation by Red Agency Sydney
Silver: Fair Go Bro for Virgin Mobile Australia by One Green Bean Sydney/Havas Worldwide Australia North Sydney
Bronze: Impossible Orchestra, for the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs by McCann Melbourne
Bronze: The Most Powerful Arm Ever Invented for Save Our Sons and Duchenne Foundation by Red Agency Sydney
Bronze: Fair Go Bro for Virgin Mobile Australia by One Green Bean Sydney/Havas Worldwide Australia North Sydney
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