It's a good year to be a Monkey. Or should that be The Monkeys. The independent agency was crowned the Australian Effective Agency of the Year 2016 at the Effies last night (8 September) and also took home the Grand Effie for its Operation Boomerang campaign for Meat & Livestock Australia.
Overall, six Gold Effies were handed out. Four of them went to The Monkeys. One for its work with Blackmore’s on ‘The power of knowledge: How an 80-year-old reclaimed thought leadership’ and three for ‘Operation Boomerang’.
The awards are more than just creative awards. They recognise the effectiveness of campaigns – both short and long term.
Speaking to AdNews, agency co-founder Mark Green says The Monkeys has always managed to maintain a high standard - from the Richie Benaud ad, Operation Boomerang and more recently, its Spring Lamb ads.
“Already we are seeing our Spring Lamb campaign overtake Operation Boomerang, just looking at things like earned media, shares, trending on Twitter and views,” Green says.
“Our culture drives ambition and the desire to do interesting things - which then becomes infectious and the enthusiasm then catches.”
Green says the agency has plenty more great work in the pipeline, but despite this year's many accolades – including the AdNews Agency of the Year Award - they “don't let it go to their heads” and keep their feet firmly on the ground.
The Monkeys founders Green, Justin Drape and Scott Nowell told AdNews earlier this year that making great creative work that works has been key to the shop's success over the last 10 years. You can read a profile feature of The Monkeys to mark 10 years of the agency in the current issue of AdNews. Download a digital version of AdNews on desktop, Apple or Android here for $5.99. You can also subscribe to the premium print edition here.
Operation Boomerang – while controversial – has been described as MLA's “most successful” Australia Day lamb campaign ever and was highly rewarded because it “demonstrated “a very compelling and clear business case, with a high degree of difficulty”.
Judges said the strategy was “bold, disruptive, and extremely effective”.
MLA marketer Andrew Howie is also a strong proponent for great creative work, being the best way to deliver return. MLA was last year's Effective Advertiser. MLA and The Monkeys have just launched the latest spring lamb campaign - and it's being touted as possibly the most inclusive ad ever made. Check it out.
This year, Officeworks was named Effective Advertiser of the Year. The judges said the Officeworks marketing team has an “impressive case history and set of results, and a great argument for the science and art of marketing over simple merchandising”.
The team was praised for a consistent approach and long-term commitment to effectiveness and agency partners.
Affinity also won a Gold Effie for its data project with Narellan Pools ‘Diving into data for Narellan Pools’, and Whybin\TBWA Melbourne was awarded a Gold for ‘Owning the First Job Trigger’ for ANZ.
Anthony Freedman, chairman of The Australian Effie Awards, said: “The Effies have become one of the most important dates in our industry’s calendar. Each year, the quality of the cases raises the bar for great creative and strategic thinking that delivers real value to clients businesses.”
UK-based effectiveness expert Peter Field spoke at the event at Doltone House on the importance of long-term effectiveness and the dangers of taking a short-term tactical approach to advertising and marketing. The CommsCouncil handed out 13 silver and 20 bronze Effie awards on the night.
Check out the full list of Gold Effie winners below:
Food, Confectionery & Snacks:
The Monkeys – Meat & Livestock Australia – Operation Boomerang
Health & Wellbeing:
The Monkeys – Blackmores - The power of knowledge: How an 80-year-old reclaimed thought leadership
Financial Services:
Whybin\TBWA Group Melbourne – ANZ – Owning The First Job Trigger
Short Term Effects:
The Monkeys – Meat & Livestock Australia – Operation Boomerang
Most Original Thinking:
The Monkeys – Meat & Livestock Australia – Operation Boomerang
Use of Data:
Affinity – Narellan Pools – Diving into Data for Narellan Pools
Other winners:
Retail/Etail: Sponsor Think TV:
BMF – Aldi Australia – The Christmas campaign that was so effective, we had to pull it off air: Silver
BMF – Aldi – Australia On for the Retail Brave: Converting the Haters: Bronze
Food, Confectionery and Snacks:
BMF – Meat & Livestock Australia – Turning the Corner on a Forty Year Decline: Bronze
Beverages:
Mr Wolf – Taylors Wines – How cooling things down can heat things up: Bronze
Other Consumer Goods:
Leo Burnett Sydney – Samsung Electronics Australia – Samsung Galaxy Tab S2: A data love story: Bronze
Financial Services:
Whybin\TBWA Sydney – RaboDirect – Shonky Savers: Bronze
Travel, Leisure and Media Sponsor: B&T:
Affinity – Narellan Pools – Diving into Data for Narellan Pools: Silver
Government:
J. Walter Thompson Sydney – NSW Rural Fire Services – From Apathy to Action: Silver
The Brand Agency – Water Corporation – Drop 2: How one small action helped a city save water: Bronze
Not For Profit & Cause Related Marketing Sponsor UnLtd:
J. Walter Thompson Sydney – NSW Rural Fire Services – From Apathy to Action: Silver
J. Walter Thompson Melbourne – Beyondblue – It’s not you, it’s your brain: encouraging young people to seek support for mental illness: Bronze
McCann Melbourne – Seeing Eye Dogs Australia (Vision Australia) – Free Puppies Forever: Bronze
Best State Campaign:
Meerkats Brand Leadership Company – Brownes Dairy – Don’t lie to your Mum: How honesty turned the tide for Brownes Yoghurt: Silver
J. Walter Thompson Sydney – NSW Rural Fire Services – From Apathy to Action: Bronze
Return on Investment Sponsor ThinkTV:
Red Planet – Qantas – Turning retail conventions on their head for the Qantas Wanderlust sale: Silver
Affinity – Narellan Pools – Diving into data for Narellan Pools: Bronze
Short Term Effects:
BMF – Aldi Australia – The Christmas campaign that was so effective, we had to pull it off air: Silver
Clemenger BBDO Melbourne – Myer – Wonderful Hold Music: Bronze
Most Original Thinking Sponsor Shootsta:
303 MullenLowe -Budget Direct – Captain Risky: Bronze
Grey Melbourne – MS Limited Australia – This Bike has Multiple Sclerosis: Bronze
New Product or Service Sponsor The Monkeys Cobbler:
DDB Sydney – Westpac – Culture eats category for breakfast: Silver
Atomic 212° Group – Double Robotics – Lucy the Robot: Bronze
183 gyro – USG Boral – Next Generation: Bronze
Small Budget:
J. Walter Thompson Melbourne – Beyondblue – It’s not you, it’s your brain: encouraging young people to seek support for mental illness: Bronze
Leo Burnett Melbourne – SPC Ardmona – #MyFamilyCan: Bronze
Digitally Led Ideas:
Affinity – Narellan Pools – Diving into Data for Narellan Pools: Silver
PR Led Campaign:
Whybin\TBWA Group Melbourne – ANZ Push for an Equal Future: Bronze
Insight & Strategic Thinking:
Affinity – Narellan Pools – Diving into Data for Narellan Pools: Silver
Whybin\TBWA Group Melbourne – ANZ – Push for an Equal Future: Silver
J. Walter Thompson Sydney – NSW Rural Fire Services – From Apathy to Action: Bronze
Online Brands:
BMF – Sportsbet – The Idea that cost Sportsbet Millions: Silver
Use of Data:
Red Planet – Qantas – Turning retail conventions on their head for the Qantas Wanderlust sale: Silver
Leo Burnett Sydney – Samsung Electronics Australia – Samsung Galaxy Tab S2: A data love story: Bronze
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop me a line at rosiebaker@yaffa.com.au
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