KELLER’S ANDY AWARDS’ DIARY (PART ONE)

Andrew Keller, executive creative director at Crispin Porter & Bogusky, is in Sydney for the Andy Awards’ judging, along with many of the world’s top creative directors. Here is the first of his daily reports for CB…

G’day from Sydney,

Not sure where to start.

Let’s start with Sydney. It is gorgeous. Smart. The right amount of civilized Britishness mixed with a laid back beach vibe. It’s basically perfect. And it’s the end of summer here. So blue skies, green trees and sparkling seas…blah blah blah. You get the point. We’re not here by accident.

And the ANDY’s…The ANDY’s are a weighty thing to be a part of. I’ve been fortunate to participate a few times now and rub shoulders with some of our industry’s finest while musing at our industry’s best work from the year. Droga, Tarty, Tuttsel, Nobay, Waites, Hoffman, Credle. That’s like half of them. It’s a humbling experience. The finest minds dissecting our work. It makes you want to work harder. Or at least wish you had.

If you remember my journal from last year, you may be aware that we partook in some karaoke. This year, it’s officially been added to the list of activities. Now, there’s no way Mr. Waites- our gracious and talented host – decided to do karaoke because he likes it.  I’m not buying that. The facts are that David ‘Nobby’ Nobay made this an issue. He’s thrown down the proverbial gauntlet and is rumored to have pre-filtered the songlist to work in his favor, in preparation for what he deems a re-match. He’s also lobbied for an encore performance from Thirasak Tanapatanakul (heretofore referred to as Guy) while bringing in an additional ringer from Thailand- Jureeporn Thaidumrong (heretofore referred to as Judy) — who apparently knocked it out of the park at another agency award competition karaoke showdown . For my part, all I can say is that the event will be reported fairly and accurately.

The work has been great so far. I’m fascinated by print. What is a great print ad is almost impossible to nail down. There are rules and there are goals and there are philosophies, but there are no guarantees. The right answer just is the right answer. I wish I could say more. Keep it simple, keep it branded, stay tight to the product and its benefits, Have a powerful strategy. Surprise and engage. Make it relevant. OK, so what is relevant and what is funny? What amount do you leave out so that the reader can feel smart for understanding vs have you left out so much as to alienate them? It’s a delicate balance. When you see it you know it. (Hmmmm…. sounds like a cop-out.) I’ve got a week to figure it all out.