They've forgotten to add me. Again.

Big ups for 'little richard' ranking equal to his ECD.

Time to move, bro.

Don't forget to ask Monty what he thinks. I hear he likes Olives.

I would laugh my ass off if anonymous was ranked.

Yes where is anonymous on the list.
He seems to have so much to say but not much to show.

An instrument of great value for all those in this industry with unbearable feelings of insecurity.

I'm 520! Excellent.

Is monty on the list?

Question: why does the ad industry feel the need to rank creatives?

Is is flawed to think that creativity is ranked according to awards? I thought awards were a team effort ?

So why do these ranking exist?

Also, and I know this makes two questions, but is the insecurity of creatives usually directly correlated to lack of penis length? Would this explain why there are so many UK creatives?

The last time I saw so many black t-shirts on one page I was reading the program at the Black Panthers convention, New York '76.

Fight the power.

Interesting how CB Agency of the year went to the agency ranked 18th.

How can DDB Sydney be ranked 18 if they have Campaign Brief agency of the year, not to mention Adnews agency of the year and Australian Creative hotshop? How hot is hot. Tabasco or not?

Insecurity? That's a prerequisite.

Monty was in the inaugural top 20 in 1988/89.

He has passed the baton.

the list is wank. the idea that a person placed at 434 is better than someone who is place at 476 is ridiculous! just do your job, enjoy it or leave it.

i have never seen architects, artists, writers or film makers compose a similar list. the reason? they are creative. we sell shit, so we need a list to redeem us. to make us think we are creative, make us think that somehow what we do is an art.

and before anyone asks I am not on the list, I do this job to make money - if I make good ad, great, I don't need to have some wanker who runs a magazine tell me that I have done good.

Yeah, what's with DDB not being the hottest agency on the list?? We all know DDB are hot...RED hot! (Like the chillies Lawsie smothers his jumbo Hot Dogs with of a lunchtime...)

Hey MediaBuyer/JnrDigitaldigitboy/suit/ or spanner.
'Question: why does the ad industry feel the need to rank creatives?'
The bankers rank their bankers. And their ananlysts. The music industry their musicians, same as the movie business and entertainment and TV. Sports people rank their sports people. You even get ranked at school. What planet are you from?

long time between batons.

I want to slam the rankings to say they aren't good for the industry. In fact, they might be pretty shit because they drive us to want to win awards, but if you look at the top 20 or 30, you have to admit those people are doing the most effective and exciting work in the country.

So for anyone it bothers, I would say, don't try and get to the top of the rankings or try and win awards, do something great that sells shitloads of whatever you are selling and suddenly you'll be at the top wondering why everyone is bitching about you.

I want a list that ranks the suits.

Hey 6.31... I think you have food poisoning.

"Top 24Hottest agencies?" What a very strange figure to settle on. Your slip is showing.

Respect to TBWA Auckland - they never run around pulling their cocks in the trade rags saying how great they are, they just get on with it and judging by how consistently well they do at Cannes, it's fair to say they get on with it pretty damn well.

Though maybe, to get crowned CB Agency of the year, they need to implement a carefully planned strategy that sees them fall back to #18.

What do you think Matt, would that help their chances?

Politics rule in this business. That's why it's a Top 24, not a Top 20. 4 extra wanna be's wanting to call themselves hot.

11.03. I think 6.31 has the old Ring of Fire from eating chillies. He's talking shit.

Strip our the scam ads from DDB and what are you really left with ??

Name one of their 'award winning' campaigns with a media budget over $50 000 and I will shut up ....

Can someone ask the guys at DDB just how HOT Lawsie''s chilli-dog sauce really is? Is it the one HOTNESS throughout the day, or does it graduate thru levels of HOTNESS with each chilli-dog....say, from 1 thru to 11?

Just got an e mail from my CD boasting that the agency has lifted it's ranking two places from the very high 20's to the high 20's!
What a wanker!!!!.
And yer, what's the shit about DDB Agency of the year being so crap on the list?
Go figure!!!!!

New category for next year:

'Most sniping anonymous comment'
'Most snivelling anonymous poster'
'Most unfounded anonymous criticism for a campaign posted on the blog'

and then – release their I.P addresses to the general ad community.

The headhunters would have a lot of new business.

To 7.50pm that wrote:

"The bankers rank their bankers. And their ananlysts (sic). The music industry their musicians, same as the movie business and entertainment and TV. Sports people rank their sports people. You even get ranked at school."

Creativity is different however. The examples you use are either quantitative or are simply awards, not rankings.

The list attempts to use a very loose measure of creativity, being awards won, as a way to rank creativity. It is farcical.

Since when does winning awards = being a great creative? What if you dont have a dedicated division that specialises in entering awards shows, and dont enter many? This is a reality for the MAJORITY of the great creatives out there.

The irony of these lists is that the only people that really care about them are the people on the lists. Clients dont give a shit, neither does the public. Dave Droga may be a god to you but outside the industry NO ONE CARES.

whats wrong with JnrDigitaldigitboys ?? :(

Another example of a horrifingly insecure and petulant industry clammering their way over a list that somehow ranks people based on how many credits they got on the bottom of a fucking creative award submission.

For this to be important we have to agree that they really did come up with the idea, make it better, or somehow facilitated it and that they did it on their own. How many great campaigns have we all made that we know were made so much better by another creative at the bar that night, the director, a piece of talent or even, god forbid, a suit or a client (we've all seen it happen!).

Awards are fine and we should all celebrate creativity as an industry, but this wanking just gives us all a bad name and it should stop NOW!~

And to 7.50pm, your logic is unfortunately floored. Sports people are ranked on their individual scores and statistics on a sporting field, musicians are ranked by how many records they sell to real people, Bankers are ranked on their business effectiveness. This list assumes that 1. the creative named was the sole owner of the idea (and no one had input) and 2. that the points given for each award show somehow relate to something that is even remotely relevant to what we do each day.

It's Ranking wanking....stop it.

To me, these rankings miss the whole point of being a creative in 2008. Awards are great and I certainly wouldn't knock any back.

But I am currently working on a new product and a number of other innovative projects, none of which are strictly advertising.

Assuming they all actually happen, they probably won't win me any awards, though they might make me rich.

And I reckon if I opened my book for a CD in 12 months time, all of these apparently irrelevant elements would make for a far more interesting viewing experience than a bunch of dime-a-dozen Cannes-style visual puns with tiny logo press ads.

The moment we agree to follow other people's rules and accede to their definitions of success, we give up on what it truly means to be creative.

It's not my line, but go your own way. It's more fun, more profitable and I hope, ultimately, more sustainable.

Let's get back to work 2:18. I want to knock over this adschool brief before the Drive Thru rush this arvo.

It's all a bit of fun in the end isn't it people?

If you don't like how it all works then why did you even read these articles? Why are you on this site and why are you in this industry?

I say lighten the fuck up or go become an accountant.

Yeah respect what you're saying 3:18 but until they find a way to rank people according to how hard they tried, they're going to have to keep doing it this way.

Awards are just an easy way to rank people. Would it help everyone if they changed it "most awarded"? Might stop the poor folk from being too upset.

There are creatives in the top 10 who have not themselves generated the award winning idea/ad, but have done the shelf wobbler or someother peripheral piece;but due to their creative departments policy of naming every mother that so much as sniffed the end idea they get a guernsey and therefore get the points that go towards the rankings.

I once touched Leo Premutico's hand in a lift... can I get into the top 20?

11.52. Yep level 11... and his arse is red raw and it's not from the chilli.

It does seem a little odd that on the 'awards' tally that DDB have score 295 and they're ranked 18th (up from 22 last year) and the top 10 scores go from around to 1600.

I think it could do with a reboot Lynchy. Maybe we have agency of the year and Lynchy's favourite for the year. I mean DDB being officially ranked at 18th? Come on!
If the industry is to take CB's agency of the year winner for real it has to be measured.

How is it measured Lynchy?

The list, is for those who want to be on it, those chasing some form of ranking. I think it has it's place, and see nothing wrong with it.

Albeit, I'd like to compare those on CB list, with a list of the highest paid creatives, now that would be another interesting way to rate ones true worth.

Infact, I'd love to see some hard data, that illustrated the correlation between, career progression, satisfaction, income, and experiece, against awards. Anybody?

If you work in certain agencies you are encouraged to come up with initiatives which have a much better chance of getting sold and made than if you worked in other agencies.

We all know that's the way it works and that it's a rigged game. It may come as a shock when you get into the business with the best intentions and then learn how the game is played.

Once you do, you can either bitch and moan about it or accept the reality that you have to do a couple of high profile bits of work every so often to keep your brand alive.

So you need to get into one of those agencies, do your work that keeps the agency door open and, do the work that keeps you in coke and hookers.
Deal with it or do something else, it's that simple.

It's still a pud-pull 4.14. Don't fight it.
BTW If you need a hand with the adschool brief flick it over.....might get myself up the wankings a couple of points....

Monty said:

It's interesting that the debate has re-opened.

Are you a better creative simply because you've won more awards than someone else? Surely there are too many variables to be able to measure this with any certainty.

On the subject of exceptional creativity and truly exceptional creatives, CD of Saatchi's London in the halcyon '80s Paul Arden has died.

He was truly unique.

If you want to be inspired, google Paul Arden and marvel at the pages and pages of articles listed. Who amongst us can expect to leave such a legacy?

And visit paularden.com and read the editorials, particularly those by Dave Trott and Tim Mellors.

Love, Monty

Could be wrong here but once again it feels like a lot of AWARD school students being green on this thread. If you had been in the business for two minutes you would've clicked that CB Agency of the year is decided on the work done in the same year. However these award rankings are decided on work that has won awards over the last two years, of which most of it was done the year before. Therefore it is completely kosher that DDB Sydders (not Melbs) was awarded agency of the year, yet posted a fairly average ranking here. The true measure of their work standard as at 2007, will only become apparent in the 2008 or 2009 rankings. Hope this makes some degree of sense to the peeps who don't know the basics of this rankings list. And no, I don't work for DDB, and have never worked in my career for the network so it's not like I'm trying to PR/ or cover them.

PPS/. The one thing I hate about the rankings is just how 'amazing' we think of overselves at advertising. If Lynchy included South African agencies on this list and ranked them just the same, I can guarantee you that of the top 10 agencies, 7 of them would be South African.

The problem is some people achieve their ranking by doing real ads for real clients whilst sadly many these days take a massive short cut and produce scam for award shows.

Sadly the ranking system can't differentiate so it's unfair and not a true gauge.

Lynchy, what's your opinion on scam?

just goes to prove what simon collins said years ago - doing advertising in new zealand is like playing tennis without a net

All the confusion about DDB Sydney's ranking...i'm no genius but i've cracked it. Its taking into account that last 2 years. DDB won a big bag of f**k all in 2006. Back and Eastwood were not up to full speed until the 07 awards so assuming that they will collect another handful this year, you'll see them jump up to near the top in next years rankings. Why are these rankings done over the last 2 years anyway? and not the last year, or 3 years? Explain someone.
And yes, i do agree that all this ranking wanking is going a bit far.

12:14 wrote: "The irony of these lists is the only people that really care about them are the people on the lists."

Have a look at the Gunn Report. Creativity sells. Sure, non creative ads sell as well. Just look at how successful Singo's is. But what would do you prefer? To be hired by an agency that does creative stuff or hired by an agency that does non creative stuff. You make your bed, you sleep in it. You get into the top 100. You'll be on the radar. Simple. Of course they bloody care about getting on to that list.

You also wrote: "Dave Droga may be a god to you but outside the industry NO ONE CARES."

Well, what another insight! Thanks for that gem. Thing is, you can say that about 90 percent of professions out there. But the point isn't "outside the industry, no one cares" ... the point is, If you're in the industry, whatever the industry, you should bloody care.

Because the industry pays your wage.

Nothing wrong with blowing your own trumpet, pal. The ones who aren't that good will be found out anyway.

If you don't like the rankings, don't pay any attention to them. What's the point of banging on about how much you dislike them?

At the 1991 Rugby World Cup final (England V Australia) apparently there was a group of South Africans walking around with a sign which read

'YOU'RE NOT WORLD CHAMPIONS UNTIL YOU'VE BEATEN SOUTH AFRICA'

Seems like one of those same twits has surfaced again some 17 years later on the CB Blog at 7:24pm.

I can't recall any South African agencies dominating at Cannes.

Yours sincerely,

Bitter, disillusioned All Black supporter.

Speaking od DDB...what about Lawsie's chilli-dog obsession?

Who ever told you sad fucks life was fair. This is one of the most competitive businesses you can work in. It will eat you up and spit you up with out the slightest remorse. So learn to suck it up and play the game or remain a nobody. It’s our job to make our clients stand out with great ideas. Awards are based on having the best IDEAS. Awards have a simple criteria for work, that it is sold to a client and that it runs somewhere with paid media. Those are the rules period. You can complain all you want about it, but entire world plays by them and if you don’t like it to bad. Either accept it and prove you can come up with those world-class ideas, sell them and get them to run somewhere or get run over again and again. I for sure am not going to sit on my ass and complain about the fact that I don’t like the game. Instead I am going to live at the top of this list and move up the ladder ahead of you, get paid more then you, and laugh at the fact that the only voice you will ever have is the blog.

Why the fuck would we care about South Africa?

It's a regional magazine.

That said, where's Asia? Would be great to see how we stack up against singapore and thailand.

10:58

I enjoyed your passionate, if somewhat nasty, rant.

My only thought is that if you really wanted to get paid more, you'd ditch your focus on creativity completely.

I reckon the guys who go home with the most in this industry have never tried writing a creative ad in their lives.

Thank you 10:58!!! You said exactly what I wanted to. Quite frankly, I have a hangover, so didn't have the energy. I was out celebrating some more recent wins. Can't some of you just be thankful you have such cool jobs and get on with it?

10:06am - I think you're forgetting the outdoor grand prix and like 6 out of the 12 gold lions in print for starters.

Dear 10:58

You sound like just the sort of twat the industry could do without.

Thinking these rankings is about a true measure of creativity is like thinking Australian Idol is about uncovering real singing talent.

Australian Idol is about creating a TV show that rates, and these creative rankings are about creating a story that gets people visiting this website, commenting and buying copies of Campaign brief.

Actually the creative rankings are a brilliant bit of marketing that deserve an award in their own right and it legitimises entry into The Work which Lynchy can then sell copies of for a healthy amount of cash.

What about creative rankings for clients?

Yeah 12.32 is right. The rankings basically reflect work that is two years old. All DDB's scams only kicked in this year. So that's why it's totally fair that they are at the top.

Who did this one Lynchie? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnZSK8lr_40

Wow, you need a PhD in award entering to participate in this debate.

I expect YOU did, 5.19.

(And if so, well done. It's pretty bloody good.)

In sideshow alleys, you'll sometimes see a sign that reads 'Every Child Wins A Prize'. Does the fact that 500 creatives have won enough awards to be ranked not suggest that awards won is not necessarily a good way of measuring one creative person over another?

a movie quote "awards are like haemoroids, sooner or later every asshole gets them."

An asshole with some haemoroids.

Looks suspiciously... Saatchis NZ, 5.19... scammy/pro bono, no-budget, only runs on youtube etc

"Advertising's like a chicken coup. One day you're the cock, the next you're a feather duster."

Anonymous.

About all this hoo-ha over the point of ranking creatives in the first place...

As long as there's no real limit to how good an idea can possibly be, there'll always be a public spectacle for those who manage to push the boundaries beyond all expectations. I don't see why the ad industry should feel guilty about ranking itself when the very people watching and reading the shit are forming their own opinions anyway. Same goes with any other medium in pop culture. What's the big deal?