OUTDOOR AWARDS ARE COMING - UPDATE

To raise awareness of the Outdoor Media Association's new award show – The Outdoor Awards - a giant billboard truck is being driven 10,000kms around Australia. Here are some recent notes from the TRUCK BLOG:

The Outdoor Media Awards truck has been on the road promoting the fact that the Outdoor Awards are coming for over a week now. The first week involved a long drive across Outback NSW and South Australia. Through towns like Mildura, Gawler and Coober Pedy. Along the way the truck has dodged rogue camels, made it’s way across some of the driest and flattest roads in the world, been hit by powerful crosswinds and even more powerful headwinds causing the trip to be quite slow going.
 
“The truck just isn’t designed for this kind of thing,” says driver Mick Buckingham,  “The big canvas sides are like a huge sail, it’s more like a catamaran than a truck. The road train drivers are having a great old time trying to blow us over.”

The truck has now entered the Northern Territory and had a short stop at Uluru where they found out they can’t actually take photo’s in front of  the rock. So they took some photos in the carpark instead.

The truck then headed to Alice Springs where it was welcomed by locals and taken to Lasseters Casino for a night out. The truck is now headed up the Stuart Highway to Katherine stopping at a few sights and roadhouses along the way to spread the word that The Outdoor Awards are coming.  

See photo’s of the trip so far or enter your best outdoor ads at The Outdoor Awards website: outdoorawards.com.au.
Entries are open already to the awards but the ultimate deadline will be the end of March 2009 to allow creative teams the chance to have their latest work appear and become eligible.
In addition to a new first prize of a Golden Pigeon statue, which will be given to the best outdoor concept, there will be a financial incentive worth $10k for the winning creative team.
Helen Willoughby of the OMA says: “To launch the Outdoor Awards without creating an exciting and original outdoor campaign of our own would be a missed opportunity. This is the first time such a feat has been attempted. And the reaction to the billboard truck so far has been tremendous. Word is out in the bush that we're doing this - and more than a few fellow truck drivers are lending their support and enthusiasm.”
For more information about the Outdoor Awards or the Round Australia Truck Journey, please contact Helen Willoughby of the OMA on (02) 8356 9000 or email: Helen.Willoughby@oma.org.au