Nothing’s sacred at the international Chip Shop Awards: deadline extended to Friday March 26

UPDATE – Thedeadline to enter the international Chip Shop Awards 2010, which isco-sponsored by Campaign Brief and Bestadsontv.com, has been extended to Friday March 26. Remember, nothing’s sacredthe Chip Shop Awards. There are no rules either. You can even inventyour own category.

He did it last year and he’s doing it again. UK ad legend Dave Trott is returning to the judging panel of the 2010 Chip Shop Awards.

Why? Apparently, says Trott, because the Chips… “Take the piss out of how seriously advertising takes itself. Take the piss out of advertising’s obsession with awards. Take the piss out of a little yellow wooden pencil elevated to the level of The Nobel Prize. And the symbol of a chip with a dollop of ketchup on it does that very succinctly.”

Discover when and where by registering and entering at www.chipshopawards.com

Oliver Handlos of Berlin-based Scholz & Friends, was helping tohand out Chips with Dave Trott last year. He thinks they provide anessential antidote to the fact that “many of the best ideas are thosecoming without a client’s brief – and what’s even worse: never get aclient’s approval. The Chip Shop Awards is the only internationalcompetition which provides a stage for these fresh, weird and sometimesingenious ideas… Okay, there is a saying that creativity needslimitations. That’s right, but these days we have the problem of toomany limitations rather than too few.”

 Best Use of Plagiarism and Chairman’s Awards 2009 by The Black Hole:

The Sun posters – ‘taking the piss’ out of the Economist campaign – were Dave Trott’s favourite 2009 Chip winner. 

More creative heavyweights join the judges

Anyone who enters the Chip Shop Awards will know that their work isbeing judged by the best in the business. The heavyweight panel joiningDave Trott reflects the esteem in which the Chip Shop Awards – now inits seventh year – is held: 

•    Dave Trott, CST

•    Andrew Brown, Swamp

•    Dan Griffiths, Glue London

•    Dave Smith, Wieden + Kennedy

•    Nicola Hawes, RKCR

•    Dave Waters, Watermill

•    David Airey, David Airey

•    Fabian Frese, Jung von Matt/Alster Werbeagentur GmbH

•    Michael Lynch, Campaign Brief / Bestads

•    Greg Quinton, The Partners

•    John Jessup, Leo Burnett

•    Michael Wolff, Michael Wolff & Co.

•    Mike McKenna, JWT

•    Patrick Baglee, Navyblue

•    Steve Vranakis, VCCP

•    Rob Ball, The Partners

•    Nadja Hatzy, DraftFCB

•    Ian Schwey, doug & serge

•    Brett Howlett, AIS, New York

‘If the Chip Shops, standing as it does for creative quality alone,expands its influence, then it can help us to draw back from what seemslike a headlong plunge into plagiarism and mediocrity.’ says MichaelWolff.

‘I’ve never regarded the Chip Shop Awards as an “instead of”. I thinkit’s a fantastic “as well as”, explains Patrick Baglee. ‘It’s now astough to win as any other shelf-wobbler. Long may it continue.’

John Jessop agrees: ‘The Chip Shops are about raw talent. The otheraward schemes reward craft, and finished thinking, but the Chip Shopsis the only showcase for the original concept. It’s a chance forcreatives to truly express themselves without the usual encumbrances.’

Chairman’s Awards 2009 and Best Use of Bad Taste 2009 by Workhouse Marketing – ‘No More Nails’

Best Use of Bad Taste 2009 by The Allotment Agency Ltd

How do you win a Chip?

At the Chip Shops they celebrate the idea, not its context. Good ideas win. Bad ideas don’t. That’s it.

If an idea doesn’t fit into one of the many categories available, then it’s okay to invent your own, such as ‘Best Use of Spandex’. The ad doesn’t need to have run. And the client doesn’t need to be yours. Or even exist. In fact, there is no moral, social, religious, political or existential line over which creatives cannot step in the search for the ultimate ad.

There’s only one rule: To have a chance of winning a 2010 Chip, entries must be in by Friday 26th March.  The winners will be announced at In June in London.

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