GPY&R, Melbourne leads the agency pack at shortlist stage of the 2011 Caxton Awards
A record 24 agencies have been named as finalists for this year’s Caxton Awards across 21 categories, including the new digital categories.
Competition was stiff on both sides of the Tasman. GPY&R, Melbourne garnered the most finalist nominations (11), followed by The Monkeys, Sydney (8), Colenso BBDO, Auckland (6), Whybin/TBWA/Tequila, Sydney (5) and four apiece to DDB Group New Zealand and Special Group, Auckland.
Advertisers who have reached finalist status include Ikea, Rabo Direct, Royal Australian
Navy, New Zealand Coast Guard, Mars and Spring Valley.
The most finalists for 2011 were in the hotly contested Best Copywriting and Corporate,
Government and Public Service categories.
For the past 37 years, the Caxton Awards has celebrated the finest creativity in newspaper advertising and this year introduced four new digital categories to reflect newspapers’ offering in the digital age.
“The good news is that it has been a very strong year for press advertising in Australia
and New Zealand,” says Caxton Chairman of Judges and George Patterson Y&R chief
creative officer and ECD Ben Coulson (above).
“It was encouraging to see agencies, and more importantly clients, trusting newspaper
and digital mediums for their big campaigns, which are often the domain of TV,
“A real surprise this year was the amount of work that had great production values,
decent budgets and super high-end craft; a good sign that the industry sees press as
not just being a ‘headline and price’ kind of gig.
“There was also great digital work that was highly creative and used the medium
brilliantly. I’m happy to report that in its first year, some of the digital work is right up
there with the show’s best,” he said.
This year’s Caxton Awards includes four new digital categories for advertising that has
appeared on any newspaper site or property (ie. online, tablet, mobile or apps). Vying
for awards in these categories are Special Group, Leo Burnett, GPY&R and M&C
Saatchi.
Also introduced this year is a new Best Cross-Platform Newspaper Campaign category,
for any campaign that has appeared across at least two newspaper platforms: printed
newspapers, newspaper-inserted magazines, tablet, mobile or app. The Monkeys have
scored the only finalist nomination in this category for IKEA.
The 2011 Caxton Seminar and Awards will be held from October 27-29. Delegates will
convene at the stunning Chateau Elan, a new luxury 5-star resort located on The
Vintage golf course.
The initial line-up of speakers includes: David Nobay, creative chairman, Droga5, Australia (left); Director of Ipsos Mackay, social researcher Dr Rebecca Huntley; Mat Baxter, CEO of UM Australia; and Ant Keogh, executive creative director at Clemenger BBDO, Melbourne.
“The decision to introduce the new digital and cross platform categories has been embraced by a broad representation of agencies and demonstrates what great creative work is being done for newspaper assets across more than just print. We are really pleased with the high number of agencies recognised as finalists vying for the coveted Caxton Awards,” says Caxton Committee chairman, Rob Belgiovane.
“With the speakers we have already announced and the other speakers including our keynote, to be announced soon, this year’s Caxtons is shaping up to be an unmissable
event for the nation’s creative thinkers.”
Booking forms for the event are AVAILABLE HERE.
12 Comments
More pictures of Ben Coulson to follow.
Hang on a minute. Are the Caxton awards free? Do they count towards any of the creative rankings Coulson was banging on about as a reason for not entering MADC?
Hey Caxtons.
A facebook page is not a website.
Hmmm.
So no bias whatsoever as to the judge’s favourites then?
Wow.
Y&R gets the most nominations.
Thanks for that chairman of judges.
3.12:
Caxtons count towards both CB and Adnews rankings.
3.22:
Full list of finalists will be on Adnews and The Newspaper Works’ websites shortly.
Oh come on, the chairman of judges doesn’t even get to vote, nice try to discredit, but it’s just not possible.
Not with you on this one GO, I reckon credit where credit is due.
This Chairman of Judges debate is a red herring. The real issue here is when we will see more pictures of Ben Coulson. The current photo montage only shows two facets of his character – happy and pensive. What about angry or sad? I reckon he’d do an awesome ‘modest’ too.
@12:14 – I rather not see more pictures of Coulson.
Seriously 8.29, I for one welcome photos of Mr Coulson!
I’d prefer a list of finalists to more images of Coulson. Although I’d accept a list of finalists with Coulson’s photo attached. As a compromise.