AANA launches call for entries for the GRAMAs – David Droga guest speaker at March 25 event

The AANA has announced the launch of the Great Australian Marketing Awards (The GRAMAs) which celebrates Australian marketing’s global successes in three key areas; Australian marketing talent achieving in a global/regional role; Australian-conceived product/service which has achieved major international success and Australian-conceived marketing campaign which has gone global.

Entries will be open through till February, with judging taking place in March 2014. The jury panel will be comprised of the AANA Board, The World Federation of Advertisers and Chaired by The Leading Edge.

The Awards are open for entries now, and entry forms can be found here.

Says Ms Sunita Gloster, AANA’s CEO: “The Awards spotlight Australian marketing achievements on a global stage – so what better place to launch than at the AANA & WFA Global Marketer Week.”

The Award ceremony will be one of the highlights of the Cocktail Party to officially open Global Marketer Week at the Museum of Contemporary Art on 25 March, 2014.

Fittingly, the AANA has invited David Droga, founder and creative chairman of Droga5 – himself arguably one of Australia’s best ‘marketing’ exports – to be the guest speaker at the AANA opening Cocktail Party for Global Marketer Week. Born and raised in Thredbo, Droga has become one of advertising’s most influential individuals. He holds the record for the most Lions won at Cannes and heads up one of the most innovative agencies in the world.

Says Ms Gloster: “It is often said, justifiably, that Australia punches above its weight in the global marketing arena. These Awards will put the spotlight on great Australian people, products and campaigns that are doing just that. We’ll celebrate the ideas, strategic leadership and marketing prowess that Australians have brought to the world.

“Given this context, we are delighted that David Droga will join us on the night to celebrate our great marketing achievements.”

This year AANA launched a new strategic plan of which the elevation of the profession of marketing is a cornerstone. The AANA GRAMAs are a key component of bringing this plan to life and shining the spotlight on Australia’s marketing profession.

The Awards are sponsored by strategic research company The Leading Edge – a global business with Australian origins – which also helped the AANA develop the Awards.

Says Nigel Marsh, CEO of The Leading Edge: “The Leading Edge is delighted to be the strategic research partner of the GRAMAs. In helping the AANA to design these Awards and overseeing the judging process we will be looking for evidence of world class smart thinking and tangible success.

“There should be no shortage of worthy Award nominations – from the more famous examples of recent times like ‘Share a Coke’ to our 90 year old legend Vegemite, and all those expats who have helped shape marketing in the US, Europe and Asia.”