Rebecca Carrasco’s Andy’s Diary – Day One
Rebecca Carrasco is in New Orleans this week judging the annual international ANDY Awards, one of four Aussies on the 24 person international jury, who has kindly agreed to write a daily diary exclusively for CB. Campaign Brief,Campaign Brief Asia and Bestads are international media partners of theANDY Awards, which has an all-star jury, chaired by Ty Montague, chief creative officer, JWT North America and Michael Lebowitz, founder and CEO, Big Spaceship.
Day One
You look out the window onto an amusement park of life. It’s good, it’s bad and it’s really raw. These people don’t give up and they don’t give in; they just get creative. And drunk. And kinda naked. Welcome to post-Katrina, post-Mardi Gras and post-Superbowl New Orleans where most people have checked-out for the month, but 25 people have just checked-in for a week.
Day 1 = 14 hours = about 1500 ads.
While the party rolls around the clock on Bourbon Street, the handsroll around the clock at the Ritz Carlton where, somewhere on the 1stfloor, 25 judges race the little hand to get through the preliminaryjudging set for day 1 before day 2. To be honest, it would probably beeasier to get through an alligator sausage cheesecake. (And that’s avegetarian talking.) But as we sat there in our ‘breakout group’ of 3,we watched the TV, branded content, mobile, online and wireless entrieson a large plasma screen, while also listening to radio and judgingprint entries on the computers in front of us. Simultaneously.
So 14 hours later, a few patterns are already emerging. Despite thefact that the collective background of the jury is more diverse thisyear, everyone just wants to be entertained. And surprised. Andrewarded for their time. So it would seem that an idea is still thesafest place to park your money. The entry video has become an industrystandard, but the ones with substance stand head-and-shoulders abovethe consumerphenomenonmultitouchpoint360 buzzmetric specials which arestarting to smell a little like Gouda. The best videos are the onesthat just describe the idea. No bullshit. No bullshit. And although thejury is not out on any of this yet, I think it’s also safe to say thatunless you have a terrific small idea; it’s best to think big. Even ifthe budget isn’t.
Obviously I can’t say what’s going to win, so it’s lucky I don’t knowyet, but I can say that a couple of local entries looked pretty good upon the big screen. I’d be surprised if the other judges didn’t walkaway with a soft spot for what has been brewing down under. There wasalso a great ad agency website hosted entirely through YouTube that’snot only smart but beautifully done; I doubt that one will gounnoticed. And there was a corker of a TVC that I imagine will probablywalk itself to the finish line in one stunning take. But it’s earlydays, so who knows.
19 Comments
An interesting read…thanks.
Nicely written.
Smart lady.
Thanks Bec! Sounds like hard work.
Agree, well written.
Good see the sychophants are out in force today. Geez I’m glad I have taken another career path. You guys make me vomit!
Don’t you find it amusing, that an industry which is forever claiming focus groups don’t work, is happy to use focus groups to judge awards?
11.42, if you’ve taken another career path what are you still doing on here? Anyone would think you’re a liar liar pants on fire.
nice one 😉
11.42, for some perverse reason, I happen to like this blog and find it a great reality check…it continually confirms that I made the right decision. Very comforting.
11.42 is the only person on this blog with something relevant to say. Its really funny how some of you underpaid losers get all antsy when someone criticizes the industry. You little commissars just can’t hack it when someone posts something that goes against the party line on your precious little bit of cyberspace. If someone has left this industry and wants to write something on this blog he has every right too.
What’s more, we’re all posting anonymously. Do you really think some potential boss will see your comment and think to himself: ‘Hmm, there’s a slavish little minion I can chain up with the other monkeys in my dungeon’?
Very funny 11:49 and so spot on
There you are!
Thanks 1.52 – how did you know I was a guy? Very perceptive, straight to the top of the class.
@1.52 – how can you possibly say that’s ‘relevant’… unless you’re an unhappy hack of course.
3:28 is to be commended on posessing a rare grasp of the unhappy hack’s mind. Sounds like he’s burnt a few bridges in his “career”.
http://creativity-online.com/work/nike-livestrong-chalkbot/16345
“I took a different career and thats why I’m slagging you guys…” etc.
Clearly you were moved on, because you haven’t moved on yet.
6:00 thinks he’s being clever. But like his work, the comments he writes on this blog are ripped off someone else.
I love the livestrong thing, thanks for link