Dangerous thinking

We’re off to the Fresh Awards tomorrow night. It’s nice to be nominated and we’d be fibbing if we said we didn’t want to win something, but in the end it will be nice to have a good night out and let our hair down a bit.

On the subject of awards dos, it strikes us that most agencies think that awards are life and death and show how good they really are. We’re not sure about that, maybe an agency shows its worth by doing stuff that actually works.

Do all agencies think the same or are there people out there dying to say the unsayable?

To find out, we’re going to put these stickers all over the event:

It would be great if you’d comment on this post to let us know what you think.  Not just about awards, but anything you think needs talking about . Just because there’s a lot of accepted wisdom in agencies, it doesn’t mean it has to stay that way.

We’ll post some (edited) pictures of the night next week.

Comments

[Northern Planner]

-It does matter that stuff actually runs. Too much advertising exists to please creatives and not the people you're trying to influence. The rigour of getting work through clients and research encourages the habit of actaully caring if the ideas work.
Of course it needs to be interesting enough earn people's attention in the first place, but if it then doesn't encourage you to do something as a result,even if it's simply changing an opinion what's the point?
-What you wear doesn't signify if you're any good.
-Why have we split media and creative apart? These days media thinking can be more crucial than the creative work,or even make it better.Sky Plus anyone?

[stuart]

I have to admit to becoming cynical of awards over the last few years, especially regional ones. For me their purpose is to reward those who reach a high and rare standard, but to do this they need to be consistent. Something which has yet to be proven to the self-deluded likes of me. D&AD manage to do it, year after year. So it can be done.

If only regional award committees were brave enough to challenge the entry fee and table paying agencies and award nothing if the standard has not been reached. Sending them home with a flea in their ear and not an armful of glassware. Then, and maybe then will they truly inspire ball-aching good regional creativity.

[Martin]

Creatives say the idea is King - whereas 'suits' say that the client is King.

Surly the really difficult task - which is the thing that should be rewarded with the highest accolades at Awards events - is to create really creative ideas - which the client actually buys - and sells more x's or make the target audience aware of Y (Whatever the client's product is).

And, as I'm sure we can all remember from our days at college, it's far easier to do an ad when there's no client! Plus, after witnessing first-hand, some of the 'winners' at one of our region's most prestigious Awards nights, I find myself wondering whether it should matter at all if an idea has run or not - because the judging panel obviously didn't care too much, whether the winners were 'chip shop' or not. They just judged them on whether they were great ideas or not.

So shouldn't we do the same thing?

[jamesb]

when they work well awards can give you something to aspire to beyond the blunt commercial criteria of the client. and they can therefore be marks in the sand, a measure of where you're at. of course if you don't win anything then awards are cynical attempts to extract hard earned cash for the meanderings of a semi-comatose panel of has beens. but seriously, I've seen people put more effort [and post-rationalising and massaging] into applying for awards than they did into the initial brief... insane.

[Andrew]

...and at the nights, macho harditten creatives can be bitchier than a knitting circle.

[Ladyash]

It's a simple process. Someone needs to earn money. The best possible way to do this is to invent a scheme that allows it. Award people for creating something that 99.9% of the population don't really care about (or know about). D&AD is purely a means to an end when it comes to entering. Regional agencies will only ever be included on the basis of creating a one-off piece of work for some bike shop in the middle of nothingness. And that's the major point. London agencies can use their political shoulder to press D&AD to make sure that anything outside of London is a place you see work that only exists in 'Chip Shop" awards. London does the big interesting, global, brand building work whilst the regions sell bikes with their witty northern charm (must be a shit load of bike shops up north). It's a con. It's a means to getting people to pay £100 for a place setting. Roses Awards,
making money for the past how long? Fresh Awards. Isn't this just a reaction to Campaign realising that they can make money up North? Everyone one wants a piece of the pie. It's just annoying when we're the filling.

[Ladyash]

I do apologise. After actually writing something. I actually decided to read something. Well done Mr. Stuart. Bada-a-bing. Nail on the head and all that. Northern Planner my friend. You are exactly as your title. You plan things in the north. Flat cap and wippet in the post. Wouldn't you rather sign things off as Global Planner? I would would if I was trying to earn a wage (and respect).

[Andrew]

SinceI am indeed Northern and also simple I'll stick to what I know. I usually sign things off as Andrew anyway.

[Chris]

Creative Awards - I appreciate this debate may be a historical one (from last year), but mainly from a below the line (DM) view I think that work can be produced to win awards rather than necessarily fulfilling the brief (not in all cases), but unusual work can be created that has been printed on an expensive stock, die cut and hand finished etc. that will undoubtedly mean that you will be on the short list of an awards do. However, what this usually means is that you are then offered a table at the ceremony for about £1000 (typically £100 per head) and then you pick up the wine bill, transport and hotels. All in all - to get an award, this could have cost you £3000+ and also your client in terms of production expense. Is it worth it?? Many will deem the subsequent press coverage as free PR, but what does this really mean in the long run after initially opening a magazine and seeing your name 'in lights'. Is it all forgotten after a week? Difficult to say - I think it can be worth it to get your name on the map, but continual awards do's can just prove costly.

[Andrew]

Hi Chris
I've got to agree that it's not worth the repeated investment from an external point of view. Some would argue that it's good for staff morale though - or the creative department anyway. What bugs me is that no in accounts will ever win an award.

[bill_Burton]

You know what I’m sick of the whole awards debate - people doing jobs for their mates shop with a colour copy poster that never really sees the light of day. Turning up to an over inflated awards bash, and congratulating themselves at being designers. Get a life it’s not an important job it’s up there with being an accountant.
enough!
angry of Rotherham