March signals exciting times ahead, like the end of the tax year (!!) For others, particularly advertising industry creatives, it’s the chance to bathe in the glory of knowing you have created something of an outstanding radio commercial, with the announcement this coming Wednesday of the Grande ORCA winner.
Every month the Radio Bureau holds the ORCAs (Outstanding Radio Creativity Awards), a competition that acknowledges and rewards ad industry creatives behind top radio commercials.
Entries are independently judged on four criteria:
- Originality of approach and style of the creative idea
- Excellent use of the radio medium in executing the creative idea
- Effectiveness
- Impact and relevancy of creative idea for the client
The creative team behind each monthly ORCA winning ad (or campaign) receives $250 worth of CD vouchers and their client receives a radio schedule to the value of $5000.
It gets better though come Grande ORCA time. Each month’s ORCA winner is entered into the Grande ORCA competition, taking place at the end of the ORCA year (March to February).
There is now less than one week to go until one advertising agency wears the Grande Orca crown of supremacy for 2009/2010.
A panel of judges has been hard at work, selecting a Grande ORCA winner. The finalists are also sent out to agencies and radio stations across the country, to be judged for the People’s Choice Award.
Winning the supreme prize is nothing to turn your nose up at either. The lucky winner receive:
- Entry of the winning ad or campaign into The Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival in France. (Cannes Lions entries close mid-March, which is why the ORCA year runs March to February).
- Two members of the winning team will be flown to Cannes and registered as delegates at the Cannes Lions to see their campaign compete on the world stage at the Radio Lions Awards Ceremony.
- A radio campaign to the value of $50,000 is awarded to the winning client.
The People’s Choice receive $1,000 cash and the warm glow of knowing that their peers and colleagues in the radio and advertising world loved their work.
This years event will be hosted by Dave Fane and Paul Ego. And the nominees are (drum roll please)…
Grande ORCA Finalists 2009/2010
* Anne Boothroyd & Bridget Alkema (Clemenger BBDO) for NZTA Intersections/Sliding Doors.
* Josh Lancaster & Jamie Hitchcock (Colenso BBDO; now at Josh & Jamie) for Fonterra Gold Digging Cougar, Trust Fund Baby, Uni Student.
* Carolyn David & Matthew Page (Saatchi) for Toyota Crash, Bang, Smash.
* Matt Simpkins & Kelly Lovelock (DraftFCB) for The Listener 70th Anniversary Humour.
* Rory McKechnie (DraftFCB; now at DDB) for Prime TV True Blood Late Again.
* John Hawkins & Dave Brady (DDB) for Deaf Foundation AC/DC, New Order, Queen/Bowie.
* Matt Webster (Y&R) for Burger King Missed Dinner.
* Simon Fowler & Vaughn Davis (Y&R) for Burger King Blow on the Pie.
* Mike Felix & Matt Swinburne (Saatchi) for Toyota Prius.
We will of course let you know who wins as soon as it is announced.
