O&M Joburg win ACA Apex Grand Prix Award

The campaign also won the gold award in the category for advertising campaigns which benefited a business by maintaining or strengthening a brand over a long period. Two special prizes for best presented entry and the entry which demonstrated the most ingenious response to limited advertising funds, were also awarded to this campaign.

Close on its heels followed Net#work BBDO and TBWA Hunt Lascaris. Net#work Naledi BBDO was awarded with gold for their Cell C campaign in the category for brands or services which are new, or have no significant history of advertising. Net#work BBDO also received gold for Corsa Lite in the category for new campaigns from previously advertised brands, which resulted in significant short term effects on sales and/or behaviour. Net#work was also commended for its Simba Lays entry. TBWA Hunt Lascaris' Standard Bank Achiever Plan stood out for winning gold in the category for new campaigns from previously advertised brands and two special prizes for best use of media planning and best example of innovative, strategic or executional thinking. They also received two bronzes for their ICC Cricket World Cup and Black Cat Peanut Butter campaigns, whilst their Fatti's & Moni's "inspiration in the kitchen" campaign was commended.

Newcomer to Apex, morrisjones&co, did well by being awarded with a silver in the category for brands or services which are new or have no significant history of advertising, for their Kulula.com campaign. The campaign was also awarded with a special prize for best integration with other marketing tools.

Berry Bush BBDO (veteran of three prior Apex Grand Prix awards) remained in the running by being awarded with silver for their Cadbury Dream campaign and being commended for their Cadbury Lunch Bar entry. FCB Johannesburg was awarded with Bronze for the Vodacom 4U campaign in the long term category. Saatchi's was commended for their Guinness and Postbank "Lobola" campaigns, whilst Postbank was also awarded with the new special prize for Uniquely South African advertising.

Andy Rice, Chairperson of the 2004 Apex judging panel remarked that the standard of the nearly 40 entries reached an unprecedented high and that the competition was extremely tough. "Apex is not an easy competition to crack - entries can easily run into 25-30 pages with detailed evidence of results which is subjected to a rigorous and time consuming judging process. Entrants are expected to account for the effectiveness of marketing communications and the money marketers spend on it, by excluding all other factors that may have influenced the results. Often this may involve comparisons between share of voice and market share, 'before' and 'after' campaign analyses, seasonal comparisons, 'ratio's of efficiency' and at times even econometric analysis. Whilst it is fair to assume that all advertising is supposed to bring about results, it is those results that go beyond the expected that makes you a potential APEX winner."

"What is great about this year's Apex results is that creative met effective once again. Exclusive Books, for instance, received a number of creative accolades at Loeries, Cannes and the Creative Circle, yet proved that creative excellence can bring a spectacular return on an annual marketing budget smaller than what some marketers spend on the production of one single television commercial."

Corsa Lite, Cell C and other Apex award winners have also received prior creative recognition from the industry and then for ads that have been hailed as truly in touch with the minds and hearts of the South African consumer.

According to Nina de Klerk, Executive Director of the ACA, the greatest value of Apex is that it demonstrates the good that advertising can do in the competitive environment that marks the free market economy. "Effective advertising enables the Davids to compete against the Goliaths, and we have seen many examples amongst the 2004 Apex winners. Ultimately, Apex is the way in which the advertising industry accounts for its vibrant role in the free market economy and South Africa's emerging democracy. We have a great role to play and we are standing up to be counted for it. I hope that APEX is a convincing demonstration that this industry is meeting its future head on."

2004 ACA APEX AWARD WINNERS

CATEGORY 1

"Launch": Brands or services which are new, or have no significant history of advertising.
Cell C "What sells Cell C"
Net#work Naledi BBDO - GOLD

Cadbury "A dream launch"
Berry Bush BBDO - SILVER

Kulula.com "How we launched a Super Hero brand"
morrisjones&co - SILVER

International Cricket Council - Cricket World Cup 2003 "Converting the 'previously disinterested'"
TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris - BRONZE

CATEGORY 2

"Change": New campaigns from previously advertised brands, which resulted in significant short term effects on sales and/or behaviour.

Delta Motor Corporation - Corsa Lite "The lite side of life"
Net#work BBDO - GOLD

Standard Bank "Achiever Plan"
TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris - GOLD

Tiger Brands - Black Cat Peanut Butter "Black Cat - the return of peanut power"
TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris - BRONZE

Tiger Brands - Fatti's & Moni's "The pasta that gives you inspiration in the kitchen"
TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris - COMMENDED

Guinness UDV - Guinness ES "This document is not for everyone"
Saatchi & Saatchi - COMMENDED

Postbank - Improving Postbank's stake in the emerging market "Lobola"
Saatchi & Saatchi - COMMENDED

CATEGORY 3

"Sustain": Advertising campaigns which benefited a business by maintaining or strengthening a brand over a long period.

Exclusive Books - "Spike" Exclusive Books
Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg - GOLD

Vodacom - "The 4U story"
FCB Johannesburg - BRONZE

LG Electronics "A better life with LG"
J. Walter Thompson - COMMENDED

Simba - Lays "No more Mr. Nice Guy"
Net#work BBDO - COMMENDED

Cadbury - Lunch Bar "What kind of a Mac are you?"
Berry Bush BBDO - COMMENDED

SPECIAL PRIZES

The entry best demonstrating the integration of advertising with other marketing tools.

Kulula.com "How we launched a Super Hero brand" - morrisjones&co

The best entry featuring direct response advertising.

NONE

The entry which demonstrates the most ingenious response to limited advertising or research funds.

Exclusive Books - "Spike" Exclusive Books - Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg

The case involving the best use of media planning.

Standard Bank "Achiever Plan" - TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris

The best example of innovative strategic or executional thinking.

Standard Bank "Achiever Plan" - TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris

The best presented entry.

Exclusive Books - "Spike" Exclusive Books - Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg

Uniquely South African advertising.

Postbank - Improving Postbank's stake in the emerging market "Lobola" - Saatchi & Saatchi

GRAND PRIX

Exclusive Books - "Spike" Exclusive Books - Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg

2004 ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Reg Lascaris praised by peers

At the ACA Gala Event on 31 March 2004, Reg Lascaris, Chairman of TBWA Hunt Lascaris received high praise from his peers by being awarded with the ACA 2004 Recognition Award for Past Achievement.

This industry award recognises an individual who has made a significant contribution towards enhancing the advertising and communications industry in South Africa over the long term, in one or more of the following areas: