How to net a big bird

At the Design Communications leg [or first of the two night awards ceremonies] of the 2007 Loerie Advertising Awards in Margate last weekend, the most award-worthy entries demonstrated good, old-fashioned single-mindedness together with a “new fashioned” social responsibility aspect. It would seem that worthy causes well done, are these days, also the most worthy award candidates.

Two of the three finalists showing the required conspicuous environmental consciousness and clarity of thought to net a grand Prix, were Grid in the Brand Identity category, for LULU – Made for today – boutique coffee shops and Ogilvy for its spark of genius in illuminating only a necessary quarter of a billboard, to get a powerful energy-saving message across in the Outdoor category.

Although innately environmental anyway, the outdoor work done by TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris for the World Wildlife Foundation also garnered Gold, while GAPP Architects and Urban Designers won the only Gold in the Environmental Design category for the rather spectacular architecture and graphics for the Maropeng Vistors exhibition of Human origins in Gauteng [it might also be mention-worthy here to note that in a addition to its Loerie, this project has also won the British Guild of Travel Writers award for the best new tourism project worldwide and came out on top at the Construction World's premier annual Best Projects Awards event].

In the pursuit of the good cause of ensuring South Africans stay well-informed – Lowe Bull pulled out the Grand Prix with its “The world can change in a Day” concept for the Independent Newspaper’s Cape Times, while Ogilvy got Gold for DSTV’s History Channel and The Jupiter Drawing Room (South Africa), Bronze, on behalf of the World Association of Newspapers.

Further evidence in the cause of literacy, came in the form of a new category of award. Highest praise, from his agency Ogilvy, went to the MD of Exclusive Books, Fred Withers, the first recipient of the Loerie award that will continue to reward outstanding individual Marketing Leadership from now on.  

A renewed trend towards craftsmanship in design also ensured a big night out for illustration, with many agencies and design studios, drawing on illustration specialists Am I Collective in their successful attempts to secure awards – Golds going to FOXP2 and Net#work BBDO to name two, for illustrated campaigns on behalf of their clients National Geographic Kids [8 Ink Media] and Apple iPod respectively.

Illustration and craftsmanship were also integral to the success of the awards ceremony itself, with the worldclass graphic continuity by JUJU splashed across five screens and raising the visual bar for both design and events in general.

Terry Levin