As the online platform for the sale of marketing communications ideas, OpenAd has received strong recognition in the media and in the industry throughout the UK, Latin America, India and parts of continental Europe for its innovation and freshness of thought.
Since March 2005, OpenAd.net has run a series of pitch competitions in partnership with the Financial Times, under a common title 'The World's Toughest Briefs'. Up to now, four pitches have closed with major success. Hundreds of ideas from more than ten countries were posted into the last "Lottery pitch" and the winning idea Get Rich Quicker was created by David Dearlove and Paul Rizzello, an art director and copywriter team from ThirtyThree, a London-based recruitment advertising agency, who won the competition's £1000 cash prize.
OpenAd.net announced its latest brief in September this year and is encouraging South African creatives to participate. The brief challenges creatives to come up with ideas to motivate young people to plan for their old age and invest in pension schemes. South African submission into this and other pitches, as well as into the gallery, will, judging on what was seen in St Michaels-on-Sea, mean a major contribution in the creative expression, said Tamara Stader, Marketing Manager EMEA at OpenAd.
Having presented Print Craft award at the Saturdays' Gala ceremony, Stader added: "The creativity of the region is inspiring. OpenAd's presence on the African market is bound to have beneficent effects on both the South African ad industry as well as on OpenAd: the local marketing industry is going to gain a channel for creative expression to worldwide clientele, while participation in South Africa is to increase variety of artistic expression on OpenAd and by comparison add to the credibility in front of the worldwide brands."
"The aim of The Loerie Awards is to recognize, reward and inspire creative excellence and I believe that this year's awards in Margate left everyone massively inspired to do great work. Having OpenAd as a partner is a wonderful opportunity that provides one more creative outlet for South African work and I look forward to seeing the results," said Andrew Human, Managing Director of The Loerie Awards.
Commenting on 'The World' Toughest Brief', Trevor Beattie, long time creative director at TBWA now partner of recently established Beattie McGuinness Bungay, is on the panel of judges, and said the winning entry's focus on immediate gratification represented a sign of the times. "It's a Pop Idol generation where there isn't the time to play lots of pubs before getting famous," he said. "I think a lot of the submissions skirted around the issue that this one has nailed - it's a big enough idea to absorb other ideas." This month's brief challenges creatives to come up with ideas that will get young people motivated to think about pensions. The main issue is to seduce young people that pension's plan is a key to enduring, youthful lifestyle.
A new international competition, OpenTalent, designed to showcase the very best ideas from students around the world is to commence at end of November 2005. Every month, through April, OpenAd.net will run a fun, yet realistic brief. The details and deadline will be posted in OpenAd's online global advertising city. Industry experts will judge and award entries, unveiling the location of the world's best new creative talent at the London award ceremony. The top 2 ideas will be awarded a cash prize. The top 5 ideas will receive points towards a university league which thirsty head hunters and creative directors will fight to get their eyes on. All remaining ideas will be showcased in the OpenAd.net ideas Gallery, available to be bought by clients.
