2016 APEX awards open for entries

The Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA) is the official representative body for the communications and advertising profession in South Africa and hosts the annual awards with key partner, SABC and sponsors Millward Brown and Unilever.

"The purpose of the awards is to encourage agencies and their clients to develop new, higher, best practise standards for measurement of advertising and communications campaigns and it promotes a better understanding of the business and why spending money on advertising and communications is a business investment - not an expense," explains Odette van der Haar, ACA CEO.

Entrants are required to submit case studies detailing their campaigns and how all possible factors other than the campaigns have been considered as causes for brand success and in so doing, systematically prove a case for the campaigns themselves as being the cause for the brand success. Campaigns may be entered into three categories:

1. Launch - for brands or services that are less than 12 months old with no significant history of advertising
2. Change - for new campaigns from previously advertised brands that resulted in significant short-term effects on sales and/or behaviour - short-term being within a period of no more than 18 months
3. Sustain - for campaigns that benefited a business by maintaining or strengthening a brand over a long period, i.e.: 36 months

"An APEX award represents both strategic and creative effectiveness, which positions winners as being leaders of a profession that is constantly evolving and redefining creativity and effectiveness," explains Andy Rice, chairman of the APEX 2016 Jury.

Compulsory briefing sessions

Compulsory briefing sessions for all entrants will be held at the AAA campuses in Johannesburg and Cape Town, as follows:
• Johannesburg: 2-4pm, Thursday, 28 January 2016
• Cape Town: 2-4pm Tuesday, 2 February 2016

At these sessions, entrants will receive information on how to enter, compile and win an Apex. While attendance is free of charge, seats are limited - booking of seats is essential. To book a seat at one or both of the briefing sessions, send an email to az.oc.asaca@xepa. For more information, go to www.acasa.co.za/apex.aspx.