South Africa brings home top YoungGun Creative Award

He was chosen among 1 500 advertising and film industry creatives, from 51 countries. He also won two Gold and one Bronze award for his MTV 'Crazy Monkey' campaign.

This year was the third annual YoungGuns International Advertising Awards. A panel of 12 respected creatives from seven countries judged the awards. The winning criteria were original and unusual work and entrants had to throw away the rulebook.

Trevor had this to say: "I am taken aback and very chuffed to have won this award, which helps in raising the profile of South African creativity. I was surprised at the huge success of Crazy Monkey, especially when it got into the D&AD Annual, was a finalist at Cannes and it won at Loeries this year.

'Crazy Monkey' was initiated over a year ago when Clarence sent an email to MTV to ask them if they would consider flighting inserts shot in the right style for the music channel. Together with Brendan Jack, he wrote the scripts and with Terraplane producing, he shot the inserts on Digital Video, often using his parents' home as a convenient location. Crazy Monkey, has developed a huge following and there is even a strong possibility of a weekly television series being produced for MTV.

Another South African to do well at the YoungGuns Awards was Velocity Films director Clive Will, who walked off with two bronzes for the commercials, "Redhead" and "Koeberg", which are part of the successful three-spot Apartheid Museum campaign.

Reportback by Mark Tutssel, 2003 YoungGuns Jury Chairman:

The world famous Bondi Beach provided an awesome backdrop for the judging of the third annual YoungGuns International Advertising Awards.

A jury of 12 highly respected creatives from seven countries around the world met for three days for the serious business of judging this year's awards. I'm very grateful to them for cheerfully giving up their time to look at other people's work.

The impeccable organization of the team from YoungGuns ensured that a record 1500 entries from 51 countries were handled with almost frightening efficiency. The jury was even more demanding than usual, awarding only four Gold in television, three Gold in print & poster; and one in cyberactive. This year only 74 pieces of work (just less than five percent of entries) were deemed worthy of a prestigious YoungGuns Bullet.

The show's driving force was to seek out the original and unusual; the ads that threw the rulebook away. The criteria was simple: "Does it make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up?"

We saw a lot of work that was radical, but not relevant and a lot more that was relevant, but not radical. The winners, however, displayed the magical combination of both. Generally, there was little disagreement about where this year's awards should go. This was the "Year of the Monkey". Crazy monkey, that is.

The prestigious "YoungGun of the Year" award and two Golds went to the "Crazy Monkey" campaign for MTV. Five hysterical spots from Trevor Clarence of Terraplane South Africa. The jury loved this campaign simply because it wasn't advertising. Most advertising sells at you. I believe the best advertising influences people to buy.

MTV is all about youth culture, and youth culture is hugely ironic. And to be able to make fun of yourself and one of your shows, "Jackass", is the ultimate statement of confidence. The result was advertising that was so self aware, it perfectly captured the irreverent spirit of MTV. It threw the rulebook away. The casting was inspired and the performances were outstanding. Music, as you would expect, played an important role. It stood out from everything else, even after viewing it many, many times. I think one of the secret's of great advertising is "rewatchability" and these spots have that in spades.

John Allison and Chris Bovill of TBWA/London produced "Babies", a great spot in the John Smith's "No Nonsense" beer campaign. Hot on the heels of winning a prestigious Cannes Gold Lion, this spot has followed suit by picking up a YoungGuns Gold. How do you explain to your young daughter where little babies come from? The star of this spot doesn't mince his words, preferring to tell it like it is. The casting, performance and direction of this spot is impeccable. Again, a humourous and highly entertaining commercial took the accolades.

The host nation Australia provided the fourth Gold with a spot called "Quest" from BMF Sydney that displayed exquisite special effects.

"Scream" and "Little Bird", two very simple spots from Jonathan Guruit and Gaston Bigio of Del Campo NAZCA Saatchi & Saatchi for the Boomerang Rollercoaster at Parque De La Costa in Argentina; instantly resonated with the jury. In "Scream" we see a rollercoaster operator waiting for the ride to end. We hear the screams of the passengers. The rollercoaster arrives, yet it's completely empty. The camera then pans right to reveal a group of frightened people waiting in line for the ride. The spot vividly captures the thrill of a big rollercoaster in a very fresh and unexpected way, without the usual clichhots of the ride. In "Bird" we see surgeons operating on a patient, when suddenly, to their astonishment, a bird exits his chest. The film dissolves back in time to reveal a frightened rollercoaster rider screaming with his mouth wide open. Each of the Gold and Silver winners understood that we are in the entertainment business. They were highly engaging and used humour to great effect; a trend that continues to dominate award shows.

The print and poster categories were very strong. A campaign from Troy Lim of BBDO Singapore for KFC won Gold in both print and poster. The ads titled "Nailpolish", "Mechanic" and "Henna" brought to life the famous line "It's Finger Lickin' Good" in a fresh, relevant and contemporary way. This line has been around for many years, but this is the first time the power of that human insight has ever been leveraged in print.

Argentina provided the next Gold. A simple poster for Buenos Aires Zoo from Ijaqui Gonzalez del Solar and Mariono Serkin of Del Campo NAZCA Saatchi & Saatchi titled "Polar Bear". It portrayed a compelling side-by-side dramatization of the cost of a toy versus the cost of seeing the real thing at the zoo.

In ambient media, a Silver went to a wonderful idea from Birger Linke of Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore for recycling. Coke cans were printed on the steps of an escalator. As the steps got to the top of the staircase, it gave the illusion that the cans were being crushed and recycled. Ambient media is a huge growth area and continues to spawn wonderful, new and unexpected creative executions.

YoungGuns understands that the rules of advertising are being rewritten by technology. Creatives now can virtually make any commercial on their Mac, giving them greater control and responsibility for the final product. This year, a wonderful new example of this, "Jax and Johnny" for Mortal Kombat from Gena Tuffery and Daniel Lunn of Colenso BBDO in Auckland, reduced the jury to tears of laughter. It was relevant and forward thinking in every respect. This medium offers a hugely exciting opportunity for tomorrow's generation of ad makers.

The student category was a privilege to judge and the work was exceptional. I would go as far to say that it was as good, and on par with the bulk of the rest of the work, which is very encouraging for the industry.

The jury quickly arrived at three Golds. The first Gold went to Kodak for a beautiful execution called "Baby". It was a photograph of a newborn child with a bracelet of film replacing the hospital ID bracelet around his little wrist. Anyone with children immediately identifies with this image. It makes you realize that this is probably the most important photograph parents will ever take, so who but Kodak would they entrust to preserve this moment forever. The ad displays a maturity and intelligence you so rarely see in student work today. It emotionally touches you in a way that is so right for the Kodak brand. It was created by Danny Noval and Angela Finney at Miami Ad School.

Another student team from the same college, Satoko Takada and Patwin Lawrence, also won a Gold, this time for a Bazooka Bubble Gum campaign that visually dramatized the aftermath of an exploding Bazooka bubble. Again the work broke the mould.

The third Gold went to Francisco Cassis, a student at Universidad Del Pacifico in Chile, for the Santiago Metro. The ad was a simple, elegant visual of a notebook with a pencil lodged in its spiral tube. It vividly illustrated the fact that its quicker to get to school by tube.
With work of this caliber, the future of this industry is in good hands.

I would like to thank the jury for their diligence and pain-staking attention to detail. They worked hard to award prizes in all fairness, without the interference of patriotic feelings. They did not make one lazy decision.

2003 was a vintage year and the award winners are evidence that not all the best work in advertising gets killed.

As you leaf through the pages of the winners' book, you will discover many outstanding examples of fresh, intelligent advertising. Distinctive and daring ideas. Ideas that capture the imagination and change the way we think and feel.

I congratulate the winners on behalf of the jury and YoungGuns. And here?s to all the "crazy monkeys" out there. I'm off to the beach.

2003 YOUNGGUNS WINNERS LIST:

2003 YoungGun Creative of the Year: Trevor Clarence, Terraplane South Africa for MTV's 'Crazy Monkey' campaign.

2003 YoungGun Agency of the Year: Del Campo NAZCA Saatchi & Saatchi Argentina, with 1 Gold, 7 Silver and 1 Bronze awards.

TOP 5 2003 YoungGun Global Agency Networks: Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide (86 points), Leo Burnett Worldwide (62 points), Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide (56 points), BBDO Worldwide (44 points), TBWA Worldwide (30 points)

TOP 20 2003 YoungGuns Creatives: Trevor Clarence - Terraplane Sth. Africa (ranked 1: 120 points), Ijaqui Gonzalez del Solar & Mariono Serkin - Del Campo NAZCA Saatchi & Saatchi Argentina (ranked 2: 95 points), Jonathan Guruit & Gaston Bigio - Del Campo NAZCA Saatchi & Saatchi Argentina (ranked 3: 90 points), John Allison & Chris Bovill - TBWA/London (ranked 4: 70 points), Troy Lim - BBDO Singapore (ranked =5: 60 points), Andrew Petch - BMF Sydney (ranked =5: 60 points), Andrew Ostrom - BMF Sydney (ranked 7: 55 points), Reed Collins - Leo Burnett Chicago (ranked 8: 50 points), Victor Ng & Jon Loke - Leo Burnett Singapore (ranked 9: 45 points), Tim Huse - Generator Bates Auckland (ranked =10: 40 points), Avery Gross - Leo Burnett Chicago (ranked =10: 40 points), Roy Poh & Pann Lim - Kinetic Singapore (ranked 12: 35 points), Jeremy Filgate - Lowe Singapore (ranked =13: 30 points), Shruti Nayak - Ogilvy & Mather Mumbai (ranked =13: 30 points), Gena Tuffery & Daniel Lunn - ColensoBBDO Auckland (ranked =13: 30 points), Benjy Choo & Victor Low - Kinetic Singapore (ranked =16: 25 points), Birger Linke - Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore (ranked =16: 25 points).

2003 YoungGun Designer of the Year: not awarded

2003 ADVERTISING AWARD WINNERS:

GOLD - TV 30 seconds / Babies / John Allison, Chris Bovill / TBWA/London

GOLD - TV campaign more than 30 seconds / Crazy Monkey campaign / Trevor Clarence / Terraplane South Africa

GOLD - TV Crafts Special Effects / Quest / Andrew Ostrom, Andrew Petch / BMF Sydney & The Mill London

GOLD - Pure Comedy / Crazy Monkey campaign / Trevor Clarence / Terraplane South Africa

GOLD - Consumer Magazine Campaigns / Polar Bear, Giraffe, Lion / Ijaqui Gonzalez del Solar, Mariono Serkin / Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi Argentina

GOLD - Consumer Magazine Campaigns / Nail Polish, Mechanic & Henna / Troy Lim / BBDO Singapore

GOLD - Outdoor Campaigns / Nail Polish, Mechanic & Henna / Troy Lim / BBDO Singapore

GOLD - Online Commercials / Jax & Johnny / Gena Tuffery, Daniel Lunn / Colenso BBDO Auckland

SILVER - TV less than 30 seconds / Scream / Jonathan Guruit, Gaston Bigio / Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi Argentina

SILVER - TV less than 30 seconds / Little Bird / Jonathan Guruit, Gaston Bigio / Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi Argentina

SILVER - Cinema commercials / Scream / Jonathan Guruit, Gaston Bigio / Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi Argentina

SILVER - Cinema commercials / Little Bird / Jonathan Guruit, Gaston Bigio / Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi Argentina

SILVER - TV Crafts Direction / Quest / Garth Davis / Exit Films Melbourne

SILVER - Abstract Ads / The Thinking Bubble / Moto Takagi / Dentsu Inc Japan

SILVER - Pure Comedy / Babies / John Allison, Chris Bovill / TBWA/London

SILVER - Art Direction Campaigns / Bench, Box, Bridge / Victor Ng, Jon Loke / Leo Burnett Singapore

SILVER - Consumer Magazines / Polar Bear / Ijaqui Gonzalez del Solar, Mariono Serkin / Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi Argentina

SILVER - Consumer Magazines / Giraffe / Ijaqui Gonzalez del Solar, Mariono Serkin / Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi Argentina

SILVER - Newspapers / Well of Death / Shruti Nayak / Ogilvy & Mather Mumbai

SILVER - Consumer Magazine Campaigns / Midgets - Beatles, Kiss, Madonna, Marily / Marcos Antonio Medeiros, Fabio Abram / DM9DDB Brazil

SILVER - Outdoor Supersites & Spectaculars / Fishing Hands / Joe Harris / Grey Worldwide Auckland

SILVER - Outdoor Campaigns / Polar Bear, Giraffe, Lion / Ijaqui Gonzalez del Solar, Mariono Serkin / Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi Argentina

SILVER - Maverick Media up to 3 executions / Escalator / Birger Linke / Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore

SILVER - Online Commercials / The Linear / Benjy Choo, Pann Lim, Roy Poh, Victor Low, Alex Goh / Kinetic Singapore

BRONZE - TV less than 30 seconds / Changing Room / Jeremy Filgate, Stuart Harricks / Lowe & Partners Singapore

BRONZE - TV 30 seconds / Stand in Dad / Andrew Ostrom, Andrew Petch / Brown Melhuish Fishlock Sydney

BRONZE - TV 30 seconds / Winner / John Allison, Chris Bovill / TBWA/London

BRONZE - TV 30 seconds / Plumber / Jeremy Filgate / Lowe & Partners Singapore

BRONZE - TV 30 seconds / Tennis / Jeremy Filgate / Lowe & Partners Singapore

BRONZE - TV more than 30 seconds / Quest / Andrew Ostrom, Andrew Petch / Brown Melhuish Fishlock Sydney

BRONZE - TV more than 30 seconds / Crazy Monkey Scissors / Trevor Clarence / Terraplane South Africa

BRONZE - TV community service & charity / Koeberg / Clive Will / Velocity Films South Africa

BRONZE - TV community service & charity / Redheads / Clive Will / Velocity Films South Africa

BRONZE - TV campaigns 30 seconds / Earl the fantastic, Holding pattern, Slice of life, Feeding time / Yael Staav / Untitled Toronto

BRONZE - TV Crafts Direction / City Block / Reed Collins / Leo Burnett Chicago

BRONZE - TV Crafts Cinematography / City Block / Reed Collins / Leo Burnett Chicago

BRONZE - TV Crafts Cinematography / Office / Reed Collins / Leo Burnett Chicago

BRONZE - Music Videos Direction / Satisfaction / Mauro Vecchi, Ezio Burani, Alessandro Marani, Annalisa Rabitti / Kalimera srl Italy

BRONZE - Music Videos Direction / Tatabojs "Attention Aux Hommes" / Jakub Kohak, Jan Stastny, Martin Krejzlik / Stillking Films Prague

BRONZE - Music Videos Animation / My Angel Rocks Back & Forth / Woof Wan Bau / Nexus Productions London

BRONZE - Pure Comedy / Scream / Jonathan Guruit, Gaston Bigio / Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi Argentina

BRONZE - Pure Comedy / Bird / Michael Crowe, Robert Messeter / Ogilvy & Mather London

BRONZE - Art Direction Campaigns / Arm,Tora, Ankle, God's / Ben Kay, Cam Blackley / AMV BBDO London

BRONZE - Art Direction Campaigns / Pigeon, Crow, Eagle / Victor Ng, Jon Loke / Leo Burnett Singapore

BRONZE - Art Direction Campaigns / 3 Suisses - Me, Me myself, Me myself & I / Fred Lutge, Dimitri Guerassimov / CLM BBDO Paris

BRONZE - Consumer Magazines / Man with Sony MV Camcorder / Tim Huse / Generator Bates Auckland

BRONZE - Consumer Magazines / Woman with Sony MV Camcorder / Tim Huse / Generator Bates Auckland

BRONZE - Newspapers / Centershock - Baby / Pradeep Yeragi, Vijay Sawant / Ogilvy & Mather Mumbai

BRONZE - Trade & Professional Magazines / Pat on the back / Avery Gross / Leo Burnett Chicago

BRONZE - Consumer Magazine Campaigns / Image Stabilising Binoculars - Window, Surf, Robbery / Rebecca Carrasco / If Your Mind Was A Room Sydney

BRONZE - Newspaper Campaigns / Fevicol - Well of Death, Pole, Tight Rope / Shruti Nayak / Ogilvy & Mather Mumbai

BRONZE - Newspaper Campaigns / Centershock - Baby, Ring, Bus Stop / Pradeep Yeragi, Vijay Sawant / Ogilvy & Mather Mumbai

BRONZE - Print Crafts Illustration / Unlike your home, Monday Sucks / Samir Mesquita, Rodrigo Tortima / Leo Burnett Publicidade Brazil

BRONZE - Print Crafts Photography / Pat on the back / Avery Gross / Leo Burnett Chicago

BRONZE - Print Crafts Photography / 3 Suisses - Me, Me myself, Me myself & I / Fred Lutge, Dimitri Guerassimov / CLM BBDO Paris

BRONZE - Outdoor Supersites & Spectaculars / Clothesline / Kalpesh Patakar, Makarand Patil / Saatchi & Saatchi Mumbai

BRONZE - Outdoor Supersites & Spectaculars / Red Eye / Avery Gross / Leo Burnett Chicago

BRONZE - Street Furniture / Actifed - Wardrobe / Tim Huse / Generator Bates Auckland

BRONZE - Transit, buses, taxis, trains / Trouble Passing? / Gareth Hare, Naz Nazli / Leo Burnett London

BRONZE - Outdoor Posters (any size) / Windows / MUN, Tan Yee Kiang / Naga DDB Malaysia

BRONZE - Outdoor General / Toybox / Marcus Rebeschini, Robert Kleman / TBWA Singapore

BRONZE - Maverick Media up to 3 executions / LTSA Driver Licence / Josh Lancaster / Clemenger BBDO Wellington

BRONZE - Maverick Media up to 3 executions / Man with Sony MV Camcorder / Tim Huse / Generator Bates Auckland

BRONZE - Maverick Media up to 3 executions / T3 - Rise of the Machines / Hamish Grieve, Ben Barnes / WRC New Zealand

BRONZE - Online Advertising / Pass the Parcel / Erik Hay / Saatchi & Saatchi NZ

BRONZE - Online Commercials / Bird / Michael Crowe, Robert Messeter / Ogilvy London

2003 ADVERTISING STUDENT AWARD WINNERS:

GOLD - Advertising STUDENT AWARD / Pen - for Metro de Santiago / Francisco Cassis / Universidad del Pacifico

GOLD - Advertising STUDENT AWARD / Kodak / Danny Noval, Angela Finney / Miami AdSchool

GOLD - Advertising STUDENT AWARD / Bazooka / Satoko Takada, Patwin Lawrence / Miami Ad School

SILVER - Advertising STUDENT AWARD / MCA - First Time Campaign / Michael Canning / AWARD School

2003 DESIGN AWARD WINNERS:

GOLD - Environmental Signage / NGV Graphic Language / Andrew Trewern / Garry Emery Design

SILVER - Annual Reports / Bon Appetit / Davor Bruketa / Bruketa & Zinic

SILVER - Corporate & Brand Identity / BMW Festival of German Cinema Identity / Andrea Wilcock / Fabio Ongarato Design Australia

SILVER - Environmental Signage / Games Memories Installation / David Sark, Jeff Davey, Anton Drazevic / Emery Vincent Design

BRONZE - Editorial & Book Design / NGV Graphic Language / Andrew Trewern / Garry Emery Design

2003 DESIGN STUDENT AWARD WINNERS:

BRONZE - Design STUDENT AWARD / Gift or a Weapon (Album artwork) / John Calabro / Swinbourne University Melbourne

BRONZE - Design STUDENT AWARD / Nobody Knows you better than you / Celeste En Arn Ling / Temasek Polytechnic Singapore