Apex 2010 opens for entries

The objective is to demonstrate a campaign's commercial worth over and above its creative clout

To find out how to create a winning entry, marketers and advertisers are invited to attend the free Apex workshops that will be held in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban on the following dates:

• Johannesburg - Monday 9 November 2009
  
• Cape Town - Friday 13 November 2009
  
• Durban - Monday 16 November 2009

Odette Roper, CEO of the ACA says, “An Apex represents far more than just an award for display in an agency's cabinet - it is a business tool that lends credibility to a communication agency and aids in building more collaborative relationship between agencies and its clients.”

“Winning an Apex affixes value to credentials for agencies, marketers and leading brands - it is a definitive manifestation of great ideas meeting great results," adds Andy Rice, chair of the Apex adjudication panel and chairman of Yellowwood Future Architects.

Entry categories & awards

Apex entries will be judged in one of the following three categories:

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

Apex winners are awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze prizes in each category. To allow for consistency of standards across categories, judges may award as many or as few Gold, Silver and Bronze awards as described in each category. This also applies to the Grand Prix - which is selected from the Gold award winners.

"Creating successful communications campaigns that adopt a holistic approach to buying and selling in this highly competitive, complex and rapidly evolving era is a science. Apex not only recognises and rewards the teamwork between agencies and their clients - it showcases the scientific nature of what we do. It also demonstrates the contribution to business success by our profession." Roper said.

Apex is only open for entry by ACA member agencies and their clients. The cost per entry is R1650 excluding VAT and entry forms, submission guidelines, information on previous Apex winners and the upcoming workshops in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban are on www.acasa.co.za.