Orchid and Onion awards for 2001

Ad agency of the year
Saatchi & Saatchi for having established a benchmark in empowerment and for having garnered more local and international awards than ever before in its history. Proving, as CEO Neil Gurney says; "True empowerment is not just about ownership and ratios - empowerment is an attitude..."

Media man of the year
Peter Matlare. SABC chief executive who is very seriously applying all manner of marketing principles to the organisation for the first time ever.

Marketing man of the year
Happy Ntshingila, head of HerdBuoys, McCann-Erickson SA, who has pulled his company up by the bootstraps and put it firmly back into the top 10 rankings.

Adman of the year
Willie Sonnenberg, founder of Sonnenberg, Murphy Leo Brunett who sold out and retired two years ago and then, despite having had no financial interest or equity in the company, came back to rescue his old firm from the brink of disaster.

Marketing woman of the year
Barbara Cooke, who has not only made an enormous success of her new consulting business but who has had the courage to introduce, against all manner of frightening odds, an alternative media research process.

ONION AWARDS

Longest ad ever
The movie Cast Away which was nothing but a blatant ad for Federal Express.

Worst communicator of 2001
Springbok coach, Harry Viljoen. Even his team didn't have a clue what he was talking about.

Politics, self interest and backstabbing media award
e.tv – which seemed to go out of its way last year to do absolutely everything in the most unbusinesslike way possible.

Most contrived TV news event.
On the main SABC 3 news bulletin just before Christmas. An Afrikaans reporter tried to coach a group of Afrikaans kids to give their wish lists live on television – in English. It went like this; (TV Reporter) "So what do you want Christmas Father (sic) to give you?"
(Young girl) "I want a computer en a fiets….o, gits ………"

Media flop of the year
After only three issues a new weekly newspaper the Enquirer shut down.

Worst PR
The management of the SA Cricket team in Australia had no clue whatsoever about how to handle the media.

Most desperate media attempt at being positive
While most of the newspaper posters along Johannesburg's Oxford Rd read; "Rand Crashes": and "JSE Down" as well as "New Attacks on Afghanistan, " The Star tried to be a lot more positive with a poster that read; "How To Buy A Diningroom Table."

Most tasteless remark of the year
By a South African tourist asking a guide about the gas that fuels the eternal flame on John F Kennedy's grave at Arlington Cemetery near Washington in the USA; "So, I suppose all that gas comes from the decomposing bodies….?"

Most inane news item on television
"Bafana Bafana are planning to beat Malawi this week-end…." e.tv reporter.

Most arrogant poster at a public protest
Held by someone outside the court building where the SA Government was defending its stance on imported AIDS drugs against the SA Pharmaceutical Association. " GIVE US CHEAP DRUGS OR WE'LL HIJACK YOUR CARS…"

Most devious insurance sales pitch of the year
From Standard Bank Insurance Brokers who sent a letter to all customers leasing cars through sister company Stannic (that would not approve a lease unless proof of insurance was given). If recipients did not return a card giving insurance details within 30 days, the company would simply issue a comprehensive policy and collect the premium by including it in the monthly lease or HP installment. Give the vagaries of the SA postal service and the possibility of an admin nightmare ... why didn't Stannic just phone the original insurance companies and ask if clients were still insured?

ORCHIDS LIST

Most successful TV show
YIZO-YIZO

Best reality TV show
Big Brother.

Best contribution to advertising
Victor Nosi for the SAA advertising pitch process.

Best stationery design
P.A.S.T. (Palaeo-Anthropology Scientific Trust.)

TV sitcom one-liner orchid
Niles Crane in Frazier, talking about his overweight ex-wife; "Its hard to believe that this is the same frail woman who sprained her wrist by having too much spread on a cracker…."

Most positive conribution to marketing and advertising by a politician
Nat Kekana MP. For his exemplary handling of the public inquiry into racism in advertising.

Most hardworking broadcaster
Vuyo MBuli.

Best local tv coverage of sept 11 disaster
e.tv with Fox News.

Best civil service pr
Government Communications and Information Systems (GCIS)

TV sitcom one-liner orchid
Edmund Blackadder describing Wales and the Welsh; "You have to put half a pound of phlegm in your throat just to pronounce the place names…"

Best media quote by an economist
"Britain will never give up Sterling for the Euro…it will be quite impossible to persuade Brits to stop wanting to spend a penny and euronate instead…" (Anon)

TV sitcom one liner orchid
"If you want to know what God thinks about money, just look at the people he gave it to…,"Audrey Forbes-Hamilton, To The Manor Born.

Most conscientious male journalist
Geoff Dalglish – Editor of Drive Out.

Most conscientious woman journalist
Gwen Gill –Sunday Times

Best marketing/sales promotion event
BMW X5 Trans Africa Safari,

Best special interest magazine
Africa Geographic

Most successful & dedicated radio morning show team
Jeremy, Sam, Harry and Andy. The Rude Awakening, 94,7.

Special veteran broadcasting award
Riaan Cruywagen – Was there when SABC TV launched in 1976 and still going strong.

Orchid for consistent broadcasting quality
Jenny Crwys-Williams, 702 Talk Radio.

Best media innovation of 2001
Barbara Cooke and Tim Bester's Target Group Index.

Best electronic media coverage
Jeremy Maggs on SAFM on Sundays.

Best internet media and marketing coverage
www.marketingweb.co.za

Most promising media journalist
Kim Penstone, Systems Publishers.

Media industry communicator of the year
Graham Langmead, Print Media SA.

Best industry representatives
James McLuckie, IMM
Howard Gabriels, ASOM,
Graham Langmead, Print Media SA.

Best internet editor
Alastair Teeling-Smith, Moneyweb.

Best PR people for 2001
Vanessa Knowles, Owlhurst
Annemarie McKay, Sasani
Lindsay Cookney, BMW SA
Megan McDonald, Nissan
Johanna McDowell, Integrated Communications
Marie Yossava, Grapevine
Linda Piegl, Grapevine
Bob Harrison, MediaWorx.
Richard Carter, BMW SA
Marcus Brewster
Ruth Golembo – Lange PR.

Most improved financial magazine
Finance Week.

Most improved newspaper
Mail & Guardian.

Best customer service
Telkom ISDN Faults Dept.
Simon De Haast – M-Web
Renault SA

Best marketing conference
Sony Global Marketing Partner's Conference, Washington DC.

Best annual magazine
Adri Bezuidenhout's WHEELS 20

Most courageous trade magazine
Retail Edition

Best organised industry representative body
International Special Events Society of SA. (ISES).

Another great TV one liner
Audrey Forbes-Hamilton (To The Manor Born) ; "Meals aren't much fun anymore…we used to eat off hand painted Italian crockery....imagine parting your spinach to find the Rape of the Sabine Women going on underneath…"

Best TV contribution to charity
Barry Munchik, Velocity Afrika.

Best local TV foreign currency earner
Moonlighting.

OUTDOOR BILLBOARD ORCHIDS
1. etrade.com "Africa's not for sissies."
2. 94,7 "Baby Finger."

TOP PRINT ONIONS
1. Liberty Life "Lifestyle."
2. Tony Yengeni "Statement."
3. Kumba "Koeksister."
4. SA Government "Anti Strike."

TOP 10 PRINT ORCHIDS
1. Mecedes-Benz "Old Crash Test Dummy."
2. Kulula.com "Superman"
3. Cell C "Eclipse."
4. Spray and Cook "Price Tags."
5. Chevrah Kadisha "Fun Run."
6. Jhb Child Welfare "Oily Kid."
7. Jupiter Drawing Room "Chesterfield."
8. United Cricket Board "Jonty."
9. Cape Union Mart "Rough It."
10. British Airways "Spots"

TOP RADIO ONIONS
1. Vodaworld "Hijacker."
2. Hewlett Packard "Sexist."
3. FNB Homeloans "Felicia."
4. Old Mutual "Lindenberg."
5. Isuzu "Swartzenegger."
6. Sleep Factory "Mandela."
7. Old Mutual "Bouquet."
8. Toyota Corolla "Little Pink Dress."

TOP 10 RADIO ORCHIDS
1. DStv "Global Village."
2. Nature's Choice "Plop"
3. Nando's "Simunye."
4. Coca-Cola "Share the Fun."
5. Fanta "Half Full."
6. Peter Gird Productions "Loerie Entry."
7. Car Magazine "Sacrifice."
8. Virgin Atlantic "Legroom."
9. Toyota Tazz "Love Triangle."
10. Medfem Clinic "Donations."

TOP ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS
1. Cell C "Teasers."
2. McDonald's "Mc Meals."

TOP 10 TV ONIONS
1. Colgate Herbal "Beaver."
2. Valvita "Crotch Bottle."
3. Liquifruit "Pat on the Back."
4. 5FM "Blank Screen."
5. Sea Harvest "Outboard Fan."
6. Degoran "Broken Toaster."
7. Nivea Visage "Wrinkles Out of Here."
8. Vanish Stain Remover.
9. Spur "Howzit."
10. Clear Vision Opticians.

TOP 10 TV ORCHIDS
1. Castrol "Kung Fu"
2. Volkswagen Turbodiesels "Elastic Band"
3. Dulux "birth"
4. Damelin "Dumb Brad"
5. Dove Deodorant "Bride"
6. Bells Whisky "Flower of Scotland"
7. SAA "Seat"
8. Bacardi Breezer "Tomcat"
9. Lucky Pet Cat Food "Tortoise."
10. Volvo S60 "New Direction."