Animation and motion design greenhouse Masters & Savant have scored five Loerie nominations for the Metro FM campaigns, but competition remains tough as international players enter the categories.
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Masters & Savant have received two nominations in the Advertising Crafts: Animation category, and three in the Design Crafts: Motion Graphic Design category.
Competing with other nominees such as the international advertising agencies Weiden & Kennedy and Euro RSCG London, Masters & Savant executive producer, Roger Smythe, says that this year's entrants within animation and motion graphic design have perhaps created one of the toughest and more exciting categories to judge.
"The work submitted is perhaps the pinnacle of the awards for this year's Loerie craft awards. While this is not the first time that international agencies have submitted work for the local Loeries awards, the submissions are worth noting, as they include among others the highly acclaimed Metro FM campaigns, as well as the Cannes Lions Grand Prix Advertising Award winning Honda Grrr commercial.
"The styles submitted for judging are very different as they target two very distinct audiences, and the judges may have a hard time deciding who will win the converted awards, as the Loeries now decide if they are in favour of awarding South African excellence above the international submissions. It will be a case of Euro versus Afrothentic designs."
While Weiden & Kennedy and Euro RSCG London's commercials Honda Grrr and Citroen Carbot have been highly acclaimed in Europe, their style is that of Europe and does not reflect the African target audience of South Africa.
"The Loeries were initially created to recognize South African advertising excellence. Its evolution into an international award project has now accepted international competition.
However, in the judging, we should hope that cognizance is taken that ads created and submitted for the award should have been aired in South Africa, and have been exposed to a South African target audience," says Smythe.
"It must be noted that the Cannes-awarded and now Loeries-nominated commercial was never aired in South Africa, and made no impact on the brand among South Africans. Is this nomination truly worthy of receiving an award meant for commercials that impact on the South African audience?
"Failing this, the Loeries awards may be in danger of being inundated with commercials that are created specifically for awards, with no intention of impacting on a brand's target audience."
