The Jupiter Drawing Room comes first at APEX

Beating 12 other advertising agencies, the Jupiter Drawing Room won two gold awards for "launching of the Discovery card" in the Launch category and for Hyundai's "the winning manufacturer of SA's motoring 'boom' times" campaign, entered by the agency's Cape Town office in the Change category. The Jupiter Drawing Room also walked away with two special prizes awards for the best presented entry and for the entry best demonstrating the integration of advertising with other marketing tools.

The Launch category looks at brands or services which are new, or have no significant history of advertising, while the Change category judges new campaigns from previously advertised brands that resulted in significant short term effects on sales.

FCB, with a gold, a silver and a special prize for uniquely South African advertising, was close on the heels, followed by TBWA/Hunt/Lascaris with a silver, a bronze, and a special award for the best example of innovative strategic or executional thinking.

Ogilvy South Africa maintained its presence with two bronze medals, with one for its Cape Town office.

Grand Prix not awarded

Although the 47 entries for the 2006 Apex awards were the highest in the history of the awards, two prizes were without winners - the coveted Grand Prix and the special prize for the best entry featuring direct response advertising.

Apex judge Andy Rice of Yellowwood Brand Architects, and previous APEX chairperson, says while the entries were of a consistently high standard, there was not a single entry that stood out to warrant the Grand Prix.

"The judges were very conscious of the role that awards such as Apex play in raising professional communication standards and therefore felt it would only be right to award the grand prix to a truly exceptional entry. No entry quite reached that standard this year," Rice explains.

Serious about value for money

Vega director and Apex judge Gordon Cook says the depth with which ad agencies were willing to demonstrate their communication working in the market place shows that the advertising industry is serious about giving clients value for money.

Apex entries reach as many as 25 to 30 pages, with detailed evidence of results that are subjected to a rigorous and elaborate judging process. Entrants are expected to account for the effectiveness of advertising campaigns and the money marketers spent on it, in isolation of other factors. While all advertising is supposed to bring about results, it is the entries that go beyond the expected that make for an APEX winner.

This year's Apex awards were sponsored by Sappi and SABC. Simon Grose of Sappi Fine Paper Marketing says, "It is through these partnerships that we are able to make a significant contribution to the success of advertising in the global economy."

ACA CEO Zandile Nzalo states there are plans to revamp the awards to ensure the awards claim their rightful position as the prime prize to aim for in the industry. "We acknowledge the fact that an Apex entry requires in-depth information of campaigns which clients may feel is privileged. We want to encourage greater participation from marketers; entering Apex can be a rewarding experience to both agency and clients, as it will enhance their reputations and create an excellent showcase opportunity for the company and the brand."

South Africa Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) once again demonstrated its support with a R150 000 sponsorship.

"The SABC is always interested in carrying South African advertising on its platforms and to effectively contribute to our rapidly growing economy. After all, creative advertising that works is truly the benchmark. Our involvement is further motivated by a need to promote South African languages, art direction and representivity, as we work together to build a better South Africa. We are happy to be that catalyst because of the size and magnitude of our platforms," says Mark Jakins, SABC's chief executive of commercial enterprises.

2006 ACA APEX Award Winners

Special prizes:
The entry best demonstrating the integration of advertising with other marketing tools
Discovery - Launching the Discovery Card, The Jupiter Drawing Room

The best entry featuring direct response advertising
None

The entry which demonstrates the most ingenious response to limited advertising or research funds
Buffelshoek Trust - A Buffelshoek Community Project "Dust Dreams", Tequila\Advertising Johannesburg

The case involving the best use of media planning
None

The best example of innovative strategic or executional thinking
South African Broadcasting - SABC 1 "Ya Mampela", TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris

The best presented entry
Hyundai Automotive South Africa - Hyundai SA "The winning manufacturer of SA's motoring 'boom' times",
The Jupiter Drawing Room Cape Town

Uniquely South African advertising
M-Web - Polka email & internet, FCB Cape Town

Grand Prix
None

The biennial Apex Awards, modeled against the Institute of Practitioners for Advertising (APA)'s Effectiveness Awards, were introduced by the Association of Communication and Advertising (ACA) in 1995 with the aim of rewarding advertising that demonstrates both strategic and creative effectiveness.