AdReview Agency of the Year Awards

"There's been a tendency in the Johannesburg market to ignore the achievements and importance of these two centres," says AdReview editor Tony Koenderman.

"Both of them play a constructive and valuable role in SA advertising, and we felt it was appropriate to acknowledge this by making these awards."

Special sections on the two regions will also be included in Tony Koenderman's AdReview, an annual publication which provides a comprehensive overview of the marketing and advertising industry. It will be distributed with next week's editions of Finance Week and Finansies & Tegniek.

Agency of the Year awards are presented in a number of categories and the overall winner is chosen from among the category winners. The other categories are Newcomer (an agency up to three years old), Small (up to 30 staff), Mid-sized (30-120 staff), Large (more than 120 staff), and Marketing Services Company (specialist below-the-line agencies).

The awards, which will be published in AdReview next week, are presented for the agencies achieving the best combination of performance in business, advertising effectiveness and creativity. "To evaluate these we looked at the calibre and volume of new business won, developmental and innovative achievements, including empowerment," says Koenderman.

Because international agencies no longer disclose financial results, the size categories are now based on employment rather than revenue.

Other awards to be presented included:
- Media Agency of the Year;
- The Big Idea (for the best integrated campaign based on one idea and carried across a range of communications channels);
- Campaign of the Year (for a campaign that made the most impression in terms of effectiveness and creativity, but may be more narrowly focused);
- Advertising Person of the Year, for individual achievement;
- Broadcast Marketing Award, for the best marketing of a radio or TV station.