2013 APEX Awards open for entry

Hosted by the Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA), in partnership with DStv Media Sales and Millward Brown, the adjudication process of the awards program is very stringent, as entrants must prove that their communications campaigns have had a marked and measurable impact on their respective brand environments. The objective is to demonstrate a campaign's commercial worth over and above its creative influence.

Chris Hitchings, CEO of DStv Media Sales commented: "In an era geared intensely towards accountability, where performance excellence is mandatory for business globally, marketers and advertisers are faced with increased pressure to impact positively on the bottom line by creating awareness and ultimately generating sales. Accountability is something that we hold in very high regard, as is transformation, hence we are proud partners of the awards year after year."

Odette van der Haar, CEO of the ACA explains, "The business of advertising and communications is as much a science as it is an art given the constant refining and redefining of creativity needed to drive business success. The APEX Awards goes beyond celebrating communications campaigns that deliver results, it celebrates the ability of the profession to deliver results and drive business success - vital in a recessed economy where return on investment is demanded by business and value is demanded by consumers."

Richard Stewart, MD of Millward Brown South Africa, says, "We are delighted to once again sponsor the awards. The award honours what I believe to be the most significant achievement in marketing communications: creative ideas that work and contribute to a brand's success by maximising the return on marketing investments. For the past 35 years, this company has been expert in effective advertising, marketing communications, media and brand equity research, therefore its sponsorship is a perfect match."

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 that 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, i.e. 36 months

Workshops

ACA member agencies and their clients are invited to attend one of two workshops taking place in Cape Town (22 January 2013) and Johannesburg (24 January 2013), which will assist in entries and an understanding of the judging process, as shared by some of South Africa's leading marketers and advertising thought leaders who will be judging the 2013 APEX Awards.

There is no cost to attend the workshops and seats are limited. To reserve a seat at the workshops, email az.oc.asaca@xepa.

Bursary benefits

Besides being an essential business tool that affixes value to credentials for agencies, marketers and leading brands, it is a definitive manifestation of great ideas meeting great results. In addition, it has served as a valuable growth catalyst for the profession through its annual bursary programme. Since the inception of the APEX Bursary Fund in 2010, more than R250,000 has been invested into the future of the profession, in the form of much needed bursaries to promising students of the AAA School of Advertising.

Assisting the bursary recipients achieve their dreams has been made possible by the contributions of partners such as DStv Media Sales, Millward Brown and Anglo American whose continued support of and heightened interest in the APEX awards has grown the bursary allocation year-on-year.

The cost per entry is R1650 excluding VAT. The APEX awards is only open for entry by ACA member agencies and their clients. For more, go to www.acasa.co.za.