Deadline amended for first Out of Home Media Awards

Les Holley, general manager of OHMSA says, "The response from the industry has been encouraging, so much so that in order to allow as many agencies as possible to compete, we have split the entry periods."

The new deadline for executions flighted between 1 January 2003 and 30 September 2003 is 31 October 2003, while entries from 1 October 2003 to December 2003 need to be submitted by 15 January 2004.

The Awards ceremony will be held in April next year, with a grand prize of a trip to the American Outdoor Advertising Awards being awarded to the designer of the winning entry over and above awards for the individual categories. In addition, the client on whose behalf the winning entry was designed will receive free brand exposure worth R250 000 from OHMSA member companies.

The OHMSA Creative Awards will recognise the best advertising campaigns within five primary out-of-home categories. These are:
* Billboards - all forms of static (and scrolling) billboards including grand format, campaign outdoor, store fascias, wall murals and building wraps.
* Electronic - All forms of digital, electronic and plasma screens boards.
* Mobile Media - Airborne banner ads, buses, taxis, trains, trailers, branded vehicles and trucks.
* Retail/Street Furniture - Street pole ads, bus shelters, ad lites, bins and benches.
* Ambient Media - Airport/shopping centre displays, inflatable ads, washroom ads, pizza box advertising, skywriting as well as all other alternative forms of out of home advertising currently available.

"The out of home medium is widely regarded as being the advertising medium which best illustrates the value of high-impact creativity, and this awards programme will serve as a platform to recognise the best in the industry," says Holley.

Entry forms, as well as guidelines for submission, are available on the OHMSA website (www.ohmsa.co.za, or from Les Holley on (011) 781 9367.