Fairfax Media picks two teams to represent New Zealand at Young Spikes competition at Spikes Asia in Singapore from 16 -18 September

Six teams of young media and creative agency staff have been named tonight as the winners and runners up in the inaugural Fairfax Media Young Spikes Media and Integrated Competitions.

The winning teams from each category will represent New Zealand at the Young Spikes competition at Spikes Asia, to be held in Singapore from 16 – 18 September.

The winners of the integrated category were Thomas Darlow and Lucy Morgan of Whybin\TBWA; the winners of the media category were Abigail Morrish and Lauren Siemer of OMD.

The entrants were asked to develop media strategies or integrated advertising campaigns designed to build awareness of the Creative Spirit programme and encourage businesses in the creative sector to join the programme. Creative Spirit aims to provide employment for disabled people in the creative sector.

The judges were Sandra King, GM of Sales and Marketing for Fairfax Media, and for the Media competition; Alistair Jamieson, CEO, Starcom, Barry Williamson, Media Director, MEC and for the Integrated Competition; James Mok, Group Executive Creative Director Australasia, Draft FCB and Jose Alomajan, Digital Partner, Droga5.

Ms. King extends her thanks to the judges and says the process of reviewing the enormous range of work submitted from both media and creative agencies was both difficult and inspiring: “The work was a real testament to the energy and passion of the future of our industry. It was wonderful to be able to review that work with the other judges and we were all encouraged that the New Zealand industry’s future is in good hands.”

Integrated Competition

Overall the integrated competition entries impressed the judges with the broad range of approaches the teams took, exploring the rich creative territory Creative Spirit provided.

Winner: Be what you say

(Whybin \ TBWA – Thomas Darlow and Lucy Morgan)

Judges’ comments: What a powerfully provocative way of engaging the creative industry – to challenge what they say about themselves. It borders on emotional blackmail, or at least guilt marketing, but no creative business wants to be seen to be bullshitting about its creative beliefs. By individually targeting each creative business using their own creative philosophy, values, or principles, the work immediately connects with its audience and dares them to back it up by committing to Creative Spirit. By taking the idea beyond the direct audience to a wider public audience, staff of the targeted creative businesses become involved in putting ‘pressure’ on the company bosses to do the right thing. Simple and brilliant. Well done to the team.

First Runner-Up: Wear your disability

(DDB – Jennie Liddell and Julia Ferrier)

Judges’ comments: Getting people in a creative business to all show off their weakness by putting it on a t-shirt was a brilliant way of creating wide empathy for people with ‘real’ disabilities. By getting the whole company engaged in the issue there is a greater chance of the whole organisation embracing the idea of adopting the Creative Spirit programme. It seemed like an innovative way to target companies and get them involved in a creative way.

Second Runner-Up: More of what you love

(Colenso BBDO – Wawa Wang and Shakira Twigden)

Judges’ comments: Good specific focus on a single audience – the office manager/CEO PA, who will most likely be a major gatekeeper on the decision. By locking into this audience the ideas became a lot more focused. The idea had a really clear ‘What’s in it for me factor’ that was motivating. The inclusion of an innovative app that measured their daily workload, which was a great way to help the audience realise the extra help from someone from Creative Spirit would help them do the things they love more.

Media Competition

Overall the entries were of high quality with generally clear argument and logic. The entries that initially stood out demonstrated a degree of empathy for the subject matter and displayed a human/consumer insight as it relates to Creative Spirit.

The judges of the media entries were clearly aligned on three entries that were stand out. The decision was driven largely by the fact they had insight, leading to a clear connection idea which was carried right through the campaign.

Winner: If nothing is more creative than being different, let’s act different

(Abigail Morrish and Lauren Siemer, OMD)

Judges’ comments: This entry was very mature. It had fabulous insight generation and a clear link through to execution. It clearly linked to internal decision makers in the creative sector. The  supporting document was impressive and showed the ability to articulate thinking as well as completing it. The strategy tapped into our target audience with the thought  ‘there is nothing more creative than being different’. All around this was a very impressive entry. Congratulations to Abigail and Lauren from OMD for a wonderful entry. Best of luck in Singapore.

First runner-up: The Application

(Spark PHD and PHD IQ, Fou Brown and Brendan Hewitt)

Judges’ comments: The amount of work that went into this very smart interpretation of the need to change perceptions is obvious. The strategy was nicely summed up by the thought of hire to understand to understand to hire. This entry understood the need to connect with the target audience in a currency they understood – an idea. This thinking was brought alive via a clear device that could be used across all channels and was supported by an amazing video. The idea at the centre of their strategy was the job application process and this was brought alive creatively and through the selected channels. Congratulations on a really strong strategy, execution and packaging.

Second runner-up: The same thing that drives me.. Is what drives me too

(MEC – Michaela Fenton and Darelle Paniora)

Judges’ comments: This entry identified a clear truth around the influence of others they respect and that those who may partake in the CS programme are not that different from those making the decision to employ them. The truth was leveraged to a central theme. The entry showed how this thinking could then come alive creatively supported by a media strategy that demonstrated the relationship between an executive and a Creative Spirit employee.