DDB Aotearoa takes out coveted Agency of the Year title at the 2022 Axis Awards; Saatchis scores Grand Axis for Global Women ‘Career-Limiting’ campaign; FINCH named Production Co. of the Year

For the first time in the Axis Awards 42-year history the decision was made to take the 2022 Axis Awards online. With over 500 entries, 56 judges, six generous sponsors, and what seemed like a million zoom calls, the creative advertising industry still managed to come together (virtually) to celebrate all the creative excellence in Aotearoa over the past year. MC’d by everyone’s favourite Queen, Kita Mean, it was an exciting afternoon showcasing a plethora of amazing work within the industry and awarding the prestigious Bronze, Silver, and Golds Axis Awards.

Cheil global chief creative officer Malcolm Poynton and Saatchi & Saatchi chief creative officer Steve Cochran, joined five local jury presidents on the executive judging panel this year. Their role was to decipher which metals were given out within each category and this year they awarded a total of 22 Gold Axis Awards, five Executive Judges Awards, four Grand Prix’s, the Axis Google Student Challenge, the Brand Axis sponsored by TVNZ, and the Grand Axis sponsored by Meta.

It was DDB’s night again with 44 AXIS awards added to its metal tally and securing its spot for Agency of the Year. A total of 22 bronze, 14 silver, and eight gold Axis were awarded across nine clients and 11 campaigns. But the standout campaign of the night was Samsung iTest which picked up seven of those golds in the following categories: Brand Experience & Activation – Single, Creative Use of Media – Single , Direct Digital, Experience Design, Mobile & User Experience, User Experience, as well as the Innovation Axis. iTest is a web application that mimics the operating system of an Android device to lure Apple loyalists towards Samsung products. This campaign took the world by storm; there were two million downloads in the first weekend alone and iTest has since been downloaded by more than 10 million users worldwide. A Grand Prix sealed the deal before Samsung picked up Client of the Year.

The other gold went to Lotto “On Ice” in the Digital Art Direction & Typography category before being recognised with a silver Integrated Axis. DDB has demonstrated creativity across all platforms, all genres and for a multitude of clients. Our congratulations go to the teams that worked to create outstanding creativity in Aotearoa over the past year.

Says Gary Steele, chief creative officer, DDB Aotearoa: “Being named Axis Agency of the Year for the third consecutive year is a huge achievement and recognition of the incredible creative advertising our team consistently produces across the Group. Our campaigns highlight the magic that creativity can bring to what we do, and it is so rewarding to know the work we produce resonates both with Kiwis as well as the industry.

“I am incredibly proud of all the campaigns that we have made, and to win Agency of the Year is a great reason to celebrate. These awards are testament to the talented, hardworking people within DDB Group, as well as our production partners and our amazing clients – thank you all.”

Says Haydn Kerr, executive creative director Tribal Aotearoa: “It’s hugely rewarding to be recognised with these wins at Axis. We are incredibly proud of Samsung iTest – a game changing campaign that demonstrates the power of creativity and technology and shows how great creative can cut through even the most hard-wired consumer behaviour. Seeing this campaign gain global momentum has been a career highlight.”

Says Simon Smith, head of corp marketing, Samsung New Zealand: “When we briefed Tribal to help us launch a new smartphone in New Zealand, we never expected they would deliver a campaign so innovative that it would gain global recognition. Tribal Aotearoa have become integral to our success in New Zealand – their ability to deliver unforgettable digital experiences has completely changed the way people are able to experience Samsung and this award is well deserved.”

This year’s Grand Axis sponsored by Meta, was scooped up by Saatchi & Saatchi NZ and Global Women NZ for their “Career-Limiting Campaign”. This also scored Saatchi & Saatchi a Silver Axis in the TV, Cinema or Online Over 30′ (Single) category, Bronze in the Copywriting – Film and Video category and took home the win for this year’s Special Award – Diversity & Inclusion as well as a well-deserved Grand Prix award.

Launched on International Women’s Day in 2021, the campaign highlights the “Motherhood Penalty” and the startling fact that on average, mothers earn 12.5% less than fathers of the same age and education over the course of their career. The dark but humourous film at the centre of the campaign was created by internationally awarded director, Anna Mantzaris of Passion Animation Studios and Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand. It builds on the workplace scenarios Mantzaris conceived for her critically acclaimed short film “Enough” and suggests that there is almost nothing a woman could do in the workplace that is more “career limiting” than having a baby.

Saatchi also went on to win a further three Golds within the TV, Cinema or Online 30′ or Below (Single) category for its work with Global Women NZ titled “Career-Limiting Cookie”, “Career-Limiting Tie” and “Career-Limiting Window”. Adding to this haul, Saatchi also snagged a Bronze Integrated Axis for its work with Emirates New Zealand called “In Crazy we Believe’.

Says Steve Cochran, chief creative officer for Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand: “We are thrilled this work has been so well recognised here at home in the market it was originally created for. It’s work we’re all tremendously proud of. Every time it gets attention like this is another opportunity for it to share its message further, which in the end, is what it’s truly about.”

Says Agnes Naera, CEO for Global Women: “With this campaign, we hope to challenge and raise awareness of the ‘Motherhood Penalty’ that still has a significant impact on women in the workplace in New Zealand. Like many issues of inequity, there isn’t a single action that can be taken to solve this, as the penalty is made up of a combination of factors, often built up over many years. On one side, we need to tackle the unconscious biases that still remain around women with children and on the other, we need to address systems and processes around recruitment, pay and promotion to ensure an equitable playing field. We are grateful for the amazing work of Saatchi & Saatchi, Anna Mantzaris and the MSL New Zealand team for bringing this issue to light in the most incredible way.”

The metal-heavy craft category saw Assembly taking out silver, gold and Grand Prix for its work George Harrison’s ‘Isn’t It A Pity’ in Art Direction and Moving Image. Blockhead VFX scored a gold for Sky – The Watch for Art Direction. Two more golds were awarded in Craft to Colenso BBDO for Microplastics, and Ruskin for The Dancer, in Image and Direction respectively. Ruskin also picked up the second Grand Prix of the evening for The Dancer.

It was also a great afternoon for Special picking up a total of nine bronze, seven silver, and two golds. One in Design 360 and one in Charity – Creative Use of Media for “Rockit” and “David’s Unusables”, respectively. Not to be outshone by taking home the prestigious Brand Axis for its brand building work over the past three years for Tourism New Zealand. This sustained success demonstrates the way an excellent relationship between agency and client can truly enhance brand positioning.

Lots more gold was distributed throughout the show; in the Charity category for TBWA’s work “The Melanoma Typeface” for Melanoma New Zealand, in the Digital & Interactive category for VMLY&R’s work with “EQC Earthquake Triggered” for the Earthquake Commission/Kōmihana Rūwhenua, and in the Magazine & Newspaper category for FCB New Zealand with “Return To Script Department” for Fire and Emergency New Zealand. Last but certainly not least, gold in the PR, Brand Experience & Activation category went to Yarn with “Tourism NZ: Please don’t travel under the social influence” for Tourism New Zealand. All of this important work shows the way creativity in the industry can be used to change behaviours.

Rounding off the 2022 show was the all-important Executive Judges Awards, with Lily & Maisie from DDB Group Aotearoa taking out Emerging Talent along with Bella Rākete & Sam Taunton-Clark from Media Design School being named as the Axis Google Student Challenge winners for their work with Breast Cancer Foundation New Zealand titled “Breast Cancer Captcha”. YoungShand received the For Good – Government & Public Service award for its work with New Zealand Blood Service titled “Unseen Emergencies”. In addition, a huge congratulations goes to FINCH after being named as Production Company of the Year for 2022.

Says Simon Lendrum, CEO of The Comms Council: “Creativity is our industry’s superpower. It’s the multiplier that enables exponential outcomes for New Zealand businesses and organisations seeking to connect with audiences and it is the magic that turns rational communication into emotional engagement. Axis celebrates this superpower and this year’s winners once again shine a light on the work we all aspire to.”

View the winners at https://www.axisawards.show/.