This week's guest judge is Steve Slivka, co-founder and chief creative officer, Colossal Squid Industries, Chicago. Steve is the Squid's strategic and creative visionary and one of two co-pilots who are tasked with ensuring that the Seas, shall indeed, be our empire. He served as the SVP/GCD at Leo Burnett/Arc Interactive. He's a grizzled interactive veteran and in his 11 years of experience, Steve has worked on every kind of interactive campaign imaginable. He's got a few awards (and battle scars) to prove it.
BEST TVTV Winner:
ASB Bank 'Mint Sauce'. I feel that people in the ad business can still learn a lot from spot like this. At times, story can take a back seat to the unlimited possibilities of cgi. This spot pulls you in to a moment a lot of people across the globe can identify with, the childhood longing for a particular toy or whatever the object might be. It's finding that unique way in to the hearts and minds of people that changes an ad from noise, to something that they not only remember, but appreciate.
TV Runner-Up:
VW Polo 'Tough. Beautiful'. I feel like, to succeed these days you need to engage immediately as television does battle with my DVR fast forward button. This spot pulls me in immediately. It's dangerous. The interplay of the dancers, the costuming and music tells such a compelling story with very few elements. The spot just hurdles forward and you stay invested. This is kind of spot you look for the commercial break.
BEST PRINTPrint Winner:
Breast Film Festival: Opening Soon. Great Piece. I think it gets you to stop and pay attention in a way that stays just this side of sensational. Tastefully done in that I'm not so confronted that I'm turned off to the message about the event. My mom's a breast cancer survivor and I think she'd approve too.
Print Runner-Up:
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas: Couple. When you have a great tag line, the campaign can unfold in amazing ways. And this is one of the best lines I've seen in a long time. I think the visuals work better as a companion piece to the whole print campaign, which is why the runner up. But that line makes me want to go there, even though I won't make it past the velvet rope.
BEST OUTDOOROutdoor Winner:
Zima: Kiss a Zima. At first glance one would think that drinks and girls are an easy sell on a spirits brand. But having been there, I know how amazing it is that this was even sold in. It's bizarre, yet so memorable that you just keep staring at it all. This is definitely the kind of thing agencies tweet about and wish they did as they go back to the tailgating/backyard party spot they have write.
Outdoor Runner-Up:
Ballet BC: Take our Tutus. I really like this piece. It's no easy task to get commuters to take notice, actually interact and then walk away with a full understanding of your message through their interaction. This outdoor does that very well, in the rain no less.
BEST INTERACTIVEInteractive Winner:
VB: Profile Intervention. I'm sure the metrics will end up being great on this. It's because it's based on a behavioral insight that consumers will get behind and broadcast everywhere. Also, it's just fun. While at times, that can be a tough sell to clients that are metrics hungry. The memorability of this will make all the difference in that 4 seconds in the aisle.
Interactive Runner-Up:
Doritos: Late Night 360 Degree. I think I like ideas like this more and more these days. It's entertaining, produced really well, and doesn't ask a lot of me as a consumer. I believe the future of interactive engagement will come to rely more heavily on leanback experiences like this. It shows the potential of how to capitalize on the unique things that TV still can't do, yet provide that same level of entertainment.
