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| Monday, October 6, 2008 Do Awards Matter? By Kendall Allen As an agency, you may not focus on awards submissions, but there is no doubt that at the right volume, they can do great things for your visibility and marketability in certain realms. As a client, you may defer to your agency to handle all this hoopla, but there's internal company value in visible case histories of your good works. There are two primary factors driving the question of whether to submit award applications. First, of course, to do it well, the submissions process can absolutely be a full-time job for a person, department or PR representative. Secondly, we often get hung up on the hubris that may be suggested by self-submission in the first place. The healthiest point of view is a moderate one. I would suggest establishing a vision for awards submission and a moderate administration plan. Then, get over the ego hang-up and let your team have some fun with it. Another point to remember: the market wants to see great work. To me, awards are most interesting as sort of a state-of-the-art pause for consideration. In this spirit, I go to ceremonies and inductions randomly throughout the year to check the pulse of the industry and check-in. Last week, I attended an evening with CEBA -- the Creative Excellence in Business Awards, put on by American Business Media. A friend whom I respect immensely was being inducted into the CEBA Hall of Fame, which honors those agencies or individuals "who have left an indelible mark on business media advertising and creative communities with their unforgettable campaigns." So, in the mode of the check-in, I went to immerse myself in the question of where business advertising is right now, as reflected in the winners. Digital agency representation wasn't heavy. Most of the award winners and Hall of Fame inductees came from a more traditional-gone-digital perspective. The focus on convergence was obvious. But the agencies that incorporated digital and artfully synchronized their media and creative execution across channels were the ones that prevailed. There was some pretty good work. The highlight of the evening was the gamut run by the Hall of Fame. Watching and listening to Gordon Bowen, founder of mcgarrybowen, anyone enthralled by the breed of advertising that evokes laughter or tears almost on command appreciated how Bowen and his body of work have advanced our state. Everything from "Membership Has Its Privileges" to "Amazing Awaits" -- his agency's new line for the United States Olympic team -- drives home the prowess. Given my particular perspective on awards, however, I was most touched by the speech of my friend, Tom Stein of Stein Rogan + Partners. He spoke of three pivotal revolutions in advertising. Though I can't and won't quote him exactly, they were something like this: 1. The very real incorporation of art into advertising. Tom referenced Bill Bernbach, one of the founders of Doyle Dane Bernbach and an irrefutable ad icon. Tom reminded us of Bernbach's force and his watershed introduction of art to the profession. Ponder Volkswagen Beetle, Levy's Rye Bread, and any number of other campaigns blazed into our mind's-eye as consumers and practitioners. The result of this revolution is doubtless a draw for all those in the business. 2. The realization of the vision that business advertising could be just as creative as consumer advertising. Thinking back over even my own relatively brief 15 years in the media business, this rings true. Having experienced business to business advertising as a consumer, a spectator and an agency practitioner, I feel there is a much more thoughtful, visually oriented, connective and interaction-driven way of going about this work today. Increasingly, I've seen b-to-b clients collaborate with consumer marketers on campaigns, incorporate rich media and just generally engage the creative minds at the table far more often. This evolution was certainly reflected in the work showcased during the evening at CEBA. 3. The interplay of creative and technology. We in digital would certainly be the primary illustration of this coming of age. It's thrilling to have platforms far more mature at our disposal; a stronger supportive infrastructure for our experiments, digital marketing initiatives and adventures; and a generally higher level of acceptance by clients, along with a market of creative options, rich-media technology and expanded standards. There was much more, but these are the thoughts that percolated for me about these moments dubbed revolutions. Regardless of how one feels about awards and the rigmarole and headspace that surround them, they do provide a window on evolution -- and, when it gets really exciting, on revolution. Post your response to the public Online SPIN blog. See what others are saying on the Online SPIN blog. Kendall Allen is senior vice president of Digital Marketing Services at MKTG, headquartered in New York City. Previously she was managing director of Incognito Digital, LLC, an independent digital media agency and creative studio. She also held top posts at iCrossing and Fathom Online. Online Spin for Monday, October 6, 2008: | |
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