A barometer of results
Awards recognise accountability by rewarding effective campaigns that resonate and deliver results
The Apex advertising awards, which recognise effectiveness in the discipline, had a poignant ring this week as the only Grand Prix winner related to a young Cape Town girl who died after becoming the face of organ donation in SA. Jenna Lowe (20) had a rare lung disease, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and through her search for new, matching lungs became the face of the “Get Me to 21” campaign that had South Africans and the international community rallying behind her.
The campaign was conceptualised and executed by Lowe & Partners in Cape Town. The Apex judges said it touched SA hearts; achieved quantifiable results; and proved the power of advertising, despite a tragic conclusion. It encouraged people to sign up as organ donors to increase the search base of donors. Late last year, Lowe found a match for her double lung transplant but she passed away after months in ICU.
The “Get Me to 21” campaign was one of only three golds handed out. The second went to Ogilvy Johannesburg and its Gloo agency for work on FNB and efforts to convince clients to switch banks within 10 minutes.
At last year’s Apex awards FNB and its then agency DDB won the Grand Prix for its “Beating the beep out of beep bank” campaign. The third Gold this year went to Ogilvy Cape Town for its work on the Castle Lite brand, which apart from a high-impact above-the-line campaign has also gained traction with one of the country’s biggest-ever experiential campaigns and the creation of its own “brand republic” — a small island in Plettenberg Bay which hosts music events.
The Apex awards are managed by the Association for Communication & Advertising. CEO Odette van der Haar says in a tight economic climate there is more pressure on marketers and advertisers to account for results and to use media where results can be tracked and measured. The awards acknowledge accountability by rewarding campaigns that work, sell and resonate and deliver results.
The ad industry stresses there is a correlation between effective advertising and creative advertising and Apex winners usually perform well at the Loeries awards for creative excellence. The Apex judging panel is chaired by advertising commentator Andy Rice, who also judged the advertising effectiveness category at the Cannes Lions awards this year.