KEY POINTS:
AXIS Awards judges courted controversy last night, awarding the top accolade for New Zealand advertising creativity to TBWA\Whybin, for a campaign it made in an alliance with 180 agency from Amsterdam.
Judges named the "Bonded by Blood" campaign for the New Zealand Rugby Union and adidas best in show at the awards in Auckland last night.
Communication Agencies Associ-ation of New Zealand chief executive Mark Champion said it was not an issue that an overseas agency had won the award for New Zealand advertising creativity.
TBWA New Zealand was the leader for the "Bonded by Blood" campaign which featured in New Zealand last year. It is understood that most of the campaign was made by the local agency.
Axis was given a makeover this year amid concerns that the New Zealand advertising fraternity was small and close-knit.
They included changes to avoid mayhem as a room full of 1000 advertising people dined and imbibed while presenters rattled through a list of awards and winners - a list that multiplies each year.
This year award presentations and the party were kept separate.
There has also been an increase in the number of overseas judges.
Caanz president David Walden - the managing director for TBWA New Zealand - acknowledged concerns that because of the size of the industry the same names kept dominating. But last night Colenso BBDO and DDB - two of the country's biggest ad agencies - won no major prizes.
Two other agencies that traditionally feature at Axis - Publicis Mojo and Saatchi & Saatchi - both maintained a high profile this year.
Controversy is not new to the Axis Awards, which focus on creativity rather than effectiveness and which some advertisers regard as too removed from the day-to-day grind of making ads to sell products.
The advertising industry worldwide is awash with awards which are the foundation for agencies marketing themselves to win contracts.
This year's judging panel, made up of 30 local creative directors and four international judges, was headed by Zak Mroueh, executive creative director and partner from Taxi Canada.
Mroueh said New Zealand had the raw talent to do well internationally.
'All you have to do is convince more of your mainstream accounts, like the daring adidas client, to join you in the pursuit of world-class excellence."
Full details are to be posted at www.caanz.co.nz
