The pitch: They're only ads, but they're great

By PAUL CATMUR*

It's the time of year when agencies scurry around getting together their best ads and sending them to be judged at the Axis advertising awards.

As it's my turn to be convenor of judges I thought I should try to explain why advertising folk get so worked up over giving each other awards.

I realise it's going to be a hard sell convincing anyone why they should give a damn about the opinions of a bunch of latte and champagne swilling individuals with egos like Clive Woodward, but I love a challenge.

Look at the average television advertising break. Go on, I dare you.

You will see a procession of retailers trying to beat you over the head with dancing fluorescent colours until you buy their products.

A girl with an immovable smile will tell you that there is 10, 20, 30 per cent off while stocks last til Monday.

A cartoon bird will tell you that all houseware is reduced by up to half price in the mad-summer sale.

Then a man will shout a warning about the dangers an unrestrained ant might pose in your otherwise impenetrable property.

Only you won't see this. Because you'll be in the loo or making a cup of tea hiding from this assault on your intelligence.

Yet perhaps, all is not lost. From time to time, an ad like the infamous Toyota "Bugger"' or maybe a new Goldstein ad for the ASB, or perhaps an ad for Sky featuring the big guy and the little guy comes on the screen and you'll watch it.

And maybe you'll think better of this advertiser because he's taken the trouble to try and entertain you, to talk to you like a mate, to show you a funny little sketch.

Even if you're not directly in the market, you have at least spent a pleasant 60 seconds or so in the company of someone with an engaging personality.

And as a member of the viewing public as well as an advertising professional, I feel this is something we ought to encourage. We need to encourage people by rewarding them to try harder.

We need people in our industry who try to do better ads, who try to entertain and engage, not to shout. Not just because it's aesthetically more pleasing, but because it works. If you're in a room with 20 people shouting at you, the only one you will hear is the one whispering quietly in your ear.

New Zealand advertising is up with the world's best and is getting better.

Per capita, New Zealand wins more international awards than Britain or the USA and three times as many as Australia.

We win more international advertising awards than any other country in the world apart from Singapore.

This recognition helps us fight back against globalisation and the centralising of marketing budgets in Australia.

It attracts some of the best talent in the world to work here, and means New Zealand talent can work around the world.

This provides work for New Zealand agencies and makes people who work here better received around the world.

That's why we have advertising awards, and that's why I'd like you to encourage them by supporting the Axis awards.

It's our way of recognising talent and grooming it to show the world what an exceptionally talented industry we have here.

We may just be ad wankers, but we're some of the best ad wankers in the world.

* Paul Catmur is executive creative director at DDB. contact him on email.

* The Pitch is a forum for those working in advertising, marketing, public relations and communications. We welcome lively and topical 500-word contributions.
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