Advertising Age, the world’s leading industry magazine, invited creatives from all around the world to design a cover for its June 13 issue. Our team Michael Widgery and Jake Heath entered with this ‘Petri Dish’ idea, and they’ve just been shortlisted as a Finalist. “In today’s connected world, ideas spread like viruses in a petri dish,” explain Widge and Jake. “Not long ago, ‘viral’ referred to guerrilla-style marketing, but in today’s hyper-connected world, a good idea will spread—intentionally or not”.

Ad Age received over 350 submissions from 55 countries, so big congratulations are in order for the lads. And if their work makes the final cut, they’ll be on a plane to the south of France next month. The cover will be distributed at the Cannes Lions festival, as well as on AdAge.com and Creativity-Online.com. It will also appear on a billboard prominently displayed on the Croisette Boulevard during the festival.

Lowe’s audacious piece of work for A-league, ‘The Great Wrapping Paper Scandal’, is one of only 8 entries from Australia considered eligible for entry into the inaugural Cannes Creative Effectiveness awards. The winners will be announced in Cannes on Saturday 25 June 2011 alongside the Film, Film Craft, Titanium and Integrated Lions winners. Here’s hoping!

The annual Webby Awards recognise websites and teams that demonstrate a standard of excellence. Of nearly 10,000 entries submitted to the 15th Awards from around the world, fewer than 10% have been distinguished as an ‘Official Honouree’.
“This honour signifies an outstanding calibre of work,” according to the organisers, so we’re pleased to see our Cornetto Summer site in that list.

Lowe Sydney picked up two prestigious gold awards at the 2010 Australian Effie Awards in late August.

‘The Great Christmas Wrapping paper Swindle’, created for Football Federation of Australia, won gold in two of the toughest categories; Most Original Idea and Low Budget <$500k.

The Effie Awards recognise effectiveness in marketing and ‘ideas that work’.
It’s about great work, great results and proving that your creative was the reason for that success. For most clients and agencies they are becoming the ultimate independent award to win.

And they’re notoriously tough to enter and even tougher to win. This year, out of 154 entries from agencies and clients around Australia, the judges awarded just 17 gold Effies.

So to pick up two gold awards is a great achievement and testament to our commitment to high value ideas. Congratulations to everyone involved.

Watch our ‘The Great Wrapping Paper Swindle’ case study video:

We’ve got two finalists in the prestigious 2010 Effie Awards, both for the FFA Great Christmas Gift Wrapping Swindle.

They’re in the ‘Small Budget’ and ‘Most Original Thinking’ categories. Created in 2 weeks for less than $50,000 this provocative idea created a storm—and massive ticket sales—in Brisbane that won’t be forgotten soon!