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Emvies 2007: Difficult to please the jury

In all there are 384 entries this year in four different categories including Best Media Strategy, Best Media Innovation, Best Media Research and Best Integrated Campaign

During the first round of the judging process for The Advertising Club Bombay’s Emvies, the judges scrutinised a total of 384 entries this year in four different categories. These include Best Media Strategy, Best Media Innovation, Best Media Research and Best Integrated Campaign. This year there are 14 more entries, which is a marginal growth over the previous year.

The overall entries were found to be good in some categories, and in others, they were really mediocre.

Emvies 2007: Difficult to please the jury
Nandini Dias
For the Best Media Strategy category there were 41 entries. Commenting on this year’s judging process, Nandini Dias, chief operating officer, Lodestar Universal says, “The entries this year in the Best Media Strategy category were judged on the basis of originality, quantitative measure of the strategy process, brand performance and the brand fit with the audience. The media strategies have always been written in a very lengthy manner. This time they were a lot crisper, direct and conveyed the point clearly. Apart from the conventional ways of reaching the consumers, the strategies also talked a lot about other effective ways of engagement, such as ground promotions and brand integration.”
Emvies 2007: Difficult to please the jury
Manish Porwal
The Best Integrated Campaign category has 59 entries. Manish Porwal, managing director, India – West and South, Starcom, who was one of the judges for the category remarks, “I judged the entries according to the parameter of how well a central idea was taken across all media. Although the packaging and presentation has improved quite a bit, it was disappointing to see that the central idea was missing, and was not at all well executed across every media. It’s like people have mistaken the term ‘integrated campaign’ for a ‘multimedia campaign’. Even the entries from some over-hyped creative agencies were lacking in substance.”

In the Best Media Innovation category, there are in all 260 entries. Out of these, 56 entries account for television, 28 are for print, 9 for DM, 20 for cinema, 25 for radio, 48 for ambient media and out-of-home, 21 for never used before media and 22 for digital.

Emvies 2007: Difficult to please the jury
Chandradeep Mitra
Chandradeep Mitra, president, Optimum Media Solutions (OMS) judged entries for ambient media/out-of-home and events under the Best Media Innovation category. He comments, “The bar gets raised every year, when it comes to innovations in outdoor media and events. It’s tougher every year to think different and do better than the previous year. The entries this year were not drastically mind blowing, but the overall feel was that there were better ideas, lesser poor entries and improved quality of presentation and packaging.”

Observing the kind of entries for television under Best Media Innovation category, Rana Barua, national head, marketing, Radio City 91.1 FM, says, “Apart from the conventional ways of communicating on TV, this time there were a lot of innovative activities that promoted brands on TV through unique programmes and shows. The quality of presentation is impressive.”

Emvies 2007: Difficult to please the jury
Arpita Menon
One of the judges for the Best Media Research category was Arpita Menon, national head, strategic unit and business intelligence, ABP Group. This category has a total of 24 entries. Menon remarks, “The entries in this category were judged on the parameter of inventiveness and the way research has benefited the client and the brand. It was disappointing to see that the agencies have not taken up research in serious terms, and most of the entries were fairly boring and mundane. Although, attention has been paid to brand activation through 360 degree communication, but it has not been balanced with detailed research.”

The second round of judging will take place during the case study presentations from June 19-20, 2007. The agency which scores the maximum points in three categories, including Best Media Strategy, Best Integrated Campaign and Best Media Innovation, will win the award of the Media Agency of the Year. The Grand Emvie will go to the agency scoring the highest aggregate score across all categories.

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