The single ad, written by Tim
Green and Tim Cairns, also won a Silver Siren for winning the single category.
The winning ad, which uses a child telling his class about his school holiday experiences of his
dad installing a kitchen, was announced today at a breakfast in Melbourne. The ad won a Gold
Lion at the Cannes Advertising Festival last year.
Judge, John Mescall, executive creative director, McCann Worldgroup, said about the winning
ad: "Holidays" didn't win just because it was funny. Nor did it win just because it had a kid in it
who said f***. It won because it dared speak the ugly truth about IKEA: assembling their
furniture can be a real pain in the a***. Such irreverent self-deprecation has always been a
hallmark of great Australian advertising, and long may it be so.”
The winning team said: “We were inspired by the idea of a regular unskilled guy attempting to
install a kitchen by himself and what the flow-on effect might be. We tried to imagine what
having your Dad install a kitchen would be like, seen through the eyes of an enthusiastic six
year old.
“Radio ads are often used to speed read a shopping list of product benefits, but like all good ads
if you can just focus on saying one thing well, you’ll be winning.”
The winning writers will receive airfares, accommodation and tickets to this year’s
Cannes Advertising Festival, to be held next month. This year, for the first time, the client also
wins a trip to Cannes and the festival.
Chief executive officer, Commercial Radio Australia, Joan Warner said: “This is in recognition of
the important role clients play in driving the writing, production and delivery of high quality radio
ads.”
The same Ikea ad also won the 2012 Siren Client Award, the best ad voted by a judging panel
made up of clients, with the writers receiving a cash prize of $5000.
The national Siren Awards, now in their eighth year, are run by Commercial Radio Australia and
are designed to recognise the best radio advertising in the country. A winner is announced in
three categories: single, campaign and craft, which receive Silver Sirens as well as an overall
winner which receives the Gold Siren. The awards are judged by the Siren Council, comprised
of creative directors and producers from leading advertising agencies and studios throughout
Australia.
Winner of the Silver Siren for the campaign category announced today was “”AA Campaign” for
Alcoholics Anonymous, written by Des Hameister from agency, Gatecrasher in Perth.
MEDIA RELEASE
Embargoed until 9am
4 May 2012The ads are very confronting about the effects of alcohol on everyday situations. Des Hameister
said about the ads: “At the end of the day, alcoholics don’t just hurt themselves. And this spot
empathises with that fact in an impactful way.”
Judge, John Mescall, executive creative director, McCann Worldgroup, said about the ad: “A
very strong radio idea, brilliantly realised. As scripts, they probably could've gone either way,
given the degree of difficulty inherent in the execution. But as finished commercials, they're
bloody great. Everyone involved should take a bow.”
The Silver Siren winner for the craft category was an ad for SA Lotteries called “Scratched
Record”, and produced by sound engineers, Scott Illingworth and Pete Best from production
studio, Best FX in Adelaide.
Joan Warner said the Siren Awards provided a great opportunity to recognise excellence in
Australian radio advertising and had grown in stature each year: “Each year the creative bar is
lifted in terms of delivering a great product – it is essential that radio ads continue to be creative
and produce good results so the medium is showcased as a very beneficial way to advertise.”
Today’s breakfast was hosted by Merrick Watts, drive time host at Triple M.
Media contact: Jenny Stevenson (02) 9281 6577 or (0402) 214 039.
Media note: Winning ads can be heard and downloaded on website: www.sirenawards.com.au
Pictures from today’s breakfast will be available at the same website after 9.30am
2012 Siren Award winners
Siren Awards 2012 Overall Category Winner (Gold Siren)
(also winner of 2012 Client Category (cash prize)
Agency: The Monkeys, Sydney
Writer: Tim Green and Tim Cairns
Client: Ikea
Commercial Title: “Holidays”
Siren Awards 2012 Single Category Winner (Silver Siren)
Agency: The Monkeys, Sydney
Writer: Tim Green and Tim Cairns
Client: Ikea
Commercial Title: “Holidays”
Siren Awards 2011 Campaign Category Winner (Silver Siren)
Agency: Gatecrasher, Perth
Writer: Des Hameister
Client: Alcoholics Anonymous
Commercial Title: “AA Campaign”
Siren Awards 2011 Craft Category Winner (Silver Siren)
Sound Engineers: Scott Illingworth and Pete Best
Production Studio: Best FX, Adelaide
Client: SA Lotteries
Campaign Title: “Scratched Record”