YoungGuns smoking for SA creatives

YoungGuns is the only international advertising award in the world for creatives and students under the age of 30 and is the platform for young global talent, new ideas and perspectives. This year, South Africa scored 13 bullets out of a total 89.

This win placed Reilly and Santana as jointly 14th on the global stage of top young creativity.

Value of the idea

Says Net#work creative CE Julian Watt, "It's great to see the value of the idea getting recognition. This is where advertising crosses over from being a one dimensional concept, usually forced on people, to something which actually makes a difference out there. It's where advertising has to go in order to stop being 'just advertising'."

TBWA\ art director Darren Borrino agrees: "It's exciting to see an idea winning, as opposed to a traditional advertising campaign. We're very happy that the jury acknowledged that a direct marketing idea can be as effective as an above the line campaign driven by a substantial budget."

Jury chairman and executive creative director of TBWA\Chiat\Day (San Francisco) Chuck McBride says Net#work's Nedbank submission deserves recognition from the international community for a truly African piece of work.

The winning ideas

Against a backdrop of 2823 entries by 283 advertising agencies from 36 countries, the Net#work billboard - which powers up a school in Alexander Township and saves roughly R2300 in electricity bills each month - caught the attention of the judges as a world first.

TBWA\, in order to diminish the piracy scourge in SA, developed a campaign for the Anti-Piracy Foundation where it created fake, fake copies of South Africa's Oscar-winner and most pirated DVD, Tsotsi, and sold them on the streets alongside their new colleagues. Only when played do buyers realise there is a twist: the film stops after 60 seconds, with the following notice appearing: "Thank you for buying this DVD. Your R40 has been donated to the Anti Piracy Foundation. Piracy is a crime.

YoungGuns organisers have commented the quality of work entered by the young creative community this year has been the most impressive to date. This led to significant jury deliberation that extended beyond the anticipated judging time.