Judge not, lest ye be pre-judged: Histrionics 7:11

On Friday morning an august panel of judges drawn from the cream of the advertising industry will deliver their verdict as to which little aural message will be proclaimed best radio ad in the land. We don’t mean to pre-empt their choice, but we’re going to do it anyway.

To this end radioinfo has gathered together its own, even auguster panel of judges – creative types from ARN, SCA, MRN, Grant, Prime and Abe’s.

Used to working to impossible deadlines, their judgement is already in. So why wait till Friday for the real results when you can have unreal ones right now?

To meet our panel and read their findings, hit Read Full Story – it’s unlocked.

Using a system that in no way resembles the real Sirens judging, each of our judges were asked to listen to all 40 finalists and pick their top five, scoring each out of 10. We added up all the scores to arrive at our NOT the Gold Siren winner. Sadly, for them, no trip to Cannes goes with it.

Drum roll please …

Our NOT the Gold Siren Winner with 26 points is YoYo, written by Tim Green & Paul Sharp of The Monkeys for Ikea. 

NOT in second place with24.5 points is Bitter for Broo Beer by Nick & Phil Agency 

And NOT in third is another Ikea spot called Lost Toy.

Our seven judges between them shortlisted 23 different ads from a total of 40. No ad was chosen by more than three judges.

Check their scores below and check back on Friday when we publish the real Siren results as they’re released and see if they get it right 😉

Chris Gregson – Creative Director – 2GB, 2CH – Sydney

Boring, Clive, Eric & Life  – 9/10   

Great creative treatment for a very un-sexy product (scrap metal). All spots were equally strong across the campaign. Really well cast, with a very roomy delivery, making the message relaxed but engaging.

Holidays  – 9/10 

Anyone who has shopped at Ikea has had fun with the product names, unless they bought a BILLY bookcase. FAKTUM, FYNDIG, HJUVIK – it’s all great stuff, and The Monkeys have draw on this to create a little ripper of a spot. Kids swearing grabs mum and dad’s attention immediately and that’s who they’re after.

Booty Call – 8/10

A sexy voice gets you every time. But hearing your mum screaming in the background quickly ends any risqué thoughts.  This spot sets up situations that you can relate to from both ends of the scale, makes it funny and wraps them up with a serious message. Well cast and all the elements come together really well.

Enjoy The Sounds – 8/10

Beautifully crafted campaign, great production values, and each spot creates that rare moment of rest that is often lacking in hard sell/retail radio ad breaks. A moment of rest can create real cut through.

Yo-yo – 9/10

Kids toys strewn all over the house create as much noise and chaos for a parent after a long day, as a house full of kids at a sleep over. Toy VO’s sound like the toy, the spot has great cut through and a really nice reveal.

Peter Maden – Creative Director – SCA – Gold Coast

Enjoy the Sounds –  9/10

The message was so intriguing , I was immediately compelled to follow the call to action and visit the website , where I found the on line message just as beautifully produced.  The commercial message is simple , clear and so well presented that a single exposure got the desired response for the client.  The message is even more powerful with frequency , because the structure of the ad itself compels you to slow down. 

70,000 thoughts  – 9/10

Great writing and performance. Superb editing.   A real thinking man’s ad. Perfect concept and execution for the target market.

Baron Von Orsum –  10/10

I love these ads so much !.  The scripts are brilliant , the talent is amazing and the style is soooo refreshing.  Who is this mysterious Baron Von Orsum with his single taste bud ?  Cracker Barrel was a long forgotten brand for me , but I can never walk past the dairy cabvarchar(15) again without smiling and looking for the Baron’s favourite cheese. 

Eyesight – 9/10

Relatable situations. Excellent pace and delivery by the talent.  It’s not often you hear an automotive commercial that gives you a single genuine compelling reason to stop and consider one brand over another. Very powerful stuff. 

Scratch – 10/10    

This is an outstanding production. The painstaking attention to detail in arranging the textures so they sound like different musical notes was worth it. This must have been an agonisingly long production. Simply brilliant

Peter Sinclair, Creative Director, ARN, Sydney

Booty Call – 8/10

Ads conveying a safe driving message are inevitably sombre and/or shocking in tone, so I like the use of humour here.  And the humour is not just tacked on, but serves to illustrate the point.  Well cast and very well targeted.

Mummy – 8/10

This is one of those ads that will sink or swim on the strength of the performances, and they ring true for me here.  Special mention goes to the child actor.  Lets the scenario speak for itself without a preachy VO at the end.

Bitter – 8.5/10

Take an iconic advertising campaign and turn it against itself – I love it.  Very funny, and very topical, given current concerns over foreign ownership in Australia.

Yo Yo – 9/10

What I admire about this spot is that it’s a Radio idea pure and simple – the “power of sound” at work.  Excellent production and direction.  Would definitely strike a chord with the parents it’s targeting.

Chop Culture – 8/10

OK so this is another instalment in an already lauded campaign, but what an instalment!  2011 distilled into 90 seconds with great wit.  And it still manages to keep Lamb as the hero.  The “but” is, this is the TVC almost word for word.

Michael Gibbons – Creative Director, K-ROCK/BayFM – Geelong

Bitter – 7/10

On creative merit alone, this commercial takes a clever, well executed approach to selling the fact that another Aussie icon has gone abroad.  The idea is very strong, albeit perhaps at the expense of  the listener remembering the Brew brand. For a small company trying to make a name for themselves, I think that riding on the sheer cut-through of this ad is enough to pay off.  7/10

Driver Fatigue, Truck, Highway – 7/10

I like the way the twist in these commercials is the solution. Such a stripped back approach really invites the listener in, leading you to expect a TAC style blood-bath, and then everything is flipped on its head. The talent treads the fine line between being a passenger and safety system seamlessly.  

AA Campaign – 8/10

There are moments in this hard-hitting campaign which make your heart sink. Good writing, honest production techniques, and a simple message all draw you into each situation. On first listen, the website felt a bit clunky. Hearing all 3 versions, it proves to be quite a clever mechanism to make it memorable, tying it into the emotion of the ad.  

White King Power Clean – 8/10

These quirky ads make toilet humour cute. And in doing this, they also address the problem/solution in a direct way which you wouldn’t dare show in a TVC. Good casting and delivery have pulled it together nicely. 

Holidays – 9/10

This commercial takes big risks. But it works. A natural child, perfect for the role, who acts it brilliantly. Instant relief as the warm mature adult cuts off all the cussing. And just when you think there’s nothing more to take away from it, a killer last line that makes you want to keep listening until it comes on the radio again.  

Lauren Jess – voiceover and creative – Abe’s Audio, former Creative Director with the Prime Radio network.

 ‘Queenslander’ – 8/10

This commercial takes a refreshing look at what makes up a Queenslander in a humorous and non-stereotypical way.  Lay down a challenge for a Queenslander to prove himself…and he will.  The product has clear benefits for it’s target audience, and even though the price point may also be attractive, the commercial sells on emotion; calling on pride, passion, and a clearly exclusive sense of identity.  The tag line “Made for real Queenslanders” nails its intended audience.

 ‘Lost Toy’ – 8/10

Integrating Ikea’s Swedish brand names into everyday language in a highly relatable situation, very cleverly demonstrates how easily Ikea’s products can become part of your life.  The foreign sounds immediately cut through and offer something unexpected for the listener, thereby engaging the listener.  A very well crafted strategy executed cleanly. 

 ‘Boring Clive, Eric & Life’ –  9/10  

This campaign gives life to inanimate metal objects.  The easy laid back natural discussion about life, past lives and reincarnation is all very relatable and immediately likeable.  The clear proposition, ‘give scrap metal a second life’ is uncluttered, well executed and a hot topic given that recycling and re-using items is considered very eco savvy.  The single message stays strong throughout the campaign.

 ‘Driver Fatigue/Truck /highway’ – 8/10

The execution style for this campaign is surprising.  That’s its strength.  There’s no need to take the shock factor over the top.  In fact, the soundscapes for a ‘near miss’ are a sigh of relief for the listener, given that the VO provokes the use of the listener’s imagination and ‘fortune telling’ ability to predict what might happen ahead of time.  This is an extremely well crafted piece of writing that is instantly engaging.  The message clearly resonating throughout the campaign, ‘Eyesight – A second set of eyes’ links very strongly to Subaru’s tag line, ‘All for the driver’.

 ‘Purity’ – 7/10 

What sound does a frozen lake make? This is indeed an incredibly well-produced piece.  The soundscape filled with glacial cracking, water drops, and a subtle ambient drone, transports the listener to Russia’s frozen lake Ladoga the birthplace of the purest softest water.  The smooth voice emanates purity.  Although the message of the commercial could be stronger, the craftsmanship in its execution by way of production is noteworthy.

Terry Webb – Creative Director – SCA – Adelaide

Bitter – 9/10

I love this for several reasons. The spot beautifully captures a moment in time, which highlights one of the strengths of radio. Our ability to respond quickly and cost effectively to stories which have caught the public’s imagination. Also, it focuses clearly on a single, simple proposition.  

Chop Culture Rant – 8/10

Nothing new here, but lovely writing, good production and a nice extension of a campaign that has become an Australia Day institution. For another client, the barrage of puns would grate, but somehow Sam Kekovich makes them work. It’s rare to see a client resist the temptation to change tack, or tacky, depending on your impression of the ongoing campaign.

Fastest Sale – 7/10

Again, a single proposition beautifully executed. The consumer benefit is clear and clean, the writing is tight and the production brings it to life. A very simple spot which absolutely works.

Booty Call –  7/10

This spot makes me cringe for all the right reasons.  It’s spot on target, it makes the listener actually think about the issue, production is good and it ties in with the TV campaign nicely. Every time I hear it I imagine the embarrassment of having your mum drop you off at your girlfriend’s.

Lost Toy – 7/10

Radio is a passive medium. A great commercial has to draw your attention towards it, and this succeeds. That first WTF? Moment had me hooked. The juxtaposition of Swedish words in an English spoken ad forces the listener to concentrate, which means the message cuts through like a knife through smör.

Paul Chappell – Senior Digital Strategist -Visual Jazz Isobar – Melbourne, Former Creative Director, Austereo Sydney/Melbourne

Enjoy the Sound – 7/10

Safe driving messages typically come in one shape and size. We’re lured into a dark and uncomfortable world of screeching tyres, smashed glass and wailing sirens. What I love about this radio spot is that the listener isn’t really sure what world awaits until the nice reveal at the end. It serves the campaign theme of Enjoy The Ride really well, reminding us in a clever way of the joys we can find when we slow down and enjoy the ride.

Chocolat – 7.5/10

I’m actually in the market for a new car and this ad really cut through for me. It takes the core proposition of ‘quality’ and delivers it in a lovely, clear and humorous way. The direction and acting is spot on, not overplayed which is often the ruin of many a good radio script. I think it would have been interesting to break up the ad so the sell was in the middle and we are brought back into the scenario with ‘pro-nounciation’ at the end – but all-in-all a great radio ad.

Yo-yo – 8.5/10

I used to always complain that I didn’t win enough awards because I didn’t get to write for enough cool brands like Ikea. Truth is, I probably still wouldn’t have won awards even if I did write for cool brands like Ikea. The Monkey boys have done a great job here selling a very hard-to-make-interesting product: storage space. For me, it evokes a scene from Toy Story with all the toys lying around on the floor. For parents, I’m sure it evokes a scene far more familiar and mundane… the kid’s bedroom. The simplicity of the idea really cuts through, and like many Ikea ads, there is economy of dialogue to ensure the ad doesn’t sound any more cluttered than it needs to.

Lost Toy – 9/10

This ad takes the cake for me. One of Ikea’s core brand attributes is the naming of its products, and as soon as I started reading the script there was an instant love affair with the concept. I then listened to the ad and it lived up to all my expectations: good casting, no over-cooked direction, believable acting from the kid (which is no small feat) and a really clear take-away message.

The art of great radio creative is to entertain the listener while you’re persuading them to buy your clients’ product. This ad does it for me. In fact, they had me at BARSLIG!

CRA Brand Campaign 12 – 7/10

I’m not sure if the name of this campaign reveals the actual number of campaigns that Ralph and Cal have written for CRA, but 12 seems to be about right. And we all know how hard it is to keep the campaign candle burning, even after three or four cracks at it. But I tip my hat to both of them for keeping the dream alive with these radio spots. What grabbed me was how the ad sucked me in and made me feel involved. The smart writing doesn’t talk at the listener, it invites them in and engages them for the full 30 seconds. That is, after all, the true objective for any brand message. Once again, the guys at Eardrum have used the medium to sell the medium very well.  

To hear all the finalists ads, CLICK HERE

To acquaint yourself with the real Sirens Judging Panel, CLICK HERE