Nine names judging panel for State of Originality
Nine names judging panel for State of Originality
All-star jury Tara Ford, Cindy Gallop, Russel Howcroft and Ant White will judge the winner of the biggest prize in Australian advertising.
Nine today named the judging panel for its much-anticipated State of Originality, Australia’s richest advertising award, aimed at making State of Origin the equivalent of Australia’s Super Bowl in advertising terms.
Announced at Nine’s Upfront last September, the winning campaign will take home much more than a trophy – there’s $1 million in advertising inventory up for grabs across Nine’s leading television, radio, digital and print assets.
The 2021 State of Originality, launching in June, will be overseen by a judging panel that is match-fit for the size of this challenge to the country’s advertising communicators: Australia’s most awarded creatives*, Tara Ford, CCO of The Monkeys; Ant White, CCO from newly minted agency Howatson+White; former adman, Gruen panelist and 3AW Breakfast co-host Russel Howcroft; and globally acclaimed disruptor, former CEO of BBH, founder of MakeLoveNotPorn and all-round advertising legend, Cindy Gallop.
Nine has also confirmed that the final judges would be the Australian viewing public, with 20 per cent of the voting going to votes cast via the Wide World of Sports website.
“America’s Super Bowl ad breaks really took off with Apple’s blockbuster ‘1984’ ad,” said Liana Dubois, Director of Powered. “Australia now has the opportunity to create its own moment in time for brilliant advertising to shine.
“2020 challenged us all and yet we play on. This is Nine’s way of now encouraging and rewarding big, bold creativity – the way we differentiate brands. The State of Origin is our Super Bowl moment, where Australia comes for the game and stays for your ads.
“The winning work will not only capture the hearts and minds of millions of Australians but also have one of the great launchpads for a campaign that any brand could hope for.”
What the judging panel for the 2021 State of Originality say:
Tara Ford, Chief Creative Officer, The Monkeys, and board member of the Advertising Council of Australia: “This is going to be super-interesting. I hope to see some truly bold and entertaining work, fitting of such a unique challenge.”
Ant White, Chief Creative Officer at Howatson + White: “It’s a good time for Australian advertising. Clients and brands seem to have come out of the last 12 months with a newfound and much needed ambition to stand out again. Stand for something. Entertain people again. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes out at this year’s games.”
Russel Howcroft, 3AW Breakfast presenter: “There’s nothing more important than big ideas for Nine to invest in. An initiative like this can only be brilliant for the creative and client world. I am so excited to be involved.”
Cindy Gallop, founder of MLPN: “I’m thrilled to be judging the State of Originality, because I see a huge opportunity for State of Origin to match the US Super Bowl in an advertising context – because of, literally, originality. Australia has the opportunity to set the agenda for a new post-pandemic standard of innovative, disruptive creativity in a world and an advertising industry where everything’s changed, and I can’t wait to see the entries that will define the new world order of creativity.”
For full terms and conditions on the State of Originality competition go here.
Biographies of the judging panel
Tara Ford, Chief Creative Officer, The Monkeys,
Tara Ford is the newly appointed Chief Creative Officer of The Monkeys Sydney and a board member of the Advertising Council of Australia.
In 2020 she was named Creative Person of the Year (Australia / New Zealand) by Campaign Asia. She made B&T Women in Media Power list (no.18) making her the first and only creative to ever make the shortlist. And was on ‘The Global Creative Influencer of the Year’ top 100 list according to Creativepool. In recent years she has also been consistently ranked #1 for Executive Creative Directors in Australia according to Best Ads.*
Tara has worked at some of the most creative agencies around the world. Her work has been constantly recognised throughout her career, at the highest level of ever major international award show. The accolades include Cannes and Spikes Grand Prix. Just one example is her GAYTM campaign for ANZ Bank. Ford has judged and chaired at every major global award show including this year’s film Cannes jury.
Cindy Gallop, founder of MLNP
Cindy Gallop is the founder of www.IfWeRanTheWorld.com, co-action software (and HBS case study) for brands to implement the business model of the future: Shared Values + Shared Action = Shared Profit (financial and social). She launched makelovenotporn.com – ‘Pro-sex. Pro-porn. Pro-knowing the difference’ – at TED 2009, and subsequently turned MLNP into the world’s first human-curated, user-generated social sex videosharing platform, socializing sex to promote consent, good sexual values and behavior. Her challenges finding investors mean she is also raising the world’s first sextech fund www.alltheskyholdings.com Cindy speaks at conferences around the world and consults, describing her consultancy approach as ‘I like to blow shit up. I am the Michael Bay of business.’ Follow her on Twitter @cindygallop.
Russel Howcroft, 3AW Breakfast presenter
Over a long career in media and marketing, Russel has been one of the most prominent voices for the power and cultural/economic importance of advertising, particularly through his role as a panellist on the ABC’s Gruen program and fronting the documentary series How Australia Got Its Mojo.
His current roles include being a presenter on Melbourne’s no.1 rated 3AW radio breakfast program, chair of the Australian Film Television and Radio School and the cofounder The Grid Melbourne, a festival designed to bring entrepreneurs and innovators together. He has held multiple senior roles across the industry having served as the PwC’s Chief Creative Officer, Executive General Manager of Network 10, served as a board director on the ASX listed Enero and as CEO of one of Australia’s leading creative agencies Y&R Brands.
Russel has also chaired or sat on the boards of a number of key advertising, film and television industry bodies including ThinkTV, the Australian Film Institute, the Screen Forever Advisory Board and the AFA. He has written/co-written three best-selling books, with his most recent book Right Brain Workout II now being published throughout the world. He is also a founding partner and brand consultant to Sayers Group.
Ant White, Chief Creative Officer at Howatson + White
Internationally acclaimed Chief Creative Officer Ant White is one of our four inaugural State of Originality judges for 2021.
Ant started as a young writer at Clemenger BBDO Melbourne before being recruited to BBDO headquarters in New York. Droga5 lured him over a couple of years on, where his award-winning work started to gather pace and metal, including a Titanium for Prudential at Cannes. Ant returned to Australia as Executive Creative Director of CHE Proximity and two years in was promoted to CCO. Under his creative leadership the agency went from flying below the radar to winning over 100 international awards.
Earlier this year Ant put the creative power behind his name on to the door of new agency Howatson + White as co-founder and CCO. Challenging the big network agency model, Ant and partner Chris Howatson, have chosen to build an agency from the top down, offering experience and seniority as standard. He’s ready to create the kind of work that challenges how people think about advertising. With offices in Melbourne and Sydney they’re open for business, offering full service creative, brand, media, PR, tech and data to clients.
For more information:
Nic Christensen
Head of Corporate Affairs
nchristensen@nine.com.au
Monday, 19 April, 2021