The organisers claim the Mercury Awards to be the: “premiere radio creative competition,” and many observers would agree often suggesting them also to be the most prestigious radio creative awards in the world. Whatever accolade the awards themselves garner, the winners themselves stand to win serious prestige and a considerable around of money, and they are the only major creative awards competition to feature entries only from radio commercials.
The Award Judges
The difficult decision of who to award the $100,000 (US) Grand Prize was in the hands of some of the world’s most experienced and respected minds creative minds, familiar themselves with working on some of the world’s biggest brands. The Co Chief Judges were Mike Hughes and John Norman from the Martin Agency and their judging panel was:
- Wayne Best, Exective Creative Director, JWT NY
- Rick Boyko, Director & Professor, VCU Brandcenter
- Jim Cook, President, Creative Services Group, Clear Channel Radio
- Jose Molla, Co-Founder, Executive Creative Director, la comunidad
- Kelly O'Keefe, Managing Director, VCU Brandcenter
- Luke Sullivan, SVP, Group Creative Director, GSD&M, Idea City
- Rebecca Williams, SVP, Chief Creative Officer, Uniworld Group.
Having previously announced the finalists, the final round finalists gathered to hear the winning commercials and to hear if theirs was one of them, as they listened to the judges’ final decision. It surprised a few people as the winners were announced at a ceremony in New York’s Nasdaq Market Site, right in the middle of Times Square.
The Radio Creativity Award Ceremony.
Jeff Haley, President and CEO of the Radio Advertising Bureau and Chair of the Radio Creative Fund, the fund that provides the not-inconsiderable competition prizes, before the ceremony had stated that: “Personalities drive value for listeners and their stations. They are the connection for entertainment within the loyal listeners community.” This was borne out by the celebrity talent assembled for ceremony. These included:
- Nick Cannon from NOW 92.3 and DJ Chunky
- Elvis Duran whose show is syndicated to around 30 stations on the Premier Radio Networks
- Matt Pinfield and Leslie Fra from 101.9 RXP
- 98.7Kiss Fm’s Jacquie Reid
- HOT 97’s Cipha Sounds, Peter Rosenberg and K-Fox
In an afternoon ceremony, which marked the start of Advertising Week in New York, the winners were announced.
The Radio Mercury Awards Winning Entries
- “Cinco” Dos Equis, Heineken, Euro RSCG NY and
- “Dear Me” Washington State Department of Health, WONGDOODY
Unusually and for the first time in the Awards history going back to 1992, the sought after $100,000 Grand Prix Award was split between two entrants, each winning $50,000 and the top award(s) was chosen as:
Mike Hughes one of the co-chief judges explained:”We realised that this could be a bit controversial when it came to splitting the prize, however these two campaigns were by far the best work that we heard throughout the competition, and they deserved to be recognised as such.”
Other award winners included:
- PSA Award and $5,000 went to Exit 10 advertising and Flying Brick Radio
- Butler Shine Stern and Partners won the Agency / Production Award and $5,000
- Lapiz took a $2,500 Agency / Production Award and the $5,000 Spanish Language Award
- Campaign Award worth $10,000 went to Preston Kelly
- The Radio Station Award was won by WBEB
- Portfolio Center took the $5,000 Student Award
- And the Marketer of the Year was won by Mini Cooper BMW.
Jeff Haley from the RAB noted that:”these awards showcase the power of great radio creative and the power of radio power house talent and brands.
Details of all the winning commercials, the complete playlist and downloads of the audio can be found at the Radio Mercury Awards Website.The process for next year’s Awards 2011 of course, starts now and the process gets going all over again.
Dan McCurdy - Dan McCurdy is a freelance writer producer creative and lecturer. Dan is one of the UK's most experienced radio writers and producers. ...
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