Andy Awards kicks off call for entries with strange video from W+K NY
The International Andy Awards, which rewards “creative excellence,” has launched its 2016 call for entries campaign with a cheeky spot out of Wieden + Kennedy New York that mocks the advertising industry’s tendency to take its work too seriously.
In the ad (above), a disheveled man sits in the woods and paints while muttering to himself. It’s unclear who the man is or why he takes off a large jacket to reveal a perfectly white suit, but a voiceover states: “Do you realize what you’re watching? This just may be the best commercial of the year. The editing. The special effects. Incredible.”
The voiceover then prompts advertisers to submit a campaign to the Andy Awards “if somehow your ad is better than this.”
Under this year’s tagline ‘Beat the Best and Win an Andy,’ the campaign also includes a “first of its kind” microsite where anyone can post images, gifs, songs or memes. The site pokes fun at the industry’s obsession with creating interactive experiences, with statements like ‘This site is a pure interaction. It is an amorphous, intelligent being,’ scattered across the page.
Colleen DeCourcy, global co-executive creative director at Wieden + Kennedy and 2016 Andy jury chair and partner, said of the campaign: “To celebrate the year's best work, we decided to poke fun at the advertising clichés. People in this industry are dedicated, largely, to creating excellent work – and it can be a very serious business. We wanted to acknowledge that dedication in a way that was fun and self-aware.”
Wieden + Kennedy New York has served as the Andy Awards’ agency of record for the past two years.
The Andy Awards will feature three new categories in 2016: typography (design), art direction (craft) and corporate social responsibility (advertiser). Amazon Media Group will serve as brand sponsor for the second year in a row.
This year’s jury is made up of 27 creatives from agencies including BBDO New York, Y&R Prague, Saatchi & Saatchi and FCB.