Tony Clewett’s D&AD Diary – Day One

Well, it’s a darn impressive show. No two ways about it.

You enter the Olympia Grand Hall and are immediately struck by the sheer vastness of its structure, as well as the rows and rows of work laid out on tables – just part of the the 10,000 odd pieces of creative to be judged over the next few days (luckily not all by my jury!).

We’ve already done some Direct online pre-judging to cull the numbers down – from 600 to about 300, so the standard should be good. And it is.

First up is the integrated category. And I’m super impressed.

I hate to admit it, but my favourite entries all seem to be coming from Aussie.

Love the Bundaberg Watermark campaign, NAB’s breakup is a sitter, and only our friends across the ditch would dare to sponsor the White House for 25 Mill.

All going ahead me thinks…

Some great stuff in the digital category too.

AT&T Mountain Men just tickles my funny bone (google it) and some other super smart stuff surfaces (like some kiwi thing involving dogs that look like people or vice versa).

Luckily we move onto traditional DM, and there’s fault aplenty. Crap springs to mind.

Gimmicks or brochures folded into envelopes. Not good. At all. Think there’s a need in this category to return to the good ole’ basics – like putting an idea in it.

Although, a wee while later, I find myself in a pub sitting across from Robert Greenberg of R/GA (Nike + etc fame) sipping a pint, and as he says ‘call me Bob’, I think, yeah, this is a pretty impressive show.