Twenty ad agencies, radio stations and production studios will battle it out for the honour of creating the best radio ad for 2012, in the national Siren Awards. The finalists include some of the best known advertising agencies in Australia including Clemenger BBDO; BMF, DDB Sydney, Leo Burnett, McCann, AJF Partnership, The Monkeys, Eardrum Australia and kwp! in Adelaide. The winner will be announced in Melbourne next month.
An overall winner, who receives the Gold Siren, as well as a winner in each of the three categories: single, campaign and craft, will be announced at the breakfast. The Gold Siren winner is decided by a panel of industry experts, known as the Siren Creative Council.
The 2012 winner will be automatically entered into the Cannes Radio Lions, to be held in June, and its writer will also win two tickets to attend the festival. This year, for the first time, the client of the winning 2012 Gold Siren Award will also be going to Cannes, alongside the creatives who wrote the ad.
Commercial Radio Australia’s Joan Warner says this new element of the prize recognises the important role clients play in driving the writing, production and delivery of high quality radio ads:
“There is also a client-voted award, of a $5000 cash prize to the writers of the ad voted the best by a panel of clients.”
Warner says the quality of Australian radio ads is improving each year: “Each year the bar is set higher at the Siren Awards with fantastic creativity and production displayed by all the finalists… the Siren Awards provide a great opportunity to recognise excellence in Australian radio advertising.”
Last year’s Gold Siren winner was a campaign called “Slow Mornings” for 7-Eleven, written by Andrew Woodhead and Eamonn Dixon from agency, Leo Burnett Melbourne.
The national Siren Awards are run by Commercial Radio Australia and are designed to recognise the best radio advertising in the country.
The best radio ad for 2012 will be announced at a breakfast on May 4 at Encore, St Kilda Beach in Melbourne. Tickets are available for $70 plus GST. For a booking form and more information visit the Sirens website www.sirenawards.com.au
| List of Finalists | |||||
| Radio Single | |||||
| Round: | Writer/s: | Company: | Title: | Script: | |
| 2012, Round 1 | Dav Tabeshfar | 303 Group | Baby |  |
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| 2012, Round 1 | Alida Henson, Garry Dean, Ingrid Paxton & Matt Dickson | Southern Cross Austereo | Does not negotiate – Cockroaches | |
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| 2012, Round 1 | Tim Green and Tim Cairns | * The Monkeys | Holidays | |
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| 2012, Round 2 | Matt O’Grady, Amy Weston and Dave Lawson | Clemenger BBDO | Lose you’re licence and your screwed – Booty Call | |
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| 2012, Round 2 | Steve Williss | kwp! Advertising | Coopers Legend of Light – Glen Richards | |
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| 2012, Round 2 | Des Hameister | * Gatecrasher | Mummy | |
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| 2012, Round 2 | Des Hameister | Gatecrasher | Co-worker | |
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| 2012, Round 3 | Mitch Mitchell | The Brand Agency | 70,000 Thoughts | |
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| 2012, Round 3 | Andrew Woodhead & Eamonn Dixon | * Leo Burnett Melbourne | What do I look like? | |
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| 2012, Round 4 | Nick Weller, John Skaro, Phil Van Bruchem & Roger Nance | McCann Melbourne | Bitter | |
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| 2012, Round 4 | Jon Austin, Rich Robson, Steve Wakelam & Nick Pringle | DDB Sydney | Chocolat | |
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| 2012, Round 4 | Richard Williams & Ant Phillips | Clemenger BBDO Melbourne | Duet | |
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| 2012, Round 5 | Nick Weller, John Skaro, Phil Van Bruchem, Roger Nance | * Nick&Phil | Barbeque | |
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| 2012, Round 5 | Nick Weller, John Skaro, Phil Van Bruchem & Roger Nance | Nick&Phil | Australia Day | |
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| 2012, Round 5 | Tim Green & Paul Sharp | The Monkeys | Yo-yo | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Chris Ellis & Amelia Birrell | Whybin\TBWA\Tequila | ‘Lucky Country’ | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Chris Ellis & Amelia Birrell | Whybin\TBWA\Tequila | ‘Queenslander’ | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Richard Williams & Ant Phillips | Clemenger BBDO Melbourne | Couple Copy | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Gene Brutty & Tim Seddon | The Brand Agency | Screaming | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Jasun Vare & Tim Green | The Monkeys | Lost Toy | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Dennis Koutoulogenis, Jake Rusznyak | BMF Sydney | Chop Culture Rant | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Benn Sutton & Jed De Pyper | The Monkeys | The Lost Mummies | |
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| Radio Campaign | |||||
| Round: | Writer/s: | Company: | Title: | Script: | |
| 2012, Round 1 | Dav Tabeshfar, Rich Berney, Liam Riddler & Emma Clowes | 303 Group | Enjoy The Sounds | |
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| 2012, Round 1 | Dan Gregory, Kieran Flanagan | SMART | Wakes You the Hell Up; Morning Number 2; No Navel Gazing; After Nothing | |
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| 2012, Round 2 | Emma Clowes, Dav Tabeshfar, Richard Berney, Liam Riddler | 303 Group | You’re not listening | |
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| 2012, Round 2 | Des Hameister | Gatecrasher | AA Campaign | |
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| 2012, Round 2 | Steve Brown | Rare Creative Thinking | Boring, Clive, Eric & Life | |
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| 2012, Round 3 | Callum Fitzhardinge & Chris Andrews | BMF Melbourne | Baron von Orsum | |
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| 2012, Round 3 | Ralph Van Dijk & Cal Nichols | Eardrum | Station Breakdowns | |
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| 2012, Round 4 | Richard Williams & Ant Phillips | * Clemenger BBDO Melbourne | Spending too much time with the wife? | |
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| 2012, Round 4 | Benn Sutton & Jed De Pyper | The Monkeys | Lost Mummies/Time Travel/Elephant Seal | |
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| 2012, Round 5 | Jay Furby | JayGrey | White King Power Clean | |
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| 2012, Round 5 | Nick Weller, John Skaro, Phil Van Bruchem & Roger Nance | Nick&Phil | Bitter / BBQ / Australia Day | |
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| 2012, Round 5 | Tim Green & Paul Sharp | The Monkeys | De-clutter, de-stress campaign | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Corey Swaffer | KWP! Advertising | Coopers Masters of Maturity Campaign | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Giles Clayton & Simon Hayes | Disciple | Driver Fatigue, Truck, Highway | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Kieran Flanagan | McCann | MOTHER MADE ME DO IT | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Michael Skarbek | AJF Partnership | Tough by Nature | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Glenn Dalton | AJF Partnership | A Dare Iced Coffee fix’ll fix it | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Gene Brutty & Tim Seddon | The Brand Agency | Bosses | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Ralph van Dijk | Eardrum | CRA Brand Campaign 12 | |
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| Radio Craft | |||||
| Round: | Sound Engineer: | Company: | Title: | ||
| 2012, Round 1 | Scott Illingworth and Pete Best | Best FX | Scratched Record | |
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| 2012, Round 1 | Paul Baxter | Risk Sound | Royal Australian Navy – Courage | |
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| 2012, Round 1 | Paul Baxter | Risk Sound | Royal Australian Navy – Confidence | |
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| 2012, Round 2 | Nick Gallagher | 303 Group Perth | ECU Mix 2 | |
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| 2012, Round 2 | Marty Braine | Brainestorm | Mummy | |
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| 2012, Round 2 | Marty Braine | Brainestorm | Sister | |
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| 2012, Round 2 | Ralph van Dijk – Eardrum & Steve Hessell – Plush Films | Eardrum Australia | Coopers Legend of Light – Glen Richards | |
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| 2012, Round 3 | Simon Kane | Eardrum | Fastest Sale | |
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| 2012, Round 3 | Nick Gallagher | Brainestorm | 70,000 Thoughts | |
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| 2012, Round 4 | Stevo Williams | Flagstaff Studios | Bitter | |
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| 2012, Round 4 | Ralph van Dijk (Eardrum) & Paul Taylor (Sound Reservoir) | Eardrum Australia | Elephant Seal | |
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| 2012, Round 4 | Ralph van Dijk (Eardrum) & Paul Taylor (Sound Reservoir) | Eardrum Australia | The Lost Mummies | |
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| 2012, Round 5 | Scott Illingworth | Best FX | Scratch | |
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| 2012, Round 5 | Ralph van Dijk (Eardrum) & Simon Kane (Song Zu) | Eardrum Australia | Learning’s For Life | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Abbie Sie (Song Zu) and Ralph van Dijk | Eardrum | Quality Shhh | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Simon Kane (Song Zu) & Ralph van Dijk | Eardrum | Holidays | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Simon Kane (Song Zu) & Ralph van Dijk | Eardrum | Lost Toy | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Simon Kane (Song Zu) & Ralph van Dijk | Eardrum | Sat Nav | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Paul Le Couteur | Flagstaff Studios | Travellers | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Paul Le Couteur | Flagstaff Studios | Duet | |
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| 2012, Final Call | Andy Wells | MCM media | Purity |
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