While South Africa’s premier brand communications awards, the Loeries, has announced two big changes – moving the venue from Margate to Cape Town and shifting the event from July to September (25 to 27) – some things remain the same. The dates of the call for entries and the closing date remain the same as last year (ie. March and 15 May respectively). In addition, competition entry fees and ticket prices for the awards event are also unchanged.
Speaking at the official Loeries 2009 launch held at Vega, Johannesburg, Loeries MD Andrew Human talked about the advantages of the Loeries’ new Cape Town venue, the Good Hope Centre, which is some 10 minutes from Long Street in the inner city. “The Loeries are one of the biggest awards events in South Africa and the most advanced technologically. For the four years that we staged the Loeries in Margate, the entire structure had to be constructed from scratch on a soccer field. The Good Hope Centre is a fantastic technical venue which will allow us to focus on the event itself, and not the structure.
“Furthermore, one of the criticisms we had about Margate was its lack of executive accommodation. Obviously that is not a problem in Cape Town. In fact, we’ve already had an increase of interest from executives about the Loerie event. We’re specifically targeting this market as we want the Loeries to move beyond being an agency party and a frat party.”
The Good Hope Centre also means an increase in seating from 2,100 (as in Margate) for each night of the event to 2,500. Human announced that the Loeries is partnering with the City of Cape Town and will make Long Street the hub of activities over Loerie weekend. “It will be a five-star, glamorous affair. All the after-parties on both nights will take place in Long Street and we will have ample parking, as well as ‘park and ride’ schemes. We’re also pushing for ‘line-of-sight’ security.”
There will be host of activities during festival weekend, with registration taking place at the Grand Daddy Hotel. The Loeries committee is working with accommodation partner Global Conferences and has already pre-booked accommodation in the inner city to create a village environment, which will include a Media Centre and VIP Lounge. There are also plans to extending the Loeries showreel by showing it at cinemas for the entire week preceding the awards.
The 2008 Loerie Awards attracted 3,400 entries – a 15% increase on the previous year – and reflected the highest standard ever. This year some 130 judges, including an international chairperson, will look for innovation in concept (ie. new thinking) and relevance – to the brand, to the target audience and to the chosen medium. A Judging Seminar will preceed the week-long judging process, which takes place from 13 to 17 July.
The theme for this year’s Loeries marketing campaign will be unveiled in March, with the call for entries. Metropolitan Republic is responsible for creating the theme concept.
Human made the point that the Loeries are perceived as being only the awards, whereas the awards event is the culmination of year-round programme. “We work with marketers, agencies and consumers all through the year. The Loeries are about more than just advertising – they encompass all aspects of brand communication, such as design, for example.
“One of the secrets of the industry, the Loeries Travelling Exhibition, which features last year’s winning work, opens Design Indaba on 27 February. The Exhibition is focused on the work itself whereas the awards are a celebration of it. We also publish the Loeries Annual, which features the winning print work. The 2008 Annual is designed by Net#work. Additionally, we publish Migrate, the twice-yearly magazine dedicated entirely to creative inspiration.
“The Loeries also has an educational support aspect. Last year in partnership with the SABC we launched the Loerie Awards Scholarship, which is offered to matriculants who display talent. It’s a very high level three-year scholarship and the top one in brand communication.”
Present at the Loeries launch was its major Loeries sponsor, public broadcaster SABC. Said Suzette Pretorius, SABC Brand and Public Relations Manager: “We regard the 2009 Loeries as a very exciting and very different journey. For the SABC it’s very important to go beyond its public broadcasting mandate and to support and celebrate creativity. The Loeries celebrate creative excellence. We’ve increased our sponsorship of the Loeries are now the sole sponsor of the Loeries Travelling Exhibition. The SABC supports the Exhibition as a way of creating awareness for the brand communication industry.”
Unlike previous years where Media24 was a brand sponsor, its national sales and trade markeing division, Ads24, will now be the brand associated with the event.
