Novelist, sitcom writer and executive creative director of TBWA\London, Andre Laurentino, has been confirmed to chair the TV & Radio Communication categories for The 33rd Annual Loerie Awards.
The Loeries judging takes place from 5 – 13 July 2011 and will open with a seminar where Laurentino will give a talk to industry professionals, students and media.
Brazilian-born Laurentino, also known as Dede, started out his career as an art director. He snapped up many awards during the first decade of his working life, becoming one of Brazil’s most awarded art directors. Having had a passion for writing since he was young, Dede went on to win further awards as a copywriter, including Cannes Lions (which total 13 to date), Gold medals at the Brazilian Creative Annual and a national Grand Prix for his print work.
Dede, a director for the Brazilian Creative Club and jury member for the Brazilian Creative Annual, says it is an honour to chair the Loeries this year. “I thought I would see magic in South Africa last year, but the Dutch team shattered our hopes,’ he light-heartedly jokes about the 2010 World Cup. “It will be fantastic to be in South Africa with 100% chance of seeing great things happen.’
Dede spent seven years at Brazil’s Lew’Lara – which during this period merged with TBWA – where he progressively grew from copywriter to executive creative director and played a significant role in winning the Visa Global pitch for the TBWA network. In 2011, he moved to the United Kingdom to head up TBWA\London as the agency’s new ECD.
38-years-old and married with two daughters, not only has Dede written a sitcom for Brazil’s largest television network in his spare time, but he is also the author of novel The Passion of Amancio Amaro – voted one of the best books of 2005. He is a regular columnist for a daily newspaper in Sao Paulo and his short stories have been published in various newspapers and magazines.
Full judging panels will be announced in the coming weeks. Entries from the Middle East and the whole of Africa are eligible and work should be entered by 13 May 2011. Entry information and guidelines are available on the Loeries website (www.theloerieawards.co.za).
The Loeries Festival Weekend will take place in Cape Town from 16 to 18 September 2011.
