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Of course there are CDs without awards. Awards are just a self-pleasuring side show that the industry uses to tell itself it’s still capable of greatness, but has little to do with reality. How much of what you see at Cannes has actually appeared in the real world? Right. So the CDs without awards are just the ones who serve the real clients that are doing real work. It’s obviously good when these CDs do have some awards, just to show they can aim high and can create fake case study videos, but the day to day skill set of creatively servicing a client has little to do with narrow skills required for trophy acquisition…
Mentor
Seriously though…
There are three types of advertising (IMO)
1. Creative driven with that makes the agency famous. These CDs need to have tons of awards and the output of the agency consists mostly of hyper niche but brilliantly catchy little projects that the industry loves, but no consumer ever really sees.
2. Big effective brand projects that position the brand and are smart and strategic. These agencies are very strategy driven and move the needle. You might get a bunch of funny spots and smart headlines, but probably not going to win awards. The CDs here don’t NEED awards, but they need craft and the ability to apply scale to an idea.
3. The absolute garbage everyone hates. These CDs don’t need awards. The agencies make boilerplate junk and is find of the work.
Spot On analysis! said it better than I did.
Wow, yes, they exist in a world less self promotional. There is a big world out there…
Worst boss I ever worked for had a ton of awards on his shelves. He was arrogant, mean and self-centered. One of my best CDs only had a few local awards. I learned so much from him. Winning awards doesn’t make a great boss. So yes, you’ll find lots of CDs out there without awards. Or, maybe they just don’t bother to display them.
Coach
Good people = good bosses
Find those first, awards will happen. I was at a big award shop for years and it was apparent that the cds with the most awards fell into 2 categories
1- your job is to win awards: you do this full time and aren’t attached to day to day clients or briefs. Though a real client may be paying for you.
2- you’re very political and good at attaching yourself to awards ideas that are already concepted, vetted, sold, and sometimes made. Perhaps you gave the “awards team” the brief for something. Hell you might be the cd that made the case study. Barnacle creatives, it’s how 5 cds on a social post submission happen.
Coach
Until recently, Most creative directors didn’t have awards….. and then the shows began adding categories en masse. Like maybe you had a local addy, but now they’re handing out lions for tchotchkes
I feel like I missed something over in Australia where design awards didn’t become important.. I actually recently saw an agency with one and thought they looked like idiots - since school I haven’t cared in the slightest about awards and I most certainly direct creative and do a good job of it
Me. Well, technically I worked on the design on some big things, but none of my actual ideas got awards. They did, however, get stolen and appeared on a few others’ portfolio websites. Which was an honor. I guess.
Yes. They usually work on that one account that keeps the lights on.
Awards are great but for the sake of longevity in this industry, I’d suggest also fostering long lasting and trusted relationships with the good clients you encounter. That means not always delivering the award winning work for YOUR agency’s benefit but helping your client solve THEIR problems. Make THEM look good in front of THEIR CEO. Those will be the clients who will answer your call when you’re ready to start your own business or go freelance in your 40’s 50’s.