Lotus Awards Breakfast

So this morning I attended the Lotus Awards' judges breakfast.

The Lotus Awards are B.C.'s advertising awards, and this year's theme is 'Is it Good?'. The judges this year (including the 3 that were replaced at a moment's notice) had some pretty interesting answers to this question. Not to mention those delicious croissants.

Of particular mention were:

Bill Bungay, of Beattie McGuiness Bungay in London, who has worked on some great campaigns like French Connection's FCUK, Playstation, and a cool Oliver-Twist inspired ad for McCain. He had a list of rules for advertising, most of which boiled town to 'experiment wildly and don't listen to anyone else'. He finished with a quote from the legendary Bill Bernbach - If your advertising goes unnoticed, everything else is academic. Check his Playstation ad (directed by David Lynch) below:


Lisa Shimotakahara, from McKinney in North Carolina, showed my favourite campaign there, done for Groundworks, an alternative dance theatre in Cleveland. The campaign (of which I can't find images online) included:

• A postcard of straight black and white lines that, when shaken, reveals the headline


• A poster printed with invisible, adhesive ink that, gradually over weeks, collects dirt and grime and reveals the slogan 'What are you being exposed to?'


• A poster only legible from certain angles


• Red-filter glasses left in various cafes, which reveal hidden messages on cards and online


• Plain sandpaper, printed on the reverse side only, with the slogan 'We don't file the edge off'

Whenever I see work this daring, I think to myself, 'how does one find a client comfortable with an idea like this?'. I'm not sure, but I think you marry them. The artistic director of the theatre, David Shimotakahara, shares a last name with this judge. Hey - I'm just saying!