Saatchi takes top gong at Axis Awards

Lifetime achievement winner Peter Cullinane.

Saatchi & Saatchi took out the top gong at last night's Axis Awards for its work on ASB Bank's new digital money box for kids.

Along with the sought after Grand Axis trophy at the advertising industry's awards in Auckland, Saatchi & Saatchi also snapped up the Grand Prix prize in the digital and interactive category and five other gongs.

The "Clever Kash" digital money box Saatchi helped create with ASB Bank allows children to physically experience money in a digital world and was a hit with all the judges, who included Google AsiaPacific's chief creative officer John Merrifield.

The elephant-shaped box, instead of holding coins and notes, connects to a parent's ASB smartphone application and allows them to transfer over pocket money to their children's account, with the balance showing up on a digital screen on the piggy bank.
The money box is still at the pilot stage.

The judges were also impressed with Y&R's work on the "McWhopper" campaign for Burger King

The agency won a Grand Prix prize for promo and innovation for its "bold and fantastic work bringing McDonalds and Burger King together for 'World Peace Day'".

ColensoBBDO/Proximity won the Grand Prix integrated award for its work on the "Brewtroleum" campaign for DB Breweries.

"The work that stood out this year, including CleverCash, McWhopper and Brewtroleum all signal and reflect a significant change in our industry as our clients demand ever more innovative ways to connect with consumers" said Paul Head, chief executive of CAANZ, the industry body who organised the awards.

"It's been a great year for creativity in New Zealand," Head said.

Lewis Road Creamery founder Peter Cullinane, who formerly served as Saatchis Worldwide's chief operating officer was honoured with a lifetime achievement award.
The NZME's Axis Student Challenge Award went to Deborah Chae and Kieran Buchan from AUT for their campaign for Lightbox.

"Axis has always been the pivotal moment in the New Zealand creative calendar because it is a celebration of our best creative work; the work our industry is most proud of because it has broken the rules, permeates popular culture and influences behavioural change, and the winners this year are all great examples of those attributes" said Head.
The award ceremony - a gathering of 800 advertising types - was held at the Viaducts Events Centre.

See part of the ASB campaign here: