Rethink, LG2, Caserne, and OPC win Scarlet Letters at ADCCs

by David Brown

Rethink kept up its winning ways Thursday night, taking home two of the top honours at the ADCC Awards, plus a whole lot of golds.

The ADCCs are one of Canada’s most beloved industry awards programs, in part because they are presented by The Advertising & Design Club of Canada, though many also value the international jury for bringing a unique perspective to the judging process.

The ADCC was founded in 1948, and is entirely dedicated to encouraging excellence in Canadian advertising and design.

“I love the ADCC’s. It’s a high integrity organization that’s all about the work,” said Aaron Starkman, global CCO of Rethink, which has been dominating awards shows in Canada and winning internationally for the last several years. “Most creatives in Canada will tell you this is a ‘creatives’ show, so winning here, surrounded by your friends and creative colleagues, feels extra special. It’s also a show that celebrates rising stars and retired stars. I hope it keeps going for another 70 years.”

In total, ADCC gave out 344 awards, including 46 Golds (see the list below).

Aside from winning two of the prestigious Scarlet Letter Awards, one for Agency of the Year and one for Interactive Agency of the Year, Rethink won 15 Golds for four different brands: Heinz Ketchup, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, IKEA, and the Association of Registered Graphic Designers. In terms of Golds, the next closest agency was Angry Butterfly, which won three for “Bill it to Bezos.”

Other Scarlet Letters went to LG2 for Design Agency of the Year.

“The Scarlet Letter Awards have a very special meaning for me,” said LG2 partner and CEO Claude Auchu. “Design is more than a category at LG2. It means creating experiences that go way beyond the notion of discipline and embrace multiple perspectives… This award reflects our commitment to finding new and fresh (and fun) ways for brands to thrive in today’s marketplace.”

Montreal-based Caserne won the Scarlet Letter for top Design Studio, while OPC took home a Scarlet Letter trophy as Production Company of the Year.

“It’s an honour to be acknowledged in this way,” said the OPC leadership group of Harland Weiss, Donovan Boden, Isil Gilderdale, and Emily Harris in an email to The Message. “It takes great creative from our agency partners, and a lot of hard work and bravery from our directors and team.

“We share this award with our directors, and the incredible crew, service partners, post-production partners, agency partners and clients we’ve been lucky enough to collaborate with. In particular, we’d like to acknowledge our partners in post-production, whose work was fundamental to the success of these projects.”

Louis Gagnon, co-founder and vice-president of creation at Paprika, was presented with the Les Usherwood Award, a lifetime achievement award given to an individual who has devoted their career to the craft and contributed to the quality of Canadian creative.

Hayley Lim, at Baillat Studio, and Olga Netaeva, at BBDO, were chosen in the portfolio-based Rising Stars competition, Lim for design and Netaeva for advertising. And in the ADCC Student Awards, Gold was given to Centennial College’s Hama Osman.

The Michael O’Reilly copywriting Gold was awarded to TBWA\Media Arts Lab Toronto for “Apple: The Hunt” for Apple, while the Mick Griffin Best Editing Gold was given to Nimiopere and editor Graham Chisholm for “Love is Messy” for client Kruger and agency Broken Heart Love Affair.

Media Innovation:

  • Angry Butterfly, for “Bill it to Bezos,” for Jane/Finch Community and Family Centre in the Media Innovation, Single category.
  • Leo Burnett, for “Hair Hair Everywhere,” for Procter & Gamble/Bounce in the Media Innovation, Campaign category.

Direct:  

Public Relations:

  • Angry Butterfly, for “Bill it to Bezos” for Jane/Finch Community Centre in the Influencer Campaign category.
  • Rethink, for “Philadelphia Schmear Socks” for Kraft Heinz – Philadelphia Cream Cheese in the Stunt/Event category.

Interactive:

  • Rethink, for “Heinz Ketchup Fraud” for Kraft Heinz in the Social Media category.
  • Rethink, for “RGD Branding Awards” for Association of Registered Graphic Designers in the Interactive Design category.
  • Dentsu Creative Canada, for “Inflation Cookbook” for SkipTheDishes (SkipExpressLine) in the Mobile Design and Creative Data categories.
  • Angry Butterfly, for “Bill it to Bezos” for Jane/Finch Community Centre in the Innovative Use of Technology category.
  • Rethink, for “Heinz A.I. Ketchup” for Kraft Heinz in the Artificial Intelligence category.
  • BBDO Canada, for “Missing Matoaka” for Muskrat Magazine in the Best Use of Sound category.

Design:

  • Leo Burnett Toronto for Brand Identity – Rebrand Brand and Typeface Design entries for client Royal Ontario Museum (ROM).
  • Criterium in the Package Design, Single category for Urban Creamery of Quebec.
  • Caserne in the Package Design, Series category for Chasse-Marée.
  • Sid Lee, for “The Family Cookvault” for IGA (Sobeys) in the Book Covers category.
  • Blok Design in the Complete Book Design category, for Kalach TAX.
  • Paprika in the Posters, Series category for CNA French Theatre.
  • LG2, for “The Solidarity Sparkles – 20 years of solidarity” for La Tablée des Chefs in the Public Service Design, Series category.
  • Paprika, for “Vintage Carousels” for Canada Post in the Stamps category.
  • SuperFantastic, for “Dinner Party Menu” in the Graphic Design Miscellaneous category.
  • Sid Lee, for Visual identity for “Janette & Daughters Documentary” for Léa Clermont-Dion, La Ruelle Films in the Typographic Design category.
  • Rethink for “RGD Branding Awards” for Association of Registered Graphic Designers in the Motion Graphics – Offline category.

Advertising:

  • Rethink, for “Heinz Ketchup Fraud – Kitchen” for Kraft Heinz in the Newspaper Ad, Single, and Best Art Direction – Print, Single categories.
  • Rethink, for “Heinz Ketchup Fraud” for Kraft Heinz in the Newspaper Ad, Campaign category.
  • Rethink, for “IKEA Window Shopping” for IKEA in the Out of Home Enhanced, Single category.
  • Rethink, for “Philadelphia Schmear Socks” for Kraft Heinz- Philadelphia Cream Cheese in the Advertising Miscellaneous category.

Photography & Illustration:

Radio:

  • BBDO Canada, for “Missing Matoaka” for Muskrat Magazine in the Radio Single, Over 30 Seconds category.
  • Taxi, for “Sleep Tracks” for Canada Safety Council in the Radio Public Service, Campaign category.

Film:

  • TBWA\Media Arts Lab Toronto, for “Apple: The Hunt” for Apple in the TV Single, 15 Seconds or Less and TV Single, 30 Seconds categories.
  • Ogilvy Canada, for “Cost of Beauty” for Dove in the TV Single, Over 30 Seconds category.
  • OPC, for “Power Your Holiday” for client Ocean Spray in the Online Single, Over 45 Seconds and Direction categories.
  • Rethink, for “Heinz Ketchup Fraud” for Kraft Heinz in the Online Series category.
  • Rethink, for “The Troll” for IKEA in the Best Art Direction – Film Single category

Advertising Integrated:

  • Dentsu Creative Canada, for “Inflation Cookbook” for client SkipTheDishes (SkipExpressLine) in the Advertising Integrated Campaign category.

Creativeness Effectiveness:

  • Rethink, for “Heinz Ketchup Fraud” for Kraft Heinz in the Creative Effectiveness in Advertising category.
  • Citizen Relations, for “ReclaimYourName.dic” for Elimin8Hate in the Creative Effectiveness in Advertising, Public Service category.
David Brown