Apocalypse Now: 2012 International Andy Awards Campaign Uses Predictions of Epic Proportion to Encourage Creatives to Enter Show

ANDY Chairman Bob Greenberg and his R/GA Creative Team Produce Unusual, Eye-Catching Online Campaign

New York, N.Y. — October 20, 2011 – If you tune into the new 2012 International ANDY Awards Call-for-Entry creative campaign, you might think you’re about to see a blockbuster film predicting the end of the world based on ancient Mayan scripture. Instead, it’s the creative minds at R/GA and their Chairman, CEO and Global Chief Creative Officer Bob Greenberg (and ANDY Honorary Chairman), who have produced a colorful, fast paced and energetic parable to encourage global creatives to enter the ANDYs – before it’s too late!

For the third year, ANDY Awards marketing has gone entirely digital, making its Call-for-Entry an online effort. The new campaign, which went live today (http://2012.andyawards.com), presents the bold opening headline “Enter Now Before The Apocalypse” against an enormous flaming asteroid headed for Earth. Copy continues to explain that centuries ago, the Mayans predicted the end of the world in 2012, reminding creatives this will be their best chance to win “the last award of your life” – underscoring this given the fact that the ANDYs are the first show of the 2012 season. The campaign also presents the unique, fascinating idea by R/GA to place the ANDY winners in a time capsule underground data bunker at the conclusion of the Show (location TBD), enabling the work to be saved “for all eternity.”

“The campaign concept originated from our wanting to light a fire under people and give them a real sense of urgency to enter the ANDYs,” says Bob Greenberg. “Award shows like the ANDYs not only salute the creativity and vision of advertising but are a source of inspiration to both industry leaders as well as up-and-coming young talent. The best of the best is what we all aspire to each day and we hope this campaign encourages creatives around the world to enter the exciting foray of competition.”

In addition to the time capsule, the campaign will have other fresh new components. Facebook, a sponsor of this year’s Show, will not only be supporting the ANDYs on the Facebook platform but planning highly interactive elements to make the ANDYs a more social experience for the entrants and winners during Final Judging, this February in Kauai, Hawaii and at the Show & Party, in New York City in April.

Banner advertising is scheduled as part of the marketing program, appearing on the sites of all ANDY global media partners: Adforum, Australian Creative, Best Ads on TV, Campaign, Campaign Brief, Campaign India, Creativity, Latin Spots, Luerzer’s Archive, Marketing Magazine and TAXI.

Creative Credits at R/GA for Apocalypse:
Bob Greenberg, Chairman/CEO/Global Chief Creative Officer
Leif Abraham, Creative Director
Christian Behrendt, Creative Director
Andrew Eaton, Associate Creative Director
Arye Dworken, Senior Copywriter
Rebecca Schepps, Copywriter
Will Binder, Junior Copywriter
Alvaro Masa, Visual Designer
Mark Voelpel, Executive Creative Director, Digital Services
Can Misirlioglu, Creative Director, Digital Services
Silas Starr, Designer / Animator, Digital Services
Ben Plimpton, Designer / Animator, Digital Services
Vincent OuYoung, Senior Open Standards Developer
Jon Hackett, Technical Team Leader
Michele Nauman, Senior Producer
Sarah Ko, Producer
Jonny Sabbath, Associate Director, Social Media
Lucy Swope, Community Manager
Michael Lowenstern, Managing Director of Digital Advertising
Wing Cheung, Associate Producer

“I really love what R/GA brought us this year, hoping that the Mayans don’t turn out to be right,” says Gina Grillo, President and CEO, The ADVERTISING Club, which produces the ANDY Awards. “The campaign feels more like an action film or computer game than a Call-for-Entry. We have seen an increase in global entries, integrated campaigns and work that has turned traditional advertising on its head, and hope that the new campaign will serve to attract those in the business doing the most groundbreaking, innovative work.”

In addition, the ANDYs have now just finalized its judging panel for 2012, once again reflecting its tradition of appointing jurors who are the creative elite of any creative show (complete list appears below). The deadline for submission for the 2012 International ANDY Awards is January 9, 2012.

The ADVERTISING Club is the premier organization for all communications professionals in New York. The Club, founded in 1896, offers its members a forum to exchange ideas, make connections and honor excellence. The Club’s Foundation provides
students numerous educational outreach programs that give back to build a stronger and more diverse advertising and marketing community. The Club is the facilitating sponsor of the International ANDY Awards, which acknowledge outstanding creative achievement around the world in the field of advertising.

ANDY Jury:
2012 Chairman
Bob Greenberg, Chairman/CEO/Global Chief Creative Officer, R/GA, New York

Stephan Beringer, President, Digitas International, London & Paris
Colleen Decourcy, Founder/CEO, Socialistic, New York
Pete Favat, Chief Creative Officer, Arnold Worldwide, Boston
Rei Inamoto, Chief Creative Officer, AKQA, New York
Prasoon Joshi, Executive Chairman, McCann Erickson India, Mumbai
Jon Kamen, Chairmen & CEO, @radical.media, New York
Masashi Kawamura, Founder/Creative Director, Party Inc., Toyko
Andrew Keller, Partner/Chief Creative Officer, CP+B, Boulder
Josė Mollá, Founder/Creative Director, la comunidad, Miami
Ty Montague, Co-Founder, Co: Collective, New York
Do Cao Nguyen, Executive Creative Director, Clipper Indochine, Vietnam
David Nobay, Creative Chairman, Droga5, Sydney
Benjamin Palmer, Co-Founder/CEO, The Barbarian Group, New York
Patricia Päetzold, Group Creative Director, kempertrautmann, Hamburg
Vivian Rosenthal, Founder/CEO, GoldRun & Co-Founder, Tronic Studio, New York
Stefan Sagmeister, Founder, Sagmeister, Inc., New York
Bob Scarpelli, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, DDB Worldwide, New York
Jimmy Smith, Amusement Park Entertainment, Los Angeles
Calvin Soh, Singapore
Iain Tait, Global Interactive Executive Creative Director, Wieden+Kennedy, Portland
Mark Tutssel, Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett Worldwide, Chicago
Mark Waites, Founding Partner/Joint Creative Director, Mother, London
Simon Waterfall, Creative Director, Fray, London