ThinkLA announces 2018 IDEA awards finalists

Think_LA_Awards

(Los Angeles — 24 April 2018) ThinkLA has announced the finalists for the 2018 IDEA Awards.

For the eighth year, the association celebrates Southern California’s advertising, marketing, and media superstars and pay tribute to Los Angeles as a hotbed of creativity and brand building.

Over the past few months, hundreds of submissions were received from brands, agencies, and publishers and voted on by a panel of judges as well as the local community, seeking the best advertising produced in Southern California in 2017. Entries were judged on a variety of criteria including success in achieving business goals, creativity, and impact.

The winners will be announced on June 7 live from the annual IDEA Awards Gala in the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel in front of 1,000 members of L.A.’s distinguished advertising community.
 

CAMPAIGN ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Best Social Campaign
This award recognizes exciting and effective approaches to shaping social conversation in support of marketing efforts.
   Finalists:
   Assembly, FX + Assembly’s Pinterest Campaign of Fear
   Bradley and Montgomery (BaM), Xbox Holiday Sweater Campaign
   MullenLowe U.S. / Los Angeles, What a Race
   Saatchi & Saatchi Los Angeles, Reddit Inc., The RAV4 Adventure Grade Reddit    Adventure Guide
   The QYOU, DreamWorks Trolls Meets Musical.ly
 

Best Mobile Campaign
The most innovative and successful use of mobile media (mobile and/or tablet platforms).
   Finalists:
   Assembly, FOX + Assembly’s Dominating the Mobile SERP
   IBM Watson Advertising, IBM Watson Ads – Toyota Prius Prime
   OMD Entertainment, Thor Ragnarok- Aurora™ HD Video AdColony
   OMD, Call of Duty: WWII – Battle of Geo Location
   Vizeum Global – LA Office, UnBULLievably Entertaining
 

Best Video Campaign
Best use of streaming or video-based advertising (short-form or long form).
   Finalists:
   Advantage, Rolling with the Rookies, Presented by Hyundai
   Battery, Netflix is a Joke
   BuzzFeed, BuzzFeed x Hyundai: Better Drives Us
   PMG, Above the Noise
   RPA, Fit “Incredibly Roomy Campaign”
 

Best Visual Campaign
The most successful and unique visual advertising design including rich media, website, OOH, print (single execution or series).
   Finalists:
   72andSunny, LA Original, “Space to Create”
   Chive Media Group, Daddy’s Home Campaign – CHIVE TV Dad Fails
   Elevate My Brand, Inc., Squishmallows
   Part IV, My Little Pony Movie Official Site & Pony Maker
   UM, This Time Tomorrow, You Could Be Experiencing Australia!
 

Best Experiential Campaign
Recognizing the best live event, stunt, competition, social gathering and physical installation or exhibition centered around a brand.
   Finalists:
   Deutsch, Test Kitchen by Taco Bell
   Gallegos United, #boneslovemilk: Freestyle Delivery
   Giant Spoon, Warner Brothers & Alcon Entertainment Blade Runner 2049 Experience    Presented by Johnnie Walker
   Infinity Marketing Team, HP and Intel Festivalization – Coachella and Panorama
   Refinery29, 29Rooms LA 2017
 

Best Branded Content/Storytelling Campaign
This award is for a series, narrative or campaign on any platform that is the creation of, or natural integration into, original content by a brand. This includes creating original content or programming by partnering with a publisher, influencer, customers, or media partner.
   Finalists:
   Chive Media Group, Shadow of War Campaign – “A Dork and His Orc Roommate”
   theAmplify, AXE “Find Your You” Creator Program
   UM, “I’m Just Trying to Watch the Game” – Spider-Man: Homecoming & the NBA    Finals
   Vizeum Global – LA Office, A Twitchy Alien Attack
   TEN: A Discovery Inc. Company, Honda Modified
 

Best Cause Marketing Campaign
A creative execution aligning a brand’s values with a non-profit cause, a social change initiative, or a marketing campaign promoting a non-profit cause.
   Finalists:
   Horizon Media, Inc., Southern California Honda Dealer’s ‘Helpful Bowl’
   Liquid Advertising, Final Fantasy XIV: StormbloodDrive
   Omaze, Aston Martin and Daniel Craig Team Up for United Nations Mine Action    Service:
   RPA, Imaginary Friends Society
   Zambezi, The Rotten Apples
 

ThinkLA Innovator
Celebrates a campaign or marketing initiative that is completely new in the marketing and advertising landscape. It embodies progressive thought and ideation that is original and extraordinary. It can be a use of technology, communication platform, approach to solving a marketing problem, or a never-before-seen execution.
   Finalists:
   AvatarLabs, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle Interactive 360° VR Scavenger Hunt
   MullenLowe U.S. / Los Angeles, What a Race
   Part IV, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle Facebook AR Effect
   Snapchat, Stranger Things + Snapchat’s AR Portal Lens
   UM, Jumanji: Early Access to the Jungle (In-theater)
 

Campaign of the Year
A campaign that delivered a unified, creative and innovative message across multiple platforms while effectively leveraging the unique aspects of each. The campaign must include a minimum of three different elements (media, TV, print, OOH, radio, social, experiential).
   Finalists:
   72andSunny, LA Original, “Space to Create”
   Battery, Netflix is a Joke
   Deutsch, Ask About Revival
   RPA, We Know from Experience
   UM, Her Story is Our Story – The Laws of Gilead
 
 

COMPANY ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Agency of the Year
Given to Southern California-based agencies with inspired leadership, demonstrated creative excellence, outstanding service, and a passionate dedication to the ThinkLA community.

 
Media/Full Service Agency (over 50 employees)
   Finalists:
   Assembly Media
   OMD
   UM Los Angeles
 

Boutique Agency of the Year (under 50 total employees)
   Finalists:
   AvatarLabs
   Battery
   Part IV
   PopShorts
   VIMBY
 

Partner of the Year
A company that has demonstrated consistent dedication and commitment to advancing marketing and advertising. The recipient demonstrates creativity and flexibility, and is on the forefront of innovation.
   Finalists:
   Spotify
   Hulu
   DEFY Media
   Jukin Media
   Samba TV
 

Silicon Beach Startup Award
Any young, innovative company working to solve a marketing/advertising problem that creates a repeatable and scalable business model. Must be privately owned, have more than three full-time employees, be headquartered in Los Angeles County, and have filed for incorporation no later than 2012.
   Finalists:
   Gimbal
   Hour One Agency
 
 

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Salesperson of the Year
A salesperson who has displayed outstanding skills and enthusiasm in bringing the benefits of marketing/advertising solutions to his/her agency/client partners, has more than five years years’ experience, and is an active participant in the ThinkLA community.
   Finalists:
   Denise Shipley, ShareThis
   Lauran Driver, Twitter
   Samantha Perlich, GroundTruth
   Sarineh Croft, Tremor Video DSP, a Taptica Company
   Sean Booker, Conversant Media
 

Agency Person of the Year
An individual working in any capacity at an agency who has displayed outstanding skills and enthusiasm in relation to his/her clients’ businesses, has more than five years’ experience, and is an active participant in the ThinkLA community.
   Finalists:
   Eugene Yi, Canvas Worldwide
   Jared Blitz, Advantage
   Jean Grabow, Dailey
   John Stremel, Innocean Worldwide
   Monika Ratner, Horizon Media
 

Client of the Year
An individual working in any capacity on the client side, brand or product marketer, who has displayed outstanding skills and enthusiasm in working with a Southern California advertising agency or partner.
   Finalists:
   Caty Burgess, The CW
   Scott Bishoff and Ashley Cartwright, 20th Century Fox
   Susie Rossick, Honda Automotive Marketing
 
 

The winners will be announced on June 7 live from the annual IDEA Awards Gala in the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel in front of 1,000 members of L.A.’s distinguished advertising community. More information on the IDEA Awards Gala and a complete list of the finalists can be found here.