Sydney - 23 July, 2009 – ZenithOptimedia has been crowned 2010 IAB Awards Best of Show for its Lion Nathan “Tooheys Extra Dry - Six Beers of Separation” campaign.  Announced at the IAB Awards ceremony last night, the campaign won the new Branded Content category and trumped a record number of entries to scoop the prestigious Best of Show title and secure its entry into the 2010 US IAB MIXX Awards. 
Other IAB Award winners include Publicis Mojo Melbourne and Soap Creative who each secured two category wins (respectively Brand Destination Site; Cross Platform Integration; and Product Launch; Rich media and Digital Video).  Publicis Mojo and Virgin Mobile picked up the Brand Loyalty and Retention Award for their Virgin Mobile “Member’s Lounge” campaign; and FNUKY secured the first ever Not-for-Profit / Public Service Award for its GetUp! “Censordyne” campaign.  Other category awards were won by Mediacom, WHYBIN/TBWA/TEQUILA, Experian Hitwise and Leo Burnett.

Holler picked up the Creative Showcase Grand Prix award for its Lion Nathan “Beck’s ÜBERSELEKTOR” campaign.  Finalists in this category were Creative Showcase winners from quarterly 2009/2010 competitions and included Clemenger, Soap Creative and Visual Jazz.

According to Paul Fisher, CEO of IAB Australia, 2010 has been an exciting year for the IAB Awards:
“This year’s IAB Award winners have displayed an outstanding level of creativity and delivered some of the highest quality submissions in the history of the Awards.  All of the entrants should be congratulated on their efforts.

“The record number of entries this year is a reflection of the strong growth in digital and interactive advertising in this market.  Representing a total of 133 brands, the IAB Award entries clearly demonstrate Australian agencies are not only creating incredibly effective interactive campaigns, but are proud to promote their world-leading achievements,” said Mr Fisher.

Mark Uncles, Professor of Marketing at the University of New South Wales and Chair of Judges for the 2010 IAB Australia Awards commented:  “If there was ever any doubt, digital and interactive advertising truly has come of age. The 2010 winning entries clearly demonstrate that online advertising has been fully embraced.  Many of Australia’s biggest mainstream advertisers have had text book success using online to excellent effect, while we also saw creative as ‘out there’ as the Censordyne campaign.

“Key to this coming of age, are campaigns that engage consumers in the longer term. This is essential if advertising is to build brands and not simply secure immediate promotional benefits.  The Best in Show campaign is exemplary in these respects.  It makes use of multiple platforms to deliver an insightful and witty message and to build significantly Tooheys Extra Dry as a strong brand,” said Professor Uncles.

ZenithOptimedia’s Best of Show winning entry has now qualified for entry to the US MIXX 2010 Awardswhich will be judged on 28 September 2010 in New York.  Previous IAB Australia Best of Show winners have had remarkable success in the MIXX Awards, with the 2009 entry winning MIXX’s Best in Show and the 2008 entry taking home a silver award.