ThinkLA Announces 2018 IDEA AWARDS Finalists

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 categories are as follows:

• Best Social Campaign
• Best Mobile Campaign
• Best Video Campaign
• Best Visual Campaign
• Best Experiential Campaign
• Best Branded Content/Storytelling Campaign
• Best Cause Marketing Campaign
• ThinkLA Innovator
• Campaign of the Year
• Silicon Beach Startup of the Year
• Media Agency of the Year
• Boutique Agency of the Year
• Partner of the Year
• Agency Person of the Year
• Salesperson of the Year
• Client of the Year

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 at: bit.ly/2018IDEA.

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.

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

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