By Business & Finance 
IAPI president, Orlaith Blaney and Grand Prix winner and deputy managing director of PHD, Sandra Alvarez.
The most effective advertising campaigns to have hit the Irish market in the last two years were last night commended at the 2014 ADFX Awards.
The awards ceremony hosted by IAPI (The Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland) in association with headline sponsor TV3, took place in the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. Ad land was treated to theatrics from aerial dancers, drummers and gospel choirs, along with a highly anticipated key note speech from international advertising legend Rory Sutherland.
However, it was the winners on the night that grabbed the spotlight. Joint entrants PHD and DDFH&B scooped a double win for the highly competitive judges’ awards for The Gathering. The campaign secured the coveted award of the night, the ADFX Grand Prix Award and the Best New Learning Award. The campaign for the hugely successful tourism initiative drew particular acclaim from the judging panel made up of industry experts from here and overseas.
For the first time, smaller campaigns were recognised for their effectiveness in the new Small Budget category. Joint entrants DDFH&B and Mindshare were awarded Gold for their Jack & Jill campaign.
Rothco and Mediaworks scooped two Gold for their launch of Liberty Insurance, while Cawley Nea\TBWA and Carat received a Gold for in the Long Term Effectiveness category for the Quit#2 campaign, which encourages the public to quit smoking and features the late Gerry Collins.
The first ever ADFX client award for Dedication to Effectiveness went to McDonalds, who have won 7 ADFX awards since ADFX began in 1996.
According to Tania Banotti, CEO of IAPI: “The ADFX awards are ultimately about proving that advertising works. The Irish advertising industry has produced world class work over the last two years; our international judges have stated just that. Campaigns are making a commercial impact in the domestic market. The release of the IAPI Industry Census recently, shows that the Irish agencies are expanding in response to Irish business. The 10th ADFX awards proved to be the best yet and we look forward to what promises to be a brighter future for the industry.”
David McRedmond, TV3 Group CEO said: “Nothing so distinctively marks a country as its advertising and we have seen that brilliantly reflected this evening, which bodes well for a great year ahead for the Irish advertising industry.”
For a full winners list visit www.adfx.ie
