Siren Awards 2017: “You pay my mortgage with those ads,” jokes Dave Thornton

Tommy Medalia and Joe Hawkins won Gold and Silver gongs at the 2017 Gold Siren in Melbourne on Thursday night.

Stand-up comedian and Fox FM breakfast co-host Dave Thornton was master of ceremonies, delivering the room his best copywriting and Sophie Monk jokes to celebrates the year’s best radio ads.

Hawkins and Medalia created the three ads at 303 MullenLowe to illustrate what happens when you lose your licence and you’re at the mercy of your mum and friends for lifts. All three spots – Window, Pilates and Out of Options – won Gold for the overall win and the Sliver Siren for best radio campaign (three or more ads in a campaign).

Medalia and Hawkins receive automatic entry for the winning ads into the Cannes Advertising Lions Festival in June. The creatives and their client the Road Safety Commission win accommodation, airfares and delegate passes to attend the event. 

The Silver Siren award in the single category went to Evan Roberts and Stephen de Wolf from Clemenger BBDO Melbourne for the ad ‘Every Speed has a Consequence’ for the Transport Accident Commission (Victoria). The powerful ‘sliding door moment’ ad reminds drivers that slowing down can completely change the outcome of a road accident. 

Prolific Siren award winner Paul Le Couteur of Flagstaff Studios took out the Silver Siren in the craft category for the production of the ad ‘Ticking Clock’ for Victoria Bitter.  Created to remind tradies that knock-off time is beer o’clock, the ad starts with the sound of a normal ticking clock. Slowly the tick-tock of the clock transitions into the classic Victoria Bitter theme song. 

The Siren $5,000 Client Award, judged by an industry panel of clients rather than the Siren Creative Council, is chosen from the five overall 2017 round winners and was won by Richard Shaw and Russell Fox from Clemenger BBDO Melbourne with the ad ‘Ticking Clock’ for Victoria Bitter. Richard Shaw and Russel Fox worked closely with Paul le Couteur to produce the winning craft entry. 

At the presentation of the Siren Awards in Melbourne, Joan Warner, chief executive officer of Commercial Radio Australia said: “This year’s finalists were outstanding and the radio industry is proud to support the creative talent throughout Australia.” 

The Gold Siren and the Silver Siren winners, across the craft, single and radio campaign categories, were selected from hundreds of entries throughout 2016-17 over five rounds, plus a final call. They were judged by the Siren Council, comprised of creative directors and producers from leading advertising agencies and studios throughout Australia.