The best radio ad of 2009 will be battled out between 26 ad agencies, radio stations and production studios as part of the national Siren Awards, which will be announced in Sydney next month.

The finalists include some of the best known advertising agencies in Australia including DDB; Clemenger BBDO; Leo Burnett; GPY&R, Whybin TBWA and JWT as well as agencies like 303 Advertising, The Brand Agency, and Marketforce in Perth; Eardrum Australia, Gorilla Communications, RazorJunior, I.D.E.A.S and US in Sydney; and in Melbourne, Twenty20 and Marmalade. Radio stations represented among the finalists include DMG Radio Australia in Melbourne and Austereo in Brisbane and Sydney.

A winner in each of the three categories: single, campaign and craft as well as an overall winner who receives the Gold Siren, will be announced at a breakfast on May 8 in Sydney. The winner is decided by a panel of industry experts, known as the Siren Creative Council. The breakfast will be hosted by Jonathan ‘Jono’ Coleman and Ian ‘Dano’ Rogerson, from the drivetime show, “The Jono & Dano Show", on-air on WS-FM (Sydney), GOLD 104 (Melbourne) and 4KQ (Brisbane), as well as many regional stations across Australia.

The national Siren Awards, now in their sixth year, are run by Commercial Radio Australia and are designed to recognise the best radio advertising in the country. The 2009 Gold Siren winner will be automatically entered into the Cannes Radio Lions – to be held in June and its writer will also win two tickets to attend the festival.

Last year’s Gold Siren winner, an advertisement for RACV Financial Services called “Disclaimer”, written by Paul Reardon and Julian Schreiber from Clemenger BBDO in Melbourne, won a Silver Radio Lion at the 2008 Cannes Advertising Festival. The RACV ad was one of three 2008 Sirens finalists and winners that made it to the radio shortlist in Cannes last year. Paul Reardon from Clemenger BBDO is this year’s Australian radio judge at Cannes.

Ms Warner said the Siren Awards provided a great opportunity to recognise excellence in Australian radio advertising and highlight the great work being achieved.

“Each year the Siren Awards continue to raise the bar in terms of creativity and originality. There have been nearly 600 entries this year – a fantastic result which shows how important this Award has become. Also the success of past winners and entrants at Cannes is testament to the fact that great work is being achieved with radio ads in Australia,” Ms Warner said.

The breakfast will be followed by a one day seminar on how to write and produce good radio ads, called “Getting radio off the Page”. Both the Sirens breakfast and seminar will be held at Waters Edge, Sydney on May 8. The breakfast will run from 7.30am to 9.30am and the Masterclass will follow the breakfast and includes lunch. Tickets are on sale now at $395 for the breakfast and Masterclass combined. Tickets for the breakfast only are $65 and a table of ten is available for $595. For a booking form and more information visit the Sirens website, www.sirenawards.com.au.

Media contact: Jenny Stevenson. Ph: 0402 214 039.
Media note: List of finalists below



2009 Siren Award Finalists

SINGLE
303 Advertising, Perth, Richard Berney and Mark Fretten, IKEA, Mutant Bargains
303 Advertising, Perth, Richard Berney and Mark Fretten, IKEA, Return of the Mutant Bargains
303 Group, Perth, Dav Tabeshfar, IKEA, Not Funny
DDB, Sydney, Charlie Cook and Simon Johnson, NSW Police, Mugging
Eardrum, Sydney, Ralph van Dijk, Simon Hills-Johnes and Jon Williams, Ski NSW, Shut
Gorilla Communications, Sydney, Thomas Duncan-Watt, Viewsonic, Amazon
I.D.E.A.S Sydney, Max Landrak and Chris Mitchell, ABC Television, Substitutions
JWT, Sydney, Jason Ross, Ben O'Brien and Richard Apps, Tax Today, Spider
JWT, Sydney, Jason Ross, Ben O'Brien and Richard Apps, Tax Today, Chainsaw
Marketforce, Perth, Ryan Albuino and Andrew Chu, Lotterywest, More Words – Pilot
Marketforce, Perth, Ryan Albuino and Andrew Chu, Lotterywest, More Words – Weatherman
Marmalade, Melbourne, Neil Mallet, Vic Roads, 6 Foot Blonde
Marmalade, Melbourne, Neil Mallet, Vic Roads, Amun Ra
Twenty20, Melbourne, Matthew Ellis and Andrew Panozzo, Thirsty Camel, Drink and Dial
Whybin TBWA, Sydney, Steve Dodds, Adults Surviving Child Abuse, 21st Birthday
Whybin TBWA, Sydney, Steve Dodds, Adults Surviving Child Abuse, Birthday


CAMPAIGN
303 Advertising, Perth, Richard Berney and Mark Fretten, IKEA, Mutant Bargains Campaign
Clemenger BBDO, Sydney, Michael Dawson and Chris Berents, Thredbo, Thredbo Summer Campaign
DDB, Melbourne, Jim McKeown, UBD Street Directory, UBD Traffic Chopper
Eardrum, Sydney, Ralph van Dijk, Commercial Radio Australia, Small Market/Professor/Small Market Support
Eardrum, Sydney, Ralph van Dijk, Simon Hills-Johnes and Josh Robertson, Commercial Radio Australia, Economically Sound
Eardrum, Sydney, Ralph van Dijk, Simon Hills-Johnes and Josh Robertson, 13 TAXI, Duh
GPY&R, Melbourne, Simon Bagnasco, Intralot, Luck Factory Radio Brand Campaign
JWT, Melbourne, Carly Williams and James Orr, Ford, Never Leave
JWT, Sydney, Jason Ross, Ben O’Brien and Richard Apps, Tax Today, Tax Today Campaign
Leo Burnett, Melbourne, Eamon Dixon, British Paints, Pub/Cricket/Strip Club
Marketforce, Perth, Ryan Albuino and Andrew Chu, Lotterywest, More Words
RazorJunior, Sydney, Josh Moore and Nigel Clark, Animal Australia, Animals Australia Campaign
The Brand Agency, Perth, Kurt Beaudoin and Josh Edge, Perth Zoo, Find Your Animal
US, Sydney, Josh Moore, David Roberts, Danny Wehbe and Tim Chenery, Luxbet, Expert Advice
US, Sydney, Josh Moore, David Roberts, Nigel Clark and Danny Wehbe, Hachette, Short Stories
Whybin TBWA, Sydney, Steve Dodds, Adults Surviving Child Abuse, ASCA Radio Campaign

CRAFT
Austereo, Brisbane, Cameron Heit, Geoff Esdaile, My Fun, Roller Coaster
Austereo, Sydney, Glen Styles, Kade Robinson, International Sports Clothing, My Conscious
Best FX, Adelaide, Pete Best, Greg Knagge (Clemenger BBDO, Adelaide), Motor Accident Commission, Creepers
Best FX, Adelaide, Pete Best and Scott Illingworth, Sip 'n Save, The Wrong Beer
Best FX, Adelaide, Pete Best and Scott Illingworth, Sip ‘n Save, Thirsty
Best FX, Adelaide, Pete Best, Sip ‘n Save, Empty Fridge
Brainestorm, Perth, Marty Braine, Murray Laird (Marketforce, Perth), Scitech, Scitech Plane
DMG Radio Australia, Melbourne, David Hinchey, Paul Varrasso, Paintball Games, Paintball - Bring Out Your Wicked Side
Eardrum, Sydney, Scott Collins, Ralph van Dijk, Perth Zoo, Small Clawed Otter
Macquarie Southern Cross Media - HotFM/RadioWest, Perth, Jerimiah Busniak, Tristan Ozinga and Karina Bradley, Street Art Wheels
Risk Sound, Melbourne, James Ashton, Peter Murphy (OMG Advertising, Melbourne), Epworth Foundation, Flying Knee
Soundbite, Perth, Brad Habib, Paul Coghlan (Meerkats, Perth), Murdoch University, Voice Journey
The Cutting Edge, Brisbane, Ross Batten, Dale Simmonds, Craig Buchanan and Kurt Beaudoin (The Brand Agency, Perth), RAC Insurance, Everything
Whybin TBWA, Sydney, Beau Silvester, Garry Horner and Matt Kemsley, Adults Surviving Child Abuse, Birthday
Whybin TBWA, Sydney, Beau Silvester, Garry Horner and Matt Kemsley, Adults Surviving Child Abuse, Rugby