A 30 second ad promoting a bungee jump ride, which was recorded live, has won the single and overall categories for round four of this year’s Siren Awards.  The ad, called F...k, was written for the company Bungee West, by Matt Dickson from Nova 93.7 in Perth.

Judges and previous round winners, Ant Keough and Grant Rutherford said the ad won the category because of its simplicity and truth. ‘The Bungee West “F…k” ad, out of all the spots, was the funniest, most insightful and bang on strategy,’ said Grant Rutherford.

Three entries were highly commended.  “Stress Transferrer” for Bic Pens, written by John Mescall from agency Smart in Melbourne; “French” for J Boag and Sons, written by Glenn Dalton and George Freckleton from agency AJF Partnership and “The Fine Print Guy” for Think Mobile, written by Ben Davies from Sea FM and Gold FM on the Gold Coast.

A series of ads for Bic Pens, called “Early Finisher, Hot Chick, Inadequate, Stress Transferrer” and written by John Mescall from agency, Smart in Melbourne won the campaign category. Mr Mescall won the overall Gold Siren in 2006 for an ad for Bic Pens called “Chicken Inseminator”.  

“The Bic pen ads took me straight back to high school exams, nicely playing out the characters we've all met in that high pressure, yet tedious, environment. I like the way the strategy pinpoints a single target market and then aims to entertain only that group, which gives the creatives a chance to create a specific and fresh angle on the whole thing, “ said Ant Keough.

One other entry was highly commended in the campaign category for round four. It was “French/Teddy Bear/Roses” for J Boag and Sons, written by Glenn Dalton and George Freckleton from AJF Partnership.

The winner of the craft category was an ad for the Gold Coast International’s restaurant, called “Yamagen Iron Chef”. The ad was produced by Brett Johnson from studio, AudioOne.

Judge and previous winner of the craft category, Vaughan Jones from Hot 91 Sunshine Coast said the ad displayed a great depth of field by using layers of sound in great proportion.

“The project displayed a number of well executed production techniques including many specific and unique sound effects; a multi character scene with densely overlayed voice overs presented in various positions across the soundscape and a specific “timing” requirement to accurately depict the typical “iron chef” environment,” said Vaughan Jones.

Highly commended in the craft category for round four was an ad called “Shareholder’ for Commercial Radio Australia, produced by Rod Enright from studio, Song Zu.

The national Siren Awards are run by Commercial Radio Australia and are designed to recognise the best radio advertising in the country.  The awards promote the importance of creativity as a way to make radio advertising more effective.

Round five of the Siren Awards close on Thursday, March 15. Entries are free and will be accepted for any radio ads that have aired between March 1 2006 and March 15 2007, and commercials which have been entered previously into Rounds 1-4 can be resubmitted into Round 5.  Entries can be submitted at the Siren Awards website. 

The annual winner from the creative categories is automatically entered into the Cannes Radio Lions in June 2007 and receives a trip for two to the world’s biggest ad festival.

The winner of the 2007 Siren Awards for creative excellence in radio advertising will be announced at a gala breakfast in Melbourne on May 4, featuring renowned Australian comedy duo and top-rating radio personalities, Hamish and Andy. The breakfast will be followed by a Masterclass, a creative seminar, featuring Cannes Radio Lions judge for this year and creator of the award-winning Australian radio brand campaign, Ralph van Dijk of Eardrum Australia, who will run several interactive sessions on how to write world-class radio ads. 

Both the Sirens breakfast and Masterclass will be held at The Point Albert Park in Melbourne. Commercial Radio Australia is running the event in association with the Melbourne Advertising and Design Club (MADC). 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 and $60 for breakfast only. An early bird discounted rate of $350 is available for those members of Commercial Radio Australia and MADC who book and pay before Thursday April 5. For a booking form and more information visit the dedicated Siren Awards website.