UPDATE: Golden Drum decision on Saatchi&Saatchi Romania’s case: Romanian agency keeps the Silver for Design
(Adds Saatchi&Saatchi Romania’s official declarations)
After the decision of Golden Drum organizers to give back Saatchi&Saatchi Bucharest the Silver they won at Design, the officials of the company appreciated the decision, considering the Romanian agency deserved its award.
“I am delighted that the jury has reconsidered their decision and return the Silver Drum to Saatchi Romania. We are equally pleased that the final decision was based on the merit of our creative work and the effort that was placed behind it.”, Radu Florescu, CEO Saatchi&Saatchi Romania, said.
“Jorg and his team have consistently proven their creative abilities and this again uderscores Saatchi’s creative resources having been the best performing agency in Potoroz from romania two years standing.”, he added.
“I’m glad that our protests against disqualifying our awarded works made the jury reconsider their decision and decide in our favor, a thing that brought back in our portfoliu the Silver at Design / Art direction”, Jorg Riommi, Creative Director Saatchi & Saatchi said.
“Unfortunately, the same works, that got in the Press contest final, weren’t awarded because of an external intervention on the jury, an intervention that surprises me mainly in what concerns the lack of trust in the capacity of a professional jury to analyze in an informed manner the works in contest and, secondly, because they are based on the old Romanian philosophy that wishes the neighbors goat to die also”, he added.
Golden Drum organizers reviewed the facts that determined them to disqualify works from Greenpeace campaign entered by Romanian Saatchi & Saatchi in the Golden Drum competition.
As a final statement, organizers say that “after we once again examined all facts about ads E 25026 and B 18 002, B 18 003 and B 18 004 entered to Golden Drum competition by Saatchi & Saatchi Bucharest and it’s similarity with ad from TBWA Hunt Lascaris Johannesburg”, they established some facts.
As they found out, both agencies used the same picture for very similar messages and clients (Greenpeace and Wild Life Trust) and they bought the pictures from photograph Chris Jordan without knowing they were sold to another agency too. In consequence, TBWA created the ad and won awards for it before Saatchi&Saatchi did.
At Golden Drum, the jury for Design & Art direction presided by Roger Kennedy granted Silver Drum for photography to one of the ads entered by Saatchi&Saatchi Bucharest. Also, Golden Drum jury for Film, Press, Outdoor and Radio, with Tony Granger as President, had serious intention to give Silver Drum to Saatchi&Saatchi Bucharest for the same ad too, but after President was informed about strong similarity with the TBWA’s ad, he decided not to grant the award.
“Because of many accusations and complains the case seemed to be a little confused and decisions not very understandable but now is definitely clear that there are no reasons for disqualified ads or to change jury decisions. We apologize for all inconveniences and disinformation caused in this case”, the message signed by Jure Apih,President of Golden Drum Festival, says.
According to IqAds.ro, Jorg Riommi, Creative Director Centrade Saatchi&Saatchi, said, after the disqualification, that the agency will challenge the decision on disqualification because the campaign doesn’t copy the one made by TBWA, considering the 2 campaigns ran in the same time.Moreover, Saatchi’s campaign received a diploma – Press Lions National Diploma – at this year’s edition of Cannes Lions.
Golden Drum organizers’ message means that Saatchi&Saatchi keeps the Silver Drum in the Design competition.
Taking in consideration Golden Drum organizers’ message, the following Romanian agencies came home with 5 awards from Golden Drum: Saatchi&Saatchi Romania (2 Silver Drums), Publicis (1 Silver Drum), Next Advertising (1 Silver Drum) and Webstyler (1 Silver Drum).