PHNX Awards Call For Entry campaign asks “What Is An Award?”

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With the awards season in full swing, a new film and print campaign cheekily asks advertisers “What is an award?” Is it to impress friends, to make parents proud or to satisfy egos? Or perhaps: “Does it make you look sexy?” 

Created by Babel for AdForum PHNX awards, the What Is An Award? campaign is a call for entries to its third annual celebration of creativity. Unique among awards programmes, PHNX is free to enter, with a subsequent fee of 150 euros per entry only if work is shortlisted. It has already attracted over 700 jurors, living up to its promise to be one of the most diverse juries of prominent industry professionals from across the world.

Significantly, PHNX award winners do not receive trophies. Winning is about recognising the excellence and hard work of talented creatives and not about a statuette on a shelf. “So be proud and enjoy it” the campaign declares.

This year PHNX is asking agencies, freelancers, brands and production companies to enter their most impactful work into a carefully curated selection of 25 categories with a focus on craft. Entries are open until Sunday 1st May.

Philippe Paget, CEO, AdForum Maydream, says:

“Unlike any other competition, PHNX has a unique global jury coming from every aspect of advertising. We aim to be the most diverse in the industry, from creatives, marketers, strategists and agency leaders to consultants and journalists. Furthermore, the standard of entries is always outstanding.” 

In the end, what is an award? Jean-Laurent Py, Creative Director, Babel, says:

“Awards are so important in the life of a Creative. It can seems like an ego story – and it has to be as we put a little bit of ourselves in front of everyone’s judgement every day. But it’s way more than that. With the PHNX Awards, we wanted to do this small reflective spot in a witty and benevolent way. Hopefully it will resonate with most people and be an occasion for every creative to share what awards mean for them as well.”

CREDITS: 

Client: PHNX Awards, Philippe Paget

Agency: Babel, Paris.

  • Agency Manager: Alain Roussel
  • Creative Director: Jean-Laurent Py
  • Copywriter: Jean-Laurent Py
  • Creative team: Benoit Salles, Gael Caron, Matthias Kuszelewicz
  • Agency producer: Oriana Berzig
  • Agency PR: Maud Paget
  • Editing & Colouring: Romuald Kabala

Sound & Music Studio: Circonflex

  • DOP: Sebastien Tran
  • 1st Assistant Camera: Antoine Vié
  • Steadicam: Grégoire Lobut
  • Chief electrician: Basile Pollet Villard

AdForum launched the PHNX Awards during the lockdown in 2020 as a way of supporting the advertising industry and proving that nothing can keep creativity down. The competition is open to advertising agencies, brands, PR agencies, film production companies, media agencies, design studios, photographers, freelance creatives and advertisers worldwide. 

Babel’s ambition is to link communication with the strategy of companies and organizations. The first independent integrated agency in France, Babel brings together nearly 170 multidisciplinary talents who combine strategic intelligence and creative excellence to build strong, unique and radiant brands. Its five areas of expertise are brand management, content management, transformation support, public interest communication, reputation and thought leadership.