Chris Howatson, founder and CEO of Howatson+Company, sat down with B&T ahead of the Cairns Crocodiles Awards to discuss the value that creativity can bring to brands from around the Asia-Pacific region.
Pointing to his eponymous agency’s work with Telstra-owned budget telco Belong, Howatson said that his favourite piece of work from the last year was its repositioning – turning it from a “value” telco to a “values” telco. Though, he did stress it was like picking a “favourite child.”
Howatson is no stranger to awards, with his agency picking up the Independent Agency – More Than 50 Employees gong at this year’s B&T Awards. In 2022, the agency took home a remarkable number of B&T Awards, including the Emerging Agency, Advertising Agency and Grand Prix, meaning there are few better placed to talk about the importance of awards for attracting market-leading talent and picking up the odd client or two.
Enter the Cairns Crocodiles Awards – the ONLY APAC awards judged exclusively by clients.
Moving on, Howatson told B&T about the campaign he wished that he’d made. Speaking in glowing terms “The Last da Vinci,” produced by Droga5 for auction house Christie’s, Howatson hailed the campaign’s ability to connect with a broader range of people than traditional art buyers – attracting more attention for the painting and Christie’s (and driving a higher auction price).
The Cairns Crocodiles Awards are judged by an esteemed panel of CMOs, themselves guided and steered by the sharpest marketing scientists in the business.
Interest? You should be. Here’s everything you need to know about the Cairns Crocodiles Awards.
CAIRNS CROCODILES AWARDS CATEGORIES
The Cairns Crocodiles Awards feature 30 categories spanning every aspect of creativity from medium to craft and industry vertical. The first Awards show will be held at the Cairns Convention Centre in Queensland on 6 June 2024, at the culmination of Cannes in Cairns.
| Audio Craft | Healthcare | Automotive Campaign |
| Branded Content and Entertainment | Integrated | B2B Campaign |
| Creative Commerce | Media | Beauty and Wellness Campaign |
| Data-Driven Creativity | Music | FMCG (Household/Home Products and Services) Campaign |
| Design | Out of Home | Food and Beverage Campaign |
| Digital Craft | PR | IT/Telco Campaign |
| Direct | Print and Publishing | Media/Entertainment Campaign |
| Experiential and Activation | Radio and Audio | Retail Campaign |
| Film | Social and Influencer | Travel/Leisure Campaign |
| Film Craft | Strategy and Effectiveness | Changing the World Campaign |
CAIRNS CROCODILES AWARDS KEY DATES
- 23 February 2024 — On Time Entries Close
- 1 March 2024 — Late Entries Close
- 11 March-15 April 2024 — Online Judging
- 18 April 2024 — Shortlist Announced
- 3 June 2024 — Live Judging at the Cairns Convention Centre
- 6 June 2024 — Awards Night at the Cairns Convention Centre
Enter the Cairns Crocodiles Awards NOW!
