Blueprint for Chillies 2007 to be upgraded

AD AWARDS: The Chillies 2007 Steering Committee met with Advertising Agency Heads at the Colombo Swimming Club, last week. The Steering Committee and nineteen Agency Heads and their nominees discussed proposed amendments to the Blueprint of the Sri Lanka Advertising Awards.

The Blueprint, originally developed in 2006, is to be revised this year. The revisions stem from observations made during Chillies 2006 and are being proposed by the Chillies 2007 Steering Committee in consultation with committees of the IAA and 4A's, with the aim of creating an awards structure and system which is on par with international standards; thereby continuously raising the bar of creative excellence in Sri Lanka.

The most significant of the proposed amendments concerns the judging process based on a series of recommendations made by the jury chairs of the Chillies 2006. In a bid to raise the standard of entries, changes to the norm of entry submissions is also in the offing together with the inclusion of Grand Prix awards for TV, Print, Radio and Integrated Comm in the Best of the Best category.

Further, the awards for Integrated Comm: Point of Sale are to be judged on a singular and campaign basis. The Steering Committee proposed and desisted alterations to the structure of entry fees giving consideration to the views of Agency Heads.

Commenting on the effectiveness of the consultative dialogue between the Committee and Agency Heads, S. Srikanth, Chairman of the Steering Committee noted, "We are appreciative of the participation of and the contributions from Agencies in adding value to the proposed amendments to the Blueprint".

The Sri Lanka Advertising Awards, Chillies 2007, is a joint industry initiative of the International Advertising Association (IAA) and the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies (the 4A's) together with the collaborative counsel of Sri Lanka's marketing and media fraternity.