The 2013 ADMA Awards have seen McCann Melbourne taking home the Grand Prix for its award-magnet ‘Dumb Ways to Die’ campaign for Metro Trains, and Tourism Australia’s Nick Baker named Marketer of the Year.

On Friday evening the Association for Data-driven Marketing and Advertising (ADMA) handed out awards for the 35th year, rewarding campaigns that combined both business effectiveness and creativity to deliver results for clients. This year ADMA handed out 110 medals in total: 20 gold, 40 silver and 50 bronze.

McCann Melbourne’s ‘Dumb Ways to Die’ won 12 medals in addition to the Grand Prix – 10 gold and two silver, the most of any campaign on the night.

Of the campaign, ADMA CEO Jodie Sangster said, “’Dumb Ways’ was creative, contagious and full of black comedy – a true internet sensation that people loved. It was also effective in delivering a public service message to prevent  more young people from getting injured by trains. It showed what data driven marketing is all about. They used data brilliantly and the full integration of channels: online, viral, app development, social, and out-of-home.”

Agency of the Year: GPY&R

The Australia Post Agency of the Year Award went to GPY&R for being the agency with the most campaigns over that year that were both creative and effective.

GPY&R’ s ‘Mobile Medic’ campaign for Defence Force Recruiting won the David Ogilvy Creative Award and the second largest amount of medals on the night – two gold, five silver and one bronze. (See also: Marketing’s case study of the ‘Mobile Medic’ campaign.)

In third place in the medal tally was Leo Burnett Melbourne with six medals – two gold, three silver and a bronze – for ‘Volunteer to Promote Volunteering’ for Seek. It also took home the Lester Wunderman Effectiveness Award for this campaign. (See also: Marketing‘s case study of the ‘Volunteer to Promote Volunteering campaign.)

Awards of excellence

The judges also awarded prizes for personal achievement, creativity and contributions to the industry with Will Lavender, founder of the successful Lavender agency, named as this year’s ADMA Hall of Fame inductee.

Nick Baker, executive general manager consumer marketing, Tourism Australia, was named Marketer of the Year. ADMA presented an Outstanding Contribution Award to Rob Morrison, creative director, OgilvyOne, to thank him for his contributions to ADMA and the industry.

The ADMA Young Creative of the Year is Tony Simmons, an art director with the Brand Agency in Melbourne. ADMA Young Marketer of the Year is Leigh Allen, marketing and international solutions manager with ESPN Australia/New Zealand.