The Times has announced the launch of its third annual Creative Press Ad Challenge, which for the first year will include a digital component. Running between 21 April and 21 May, a total of 21 free ads valued at R97 000 each will be given away.
The Times Creative Press Ad Challenge gives creative minds the opportunity to execute tactical, fast turnaround ads for their clients with the chance of winning a free full page, full-colour placement in The Times newspaper. In addition for the first time this year the campaign incorporates a banner ad on TimesLive.
With a creative theme linked to the Loeries, “How many ‘Times’ does it take to win a Loerie?”, the campaign will run across 21 editions and give agencies 21 chances to secure placement and take home a Loerie. “I can’t believe we are in our third year already, the campaign has grown in popularity amongst agencies and has become a highlight building up to Loeries. We love that agencies get to play around and execute creative tactical work that is eligible for award recognition,” said The Times editor, Stephen Haw.
This year the stakes are even higher, with the inclusion of the online banner ads which means that agencies awarded placement will now be entered into both the press and digital ad categories for the 2015 Loerie Awards.
Bringing TimesLive into the mix is a big incentive for agencies and clients. Speaking ahead of the campaign launch, Times Media Group, General Manager of Group Sales, Trevor Ormerod says, “TimesLive is SA’s second biggest news website and with over 2 million daily UB‟s, agencies simply can‟t afford not to earn free placement.”
Entry into The Times Creative Press Ad Challenge is easy:
1. Agencies choose any news story for the duration of the Challenge.
2. Agencies conceive a rapid-response ad for their client in both a print and digital format.
3. The client approves the completed ad, and the agency submits the print ready material to The Times before 11am on the day prior to placement.
4. Agencies send their ad entries to The Times via moosas@timesmedia.co.za
5. The Times editor, Stephen Haw, chooses the best ad from that day‟s submissions.
6. The winning ad runs in The Times and on TimesLive the following day.
The Times, with a readership of over 290,000 is a powerful platform for brands to bring their creative ideas to life. All submissions, as well as terms and conditions, can be viewed on https://www.timescreativeads.co.za/
