Boston’s creative community showed up for a night of celebration and remembrance as the 63rd Francis W. Hatch Awards took center stage at Big Night Live yesterday.
From the initial 514 entries, the medal winners were narrowed down to 95 which were narrowed down to 23 gold winners and finally, one Best of Show. This year, independent agency GYK Antler won for a unique sound program they created for their client Sallie Mae.
The program was designed to help stressed out students study better. Not only did GYK Antler concept the idea but they also worked with artists to create a special lo-fi music into a playlist for Spotify and a visual component for YouTube.
Barb Reilly, President and CEO of The AdClub said, “The judges’ selection of GYK Antler as the winner of this year’s Best of Show is symbolic of the times: the ways in which we reach consumers today is so different than it was in the past.” Reilly pointed out “typically television spots or long form video have won Best of Show, or a full campaign, but a sound program has not traditionally been seen as a way to showcase exceptional creative. The Sallie Mae work GYK created is so unique and creative in its choice of media to reach its audience, as much as how creative the work itself is. That’s what the judges saw”.
MassMutual’s in-house agency, MassMutual – 258° Creative Group, won the In-House Agency award for their exceptional work and being the most awarded in-house agency of the show with 5 bronze, 3 silver, 2 gold bowls and runner up for Best of Show.
Also awarded at the event for the first time was the Jack Connors Lifetime Achievement Award. With the passing of Boston advertising, business and philanthropy giant, Jack Connors, The Ad Club has named this new award in his honor. This new award honors an individual who has made a significant impact on the marketing industry, through their own body of work and their influence on creativity in the Boston region. The recipient will have dedicated their career to developing and fostering memorable and impactful work for brands and businesses and for their inspiration and leadership in this community.
This year’s inaugural winner is Lance Jensen, currently Copy Chief, North America, Ogilvy, is the first winner of this new honor. Jensen has lived and worked in the Boston area for his entire career beginning with attending Boston College for Communications and joining Hill Holliday Connors Cosmopulos as an art director. However he made the switch to copywriting and found his stride as an award winning copywriter at several agencies. Jensen is best known for his breakout work for Volkswagen which is attributed with helping to put Boston on the map as a hub for creative advertising. He later founded the renowned agency Modernista! with Gary Koepke where they did groundbreaking work for GAP, MTV, Cadillac and Hummer. He returned to Hill Holliday for a 10 year run before taking his current role at Ogilvy.
”It’s a truly special night for the New England advertising community.” Reilly continues, “Our region has long been known as one of creativity and innovation across many industries. Nowhere do you see this more clearly than in the world of marketing that puts companies on the map and changes their business trajectory.”
In summing up the 63rd Hatch Awards, what was particularly notable was the vibe of this year’s show. Reilly shared. “Boston is a unique community and tonight it felt like one big happy family celebrating each other.” Lance Jensen said in his acceptance speech, “it’s the friendship in this business that makes it so special.”
The Ad Club of New England is the leading trade organization in the region, dedicated to serving and promoting the Members in the Marketing and Advertising eco-system. With an eye to adding value for its Membership –their teams, brands & businesses- as well as addressing industry issues, the Ad Club creates strategic events, programs, content, Professional Development courses and more. Two of the best known events are the Annual Francis Hatch Awards, honoring excellence in creative, and the Women’s Leadership Forum.
