Plan with perspective: a German-Swiss Dialog Oscar

Nothing against trophies, which are more or less artfully designed and regularly awarded to the best advertisers and brands. But many a competition in the industry would benefit from a realignment. Fresh, sustainable concept additions bring more momentum, greater interest - and also more entries. The German Dialog Marketing Association (DDV) has just completed a relaunch par excellence. The jury for the Dialog Marketing Prize (ddp) evaluated not only the creativity but also the efficiency of the campaigns. A first fresh cell cure that is not yet finished. In the next stage, according to jury chairman Michael Koch (gkk Dialog), Swiss and German dialog campaigns will be able to enter the competition several times with one submission.

"We are still in the planning phase," Michael Koch told Werbewoche. But the great response to the new ddp 2014 has encouraged him and the DDV board. After 32 years, the DDV had caused a stir in the industry with the announcement of its annual competition. The ddp 2014 had to excel in two areas: firstly in creation and implementation, and then in strategy and results, i.e. efficiency. The agencies had to deliver concrete figures and response results. That was new. DDV President Patrick Trapp is self-confident: "The ddp no longer submits to the dictates of the artificial separation between creation and efficiency. It is in a position to actually reflect the reality of advertising." In fact, the dialog association was able to report a 50 percent increase in entries at the recently celebrated ddp awards gala in Berlin. 353 campaigns entered the race, including numerous creations from Switzerland. In the separate D-A-CH category, campaigns from Austria and Switzerland have been judged separately for decades. Taking into account the new efficiency rating, Wirz Wietlisbach won 1× gold, 1× silver and an award, as reported. The St.Gallen agency am Flughafen won 1× bronze and an award.

Perhaps there will be even more efficient dialog creation Swiss made at the start of ddp 2015. Because these are the plans of jury president Michael Koch: 

- a jointly coordinated, standardized submission procedure. The strategy, results, idea and implementation are described once - and the campaigns are then launched in both Switzerland and Germany.

- a jointly coordinated campaign ticket. The agencies pay once and the submitted dialog campaign starts twice, in Switzerland and in Germany. The German-language joint idea is also conceivable with the campaigns from Austria, says DDV juror Koch. In any case, he has already received positive signals from the Swiss association. Dialogue marketing could thus gain further international renown. More specific details will be discussed in the coming meetings. "In any case," says Koch, "we have brought the ddp back to its former greatness." The acid test has been passed with flying colors. Let's hope that the planned German-Swiss Dialogue Oscar becomes a reality. Perhaps the disappointed Jean-Remy von Matt can be brought onto the jury for this international project. After all, the agency boss and jury president in Cannes was recently rejected as an honorary member of the Swiss ADC.

Peter Ehm Germany