Record entries buoy Marketing Excellence

The Australian Marketing Institute (AMI) has been buoyed by record entry submissions for the 2009 Queensland AMI Awards for Marketing Excellence being staged on Friday (September 11).

The awards are the most prestigious accolades for the Australian marketing industry and recognise effective and innovative marketing practices by Queensland's leading professionals and their clients.

AMI Queensland president, Jason Greenhalgh, said the awards timing and relevance was more important than ever.

"In difficult financial times such as these, marketers have to do more with smaller budgets and be more clever and creative than in the good times when money isn't such an issue," Mr Greenhalgh said.

"It's an enormous challenge to devise and execute campaigns that give clients the cut-through they're looking for in these times, which makes recognition even more important.

"The AMI Awards for Marketing Excellence have attracted a record number of entries - 238 nationally and 53 in Queensland - and I think that shows that marketers see the value in entering and winning our prestigious awards.

"They are a good way for both marketing professionals and clients to differentiate from their competitors as well as adding credibility to what they're doing."

The 2009 AMI Queensland Marketing Awards for Excellence will be held on  September 11 at the Sofitel Ballroom, Brisbane.

Winners of the Queensland awards progress to the national finals on October 28 in Sydney.

Murray Berghan, of Make Communications, said the currency of the AMI awards should never be under-estimated by marketers or their clients.

"To be a finalist or win an award at the AMI Awards for Marketing Excellence is a huge honour and achievement," said Mr Berghan, the founding director and managing partner of Make Communications.

"Any client wants a great business result for their marketing expenditure and to be acknowledged by your marketing peers is icing on the cake."

Make Communications and its client Youngcare won Australia's highest marketing accolade last year taking out the coveted Marketing Program of the Year.

Youngcare is an organisation dedicated to finding appropriate care for young people with high-care needs.

Make Communications received recognition for its clients as the most awarded agency at last year's Australian Marketing Institute National awards with 10 national finalists, three national awards and seven state awards.

The AMI is also using the 2009 Queensland Awards to throw its support behind one of the state's most important charities, Chicks in Pink.

All proceeds from a raffle at the lunch will go to Chicks in Pink, the Mater Hospital charity dedicated to raising funds for people affected by breast cancer.

Chicks in Pink pays for temporary prostheses and bras for women who have recently undergone mastectomies, as well as providing other practical support programs and initiatives.

The Australian Marketing Institute is the country's peak organisation for marketing professionals, representing over 5000 practitioners nationally across all marketing functions and industries.

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