Ad agencies get ready to battle it out for prizes in national paper awards

Tomorrow night sees one of the biggest industry events in Ireland's marketing media calendar.

The best newspaper ads that ran in Ireland last year will compete for honours at the 2010 National Newspapers Of Ireland (NNI) Press Ad of the Year Awards at a dinner in the Four Seasons Hotel. The line-up includes a host of well-known Irish and international brands.

Some of ad land's best known agencies are in contention. Owens DDB are in for VW and Bonfire for Betfair. Publicis has two nominations from last year, Spar and TG4.

Success

David Quinn and his team at Bloom will have fingers crossed that Fuji can take the big prize. Ogilvy is in for the ISPCC and Mindshare and Kick for Marks & Spencer while Carat will be hoping its Cadbury's work might have sweet success.

MediaCom was the December winner for its innovative 'blank sheet of paper' wrap for Audi. All the monthly winners and runners-up qualify for the NNI Press Ad Of The Year, so that gives judge Julian Borra from London agency Team Saatchi 43 ads in all to assess.

Mr Borra is regarded as one of the top ad men around Soho these days. A self-confessed print lover, he was chuffed to be invited by the NNI to adjudicate.

Betfair's ad with Eamon Dunphy may be among the bookie's top ads for the big prize tomorrow night, but my wager is on the John West series (right). which was created by Boys and Girls/Mediaworks.

hnews@herald.ie