CHE Proximity CEO Chris Howatson said he believes “we’re at the dawn of a new era” in advertising after his agency was named the AdNews Agency of the Year.
CHE Proximity won four other awards on the night, including Victorian Agency of the Year, Customer Experience Agency of the Year, Best Use of Data, and Digital Campaign of the Year for The Hearing Test In Disguise.
“We through last year about what happens when consultancies come into our industry, but what we have, that no one else has, is the power of creativity,” Howatson said.
“We are entering an era where we can use creativity with amazing precision and use data to deliver personalisation that has never been done before and I think for all us, we are on the dawn of a new era.
“Many of us will probably look back and think what it would have been like to work in the advertising era when radio was displaced by TV and in many ways, we are living through that era now, where data is displacing channels in many ways and there are things that are more creative and innovative than ever before.”
Howatson said that when the agency started five years ago, it was impossible to get on pitch lists and get anyone to return his phone calls.
“Bit by bit, late night after late night, hard work after hard work, with great people joining us, we progressed,” he said.
He also thanked AdNews editor Rosie Baker for her contribution to the industry over the past five years, as she finishes as editor today Howatson also paid tribute to The Monkeys, who were a finalist for the Agency of the Year.
Watch his speech here:
— AdNews (@AdNews) March 15, 2018
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.