A Northern Ireland creative team’s work has helped an Australian business win one of the advertising industry’s most prestigious awards, more than 17,000 kilometres from home.
Co. Antrim Creative Director Tim McAllister and copywriter Mike Fleming’s work for Original Tasmanian Timber helped Australian agency Bennett win the award in the Long-Term Effects – Product category at the Australian Effie Awards in Sydney.
The Effies are recognised worldwide as the benchmark for marketing effectiveness, with programmes in more than 125 markets. The awards are judged on creativity and evidence that the work helped to grow a business and positively impact its sales.
This year’s Australian programme drew a record 144 finalists, and Tim and Mike’s work for Bennett was one of only two winners in its category. It shared the winners list with global networks including Ogilvy, Publicis, BBDO. Saatchi & Saatchi and TBWA.
The Effie is the campaign’s seventh national award, while Bennett was named Australian Marketing Agency of the Year in 2023 and has been a finalist twice more, including this year.
Tim McAllister said: “I’ve worked on this brand since the very first sketch of the logo, so to see it win an Effie is incredibly special. It proves you don’t need to be in the same room, or even the same hemisphere, to do great work together. I’ve always said that some of the best strategically creative minds are right here in Northern Ireland. I’m grateful to the team at Bennett and to everyone at Original Tasmanian Timber for their long-term trust in our ability to grow their brand, and I’m excited to continue creating great work that’s seen around the world.”
Claire Bennett, founder and CEO of Bennett Agency, added: “People are often surprised that our creative team is based in Northern Ireland. Tim and Mike are phenomenal, and this Effie shows that world-class creative talent isn’t bound by geography. Tim created this brand at the very beginning, and together they’ve given it the ideas it now owns. We’re a small team, but we’re mighty.”
Tim designed the Original Tasmanian Timber brand when the campaign began eight years ago, turning Tasmanian Oak, a hardwood used in flooring, joinery and furniture, from an unbranded commodity into a recognizable and desirable choice for specifiers and architects. It now leads its category across Australia.
Together, Tim and Mike developed the launch ad campaign and podcast series and when supply changes in the Australian hardwood market left many professionals believing the timber was hard to get, their availability campaign turned that around.
The results, tracked through independent research since 2018:
- Awareness among architects, designers and builders rose from 79% to 99%
- Consideration rose from 71% to 96%
- The share who use Tasmanian Oak most often more than doubled, from 21% to 55%
