The identity of the printer behind the 2013 Catalogue of the Year winning entry is in question after an attribution mix-up on the Australian Catalogue Association's winners' list for the awards, with Sydney's Megacolour and Offset Alpine Printing both in the mix.
The mix-up in attribution on the ACA Catalogue Awards winners' list has Offset Alpine named as the printer behind the winning entry for the awards' ‘Catalogue of the Year’ (distribution up to 1.5 million) category - the QVB ‘The Era of Glamour’ catalogue by agency, Q.M.E Publishing. However, Megacolour claims that it was the printer of the award-winning entry.
At the time of writing, it was unclear which of the two companies had printed the award-winning catalogue. According to sources, Offset Alpine had previously printed the QVB catalogues, but the contract could have changed hands, with Q.M.E Publishing employing the services of Megacolour to print the latest of the QVB catalogues. Regardless of what the official winner's list says, Megacolour representatives have stressed their ownership of the job.
[Dateline: 14 August] - Craig Dunsford, CEO of Print at Offset Alpine parent company IPMG, confirms that although Offset Alpine has printed the catalogue in past years, the company did not produce it this year. He also extends his congratulations to Megacolour for producing the winning work.
[Dateline 15 August]- Additionally, Chris Peat from Q.M.E Publishing also confirms that it was, indeed, Megacolour that printed the winning QVB catalogue this year. “Q.M.E Publishing is delighted to be recognised and congratulates its team and its great clients,” said Peat.
Other printers that appeared on the winners' list for the awards, which were held in Melbourne's Docklands on 9 August, also included AIW Printing, IPMG, PMP and Hannanprint. Offset Alpine printed the winning entry for the ‘Specialist Event of Theme’ (up to 1.5 million) category - David Jones’ ‘Love Giving, Love Christmas’ catalogue by M&C Saatchi.
- (L-R): Kellie Northwood (executive director ACA), Ian Johns (DIC), Natalie Warren-Smith (Myer)
AIW Printing produced the ‘Catalogue of the Year’ (distribution 1.5 million to 3.5 million) winner, RB Sellars’ ‘Outback to Ocean – Spring/Summer 2012’, along with ‘Specialist Event of Theme’ (over 1.5 million) winner, Rebel Sport ‘My Winter Workout’.
Meanwhile, IPMG printed the ‘Catalogue of the Year’ (over 3.5 million) category winner, Myer’s ‘Jump In It’s Christmas’ catalogue by BADJAR Ogilvy. Hannanprint produced the winner of the ‘Chain Stores – General’ (over 1.5 million) category winner, Masters’ ‘2012/2013 Outdoor’ catalogue by M7C Saatchi, and PMP Limited printed the ‘Chain Stores – General’ (under 1.5 million) winner, Dan Murphy’s ‘Christmas Companion’ catalogue.
In addition to the multiple category-winning entries produced by PMP, Offset Alpine, IPMG and Hannanprint, the names behind other winning entries for the awards included rankling Web Printing, Printbound, Inprint, Carbon8, Evolve and Mystique.
Other big winners for the 22nd Australian Catalogue Awards included leading agencies M&C Saatchi, BADJAR Ogilvy and Generic Publications, with the award for ‘agency of the year’ going to M&C Saatchi over finalists BADJAR Ogilvy, Cumming Agency & Studios and Generic Publications.
Tom McFarlane, M&C Saatchi Regional Creative Director, said: "catalogues are still a powerful media, especially when they're done by talented people, who totally get the media”.
Kellie Northwood (pictured), executive director of the Australian Catalogue Association, said the awards were a terrific opportunity for the industry to recognise its variety and strengths.
“The awards provide a unique environment in which our industry, that includes so many professions, gathering to acknowledge the intelligence and creativity involved in producing what remains one of the most popular and effective marketing mediums,” she said. “It’s tremendous to see some of Australia’s leading retailers, agencies, printers and distributors among the finalists and winners, emphasising the skill and creativity behind catalogues.”
Northwood said catalogues remain a significant part of the marketing mix for Australian retailers. “For retailers, catalogues provide the opportunity to communicate both product and brand messages to an un-distracted audience.
“They have tremendous cut-through when compared to other platforms. However, we’ve always maintained that they are best utilised as part of the multi-channel offering a foundation to work with other mediums such as TV, radio and digital,” she said.