APG (UK): Account Planning Group

www.apg.org.uk
The APG Creative Planning case histories are detailed examples of planning's contribution to the development of creative advertising, representing a valuable database of account planning ideas, thinking and best practice. The case histories originated as entries to the APG Creative Planning Awards, a unique industry scheme which exists to acknowledge the thinking process which leads to a distinctive advertising strategy. Full text and abstracts of the case histories are available through the World Advertising Research Center.

Books containing the winning entries from the 1993, 1995 and 1997 competitions are available from the APG.

The APG Creative Planning Award Competition
The Creative Planning Awards were instituted in 1993 to recognize and reward good account planning at the front end of the advertising process; the imaginative identification of advertising solutions at the strategic stage, insight during creative development and the uniqueness of creative briefing. The judging panel consists of representatives from agency management, agency creatives, account planners, media, advertisers and below-the-line. There are seven main categories of award. Each category has a Gold Winner, with the best of these being awarded the Grand Prix.The seven categories are:

1. New broadcast campaign
2. New print campaign
3. Multi-media campaign
4. Public service/charity/government
5. International campaign
6. Refreshed campaign
7. Below-the-line (introduced 1997)
   Two further Special Prizes (introduced 1997) recognize the spread of account planning throughout the marketing services industry:
8. Most innovative insights for media planning
9. Most innovative use of research

About the Account Planning Group
Founded in 1979, the Account Planning Group comprises 600 people who work in advertising account planning or related fields.
The APG aims to serve the planning community by:

• Organising formal and informal training programs, seminars and publications to improve APG members' skills and knowledge on subjects ranging from basic planning techniques to new issues and developments.
• Stimulating debate within the industry on planning-related issues and fighting planning's corner in that debate.
• Providing opportunities for planners to meet, socialize and learn together.

Further information about the Account Planning Group, the Creative Planning Awards and APG publications is available at www.apg.org.uk.