Saatchi & Saatchi Australia’s “Donation Dollar” for The Royal Australian Mint has earned Best of Show distinction at the New York Festivals Advertising Awards. The innovative redesign of the Australian $1 coin was minted as a call to action and stamped with the message Donation Dollar “Give To Help Others.”  The Donation Dollar is the first Australian $1 coin to feature a color and an interactive design. The coin’s green center, designed to wear down the more the coin is donated, reveals golden ripples from the coin’s center--a symbol of the ongoing impact the coin is making in the lives of those in need. The groundbreaking campaign was also recognized with two Grand Awards and seven Gold Skyline Towers.

“‘Donation Dollar’ was a project many years in the making,” said Simon Bagnasco, executive creative director, Saatchi & Saatchi Australia. “It needed approval from the highest levels of our government. And it needed to deliver on its stated promise: to remind all Australians to give more, more often. We are beyond humbled to be bestowed this honor. Thank you to all the judges and the NY Festival for seeing the positive good a little coin can make.” 

“Donation Dollar” headlined the awards procession in which the combined 2021 executive juries also bestowed nine Grand Prize Awards, 95 Gold Skyline Tower Awards, 108 Silver and 146 Bronze. To view the complete list of award-winning entries, click here.

2021 executive jury president Ralf Heuel, chief creative officer/partner of Grabarz & Partner, led the exec jury panel of chief creative officers and top-tier agency ECDs in the deliberation and selection of this year’s winning campaigns. Film Craft, Healthcare, and Financial executive juries also convened via video conference to award campaigns shortlisted within their specific categories. Executive juries selected winners from the Shortlist determined by the 400+ members of NYF’s Grand Jury from entries submitted from 58 countries.

2021 New York Festivals Grand Award recipients were: 

• Branded Content/Entertainment:  the community for “The OREO Doomsday Vault,” OREO
• Brave Work/Brave Client:  McCann New York for “True Name by Mastercard,” Mastercard
• Direct & Collateral:  Saatchi & Saatchi Australia for “Donation Dollar,” The Royal Australian Mint
• Design:  FCB Chicago for “Boards of Change,” City of Chicago
• Film:  Africa for “Let Her Run,” SporTV
• Film Craft:  Translation LLC for “You Love Me,” Beats by Dre
• Outdoor:  Saatchi & Saatchi Australia, “Donation Dollar,” The Royal Australian Mint
• Positive World Impact:  McCann New York, “True Name by Mastercard,” Mastercard
• Social Media & Influencer:  the community, “The OREO Doomsday Vault,” OREO

The New York City Award, a special category for NYF’s Advertising Awards, celebrates advertising that captures the vibe of New York City. For 2021 ,Green Point Pictures’ “WE (SEEN)” for Pangaia was honored with the Gold Skyline Tower.  BUCK Design earned the Silver for “The New Yorker 2020 Festival” for New Yorker ,and Grey New York was recognized with a Bronze for “Unboxing” for States United to Prevent Gun Violence.

New York Festivals special industry awards including the Global Agency of the Year, Global Brand of the Year, Independent Agency of the Year, and Regional Agencies of the Year will soon be announced. Also upcoming will be the winners of NYF’s newest awards: The Genius 100 Inspiration Award, Signal Award, Pivot Award, and the SeeHer Lens Award.