Originally founded to recognise and reward creativity in direct marketing, The Caples Awards have broadened out as direct marketing itself has broadened out.

Today, any piece of marketing communications that elicits some sort of a response is eligible.

Under the leadership of Alfonso Marian, former Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy New York and now Chairman of Ogilvy Spain, the jury was instructed to “set some standards for what outstandingly effective ideas look like. And let’s have some fun!”

There was no shortage of high spirits at either The Caples party at The Marquis Cornwallis pub on Tuesday May 7th or the presentation dinner on Thursday 9th.

Before the presentation of the awards, Patrick Collister took the opportunity to remind the assembly of The Caples mission.

This is a show run by creative people for creative people. If this means we are sometimes a little disorganised, it also means that winning a Caples should be something to be as proud of as winning a Cannes Lion.

Tonight’s dinner is a little different to most awards shows junkets. It’s smaller, it’s by invitation and it’s free.

When an awards show takes over a big hotel for a gala presentation, they usually try to make money by selling as many tickets and tables as possible. That means they need to offer a plethora of categories and insist that Gold, Silvers and Bronzes are awarded in each.

That way they can lure more agencies to the event.

By contrast, we want The Caples jury to be free to award as many or as few Golds as they want. The only thing that is important is that the work should be unquestionably good.

16 Gold, 15 Silver and 40 Bronze awards were given.