And the good people at Naga DDB have clearly done their research. Rather than couching the call in the kind of artistic claptrap we have to come expect from awards shows, the book takes a more direct route. According to the guide, for example, it appears that the medium is the key consideration when it comes to winning a Kancil. And the question 'Did it run?' should not be seen as an obstacle to award show success. Diary was particularly interested to see a list of "some fine but under-utilised publications," which included Borneo Post, Pets Lovers Monthly, and ADOI. As the guide points out: "Obscure publications are more cost efficient and flexible (you'll always get a right hand side page by virtue of there being only two advertisers.)"
When it comes to posters, meanwhile, attention is drawn to the fact that, in a strict sense, posters aren't even published and we are left with the enigmatic words: "Therefore there are no dates. A loophole sometimes exploited by the more unscrupulous."
Another delight is the step-by-step guide to producing an award-winning direct mailer, which essentially appears to consist of folding a print ad into an envelope and posting it to your mother.
Fittingly, there is also a chapter for creatives that possess no ideas: "If you can't be arsed to think up your own ideas, then seek out those who can." In a rather sweet gesture, the illustrations in this section depict the client as a dragon, which tallies with Diary's own research into this issue. And for the more pedantic there is some stern stuff to start the book off: "As much as we'd like to touch on the subject of scamming (there, we said it), alas the authors know nothing. Absolutely nothing.
How would we?"