The Monkeys’ You Never Lamb Alone has won the first 2017 ACE of Excellence, hosted by Val Morgan and awarded for exceptional creativity in local advertising in cinema on TV and online.

The ad tackled much more than reminding people lamb is the traditional food for Australia Day. It reminded people of another Australian tradition – giving everyone a fair go. And the agency fitted that neatly into its You Never Lamb Alone mantra.

Long live The Monkey’s new lamb tradition – diversity

The finalists were:

•  Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, Think of Fathers for Bonds

• Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, The Boys for Bonds

• Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney, Camry Superheroes for Toyota

• Finch, Every Second Counts for St Kilda Film Festival

• Leo Burnett Sydney & Chicago, Anthem for Samsung

• BMF, Meet the Tinkletons for Aldi

• J.Walter Thompson Sydney, The Parkinson’s Challenge for Parkinson’s NSW

• J.Walter Thompson Sydney, The Lucky Ones for Parkinson’s NSW

• TKT Sydney, V Skills for Frucor

• You Never Lamb Alone, The Monkeys for Meat & Livestock Australia

•  Operation Boomerang, The Monkeys for Meat & Livestock Australia

• Roll Home with a Chiko, Cummins&Partners for Simplot

The judges for this round of the ACES are:

• Outgoing Clemenger BBDO Sydney executive creative director, Paul Nagy, (chairman)
• Cummins&Partners executive creative director, Julian Schreiber
• Saatchi & Saatchi associate creative director, Flavio Fonseca,
• Rumble creative partner, Nancy Hartley
• Leo Burnett executive creative director, Vince Lagana
• AdNews editor, Rosie Baker.

Daniel Hill, managing director Val Morgan Cinema Network added, “We are pleased to once again be hosting the ACES and supporting all that it represents for our local creative industry. I am thrilled to see the continued relevance of first class advertising film for brands.”