Child abuse ad named radio commercial of the year

Tim Burrowes

May 8, 2009 12:28

One of Australia’s most controversial advertising campaigns of recent years has been named the best radio ad of the year.

The commercial for the charity Adults Surviving Child Abuse by Whybin TBWA Sydney has won the 2009 Gold Siren award for best radio ad of the year, as well as a Silver Siren for winner of the single advertisement category. Another ad, part of the ASCA campaign, has also won a Silver Siren as winner of the craft category.

The ad, written by Steve Dodds, had been heavily criticised including on TV show The Gruen Transfer. The campaign features family events where victims of child abuse crack jokes about the experience.

The awards were judged by the Siren Council, comprising creative directors and producers . Judge Emma Hill, Group CD at Clemenger BBDO said: “It was the stand out ad in terms of making you stay, listening and feel something, even though that something was incredibly uncomfortable. So many radio ads just wash over you and are easy to ignore. This one wasn’t.”

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Tim Burrowes

Tim Burrowes is the publisher of Mumbrella and Unmade. He co-founded Mumbrella in 2008 and sister title Unmade in 2021. He's worked in the UK, Middle East, Asia & Australia and has specialised in writing about the communications world for the last 25 years. He wrote the book Media Unmade, published in 2021, and became the presenter of MediaLand on ABC Radio National in 2025.