A word on the Digital Hot & Cold index

We've received an overwhelmingly positive response to the inaugural Campaign Brief / Bannerblog Digital Hot & Cold Index. We thank everyone for participating and we believe the response from the creative community has demonstrated the value in an index of this kind. We always expected an index of this type to generate debate, however we wish to set the record straight regarding its purpose. The index is not a precursor to a new world order. For anyone to suggest the index is an audit of the digital agency landscape is grossly inaccurate and misleading. The index was only ever intended to be one measure of our industry's output - its creative product. It has never been positioned as a definitive ranking of the industry and it joins a long list of other industry rankings created for their own purpose and audience. The index's intended audience was always the Australia & New Zealand creative community - both traditional & digital. That should be obvious by the association with Campaign Brief which has enjoyed considerable success & continued agency participation in its annual Hot & Cold survey. The critics of this process have had ample time to air their views & shape the debate over how a Hot & Cold index would be formulated. In November 2009 we emailed the Creative Social mailing list, the Australian chapter of a global digital community made up mostly of CDs and the occasional MD, stating the intention to produce a Hot & Cold Index. Debate ensued. We also discussed it in Creative Social gatherings on at least two occasions. Sixteen people put their name forward to judge and these names were circulated on the Creative Social mailing list for feedback. The judging short list included representatives from the following agencies : The Hallway, Pusher, The White Agency, Leo Burnett, Clemenger (x2), Reactive, Holler, Soap, Host, Tongue, Tribal DD, Publicis Mojo, Bullsye, The Furnance & Tequila. The above list included representatives from two agencies that didn't submit an agency entry. Host & The White Agency. The final judging panel of eight was selected by pulling names from a hat. This list of judges can be seen here. We believe the process leading to the formation of the Hot & Cold index allowed everyone who wanted to input on the index, ample opportunity to do so. We believe the level of participation in the index from the creative community validates its format. The index represents a substantial cross section of the AU / NZ digital creative community and as long as the index continues to find an audience we'll continue to produce it. If there isn't an audience, or the audience believes the index is flawed then it simply won't survive and the industry will move on to the next one. Based on the feedback we've received over the past few days, we expect to see even greater participation in the next round. Agencies that have communicated their intent to participate in the next index include Ogilvy, @www, Droga5, GladEye & Colenso BBDO. Ashadi Hopper & The Bannerblog Team Note : Comments above were echoed to the Creative Social mailing list earlier this week.