Who’s BAD(C)?

BADC members have represented the best Brisbane can offer in our amazing industry since 1974.

A club for “Creative Individuals”. BADC has always been a creative club, a club of individuals who worship the altar of the different, the original, the new and the unexpected. However, creativity is a character trait, not a job description. You don’t have to come from the creative department of an agency to be a creative person. You don’t have to be a director or an editor.

You could be a producer or an account director or a receptionist. Creative individuals love creativity, strive for it and go out of their way to culture it, from whatever position they occupy in a company.

Hall of Fame

2023 Mark Toia
2022 Andy Ward
2021 Joan Sankey
2019 Rob Kent
2018 Kylee Ratz
2017 Lindsay Donaldson
2015 Ross Batten
2014 Vicki Lee & Andrew Wareham
2013 Kerry Farrell
2012 Rem Bruijn
2011 Greg Crawford
2010 Keith Fowle
2009 Ron Johanson
2008 Steve Cooper
2007 Ray Smith
2006 John Stainton
2005 Steve Minon
2004 Sandy Peacock
2001 John Summerville
2000 Ian Jensen
1999 Hugh Edwards
1998 Noel Harris
1997 Bernie Cuming
1996 Nancy Hartley
1995 Bob Blasdall
1994 Ted Poulter, Trevor Downes, Stewart Powell
1993 Peter Ferrier
1992 Chuck Hobler
1991 Greville Patterson
1990 Kevin Fielding, John Blachard
1989 Joan Yardley, John Garnsey
1988 Barrie Dye

Person of the Year

2019 Mikael Wedemeyer
2016 Katrine Bowman
2015 Tom Lusch
2014 Ralph Barnett
2013 Tim Ariel
2010 Davros El Davros
2009 Matt Dye
2007 Peta Burns
2006 Debbie Livingston
2005 Matt Emmerson
2003 Michelle Wacker
2002 Nick Pritchard
2000 Ross Benn
1999 Debbie Cross
1998 Judi Bailey
1997 Julie Pfitzner
1996 Phil Taylor
1995 Chris Tyquin
1994 Lawrie Jordan
1993 Ron Johanson
1992 Steve Cooper
1991 Keith Fowle
1990 Tom Lusch
1989 Ted Poulter
1988 Max Bannah
1987 Tom Kelsall
1986 Brian Cassingham

Past Presidents

2019 – 2024 Stuart Myerscough
2014 – 2018 Garry Smith
2011 – 2013 Matt Dye
2010 Shane Murray
2009 David Coxeter and James Dein
2008 Jim Strachan and Charles Schaefer
2007 Amanda Dunne and Jodie Camilleri
2006 Sandra Hind and Shane Murray
2005 Nancy Hartley and Justine Douglas
2004 Zuraya Hamilton
2003 Jeff Smith and Antoinette Emmerson
2002 Steve Minon and Justine Douglas
2001 Peter Goodall
2000 Allan Hartley
1999 Ross Benn
1998 Hugh Edwards and David McClean
1997 Brad Salisbury
1996 Bill Venn
1995 Debbie Cross
1994 Mark Overett
1993 Don Blackley
1992 Noel Harris
1990-1991 Hugh Edwards and Lawrie Jordan
1989 Andrew Delbridge
1980-1988 Barrie Dye
1978-1979 Kevin Fielding
1974-1977 Stewart Powell

History of the Brisbane Advertising and Design Club (BADC)

The Brisbane Advertising and Design Club (formerly The Brisbane Art Directors Club) began in 1974 as a social club founded by Kevin Fielding (Creative Director of Masius, Brisbane), Ted Poulter (freelance illustrator), Stewart Powell (freelance designer) and David Laidley (Creative director of Peter Rodger Advertising). Its members enjoyed monthly social events, car rallys and of course, Christmas parties. A new calendar was printed each year and there was the all-important award night. In these days the Brisbane Art Directors had a large membership, the running of the club made possible by an annual membership fee. The BAD awards were to emerge as the most important aspect of the Club.

The first award judging was in June 1975. The judging panel was comprised mostly of locals plus at least one interstate judge. The first interstate judge was Paul Jones. Mr Jones was from Sydney and was highly regarded in the industry. Judging took the form of a ‘Pea in a pot’ system under the watchful eye of Don Baker of CBN sales. Don Baker filled this role for 10 years and was followed by Trevor Johnson.

By the fifth year all the judges of the awards were from out of Brisbane, namely from Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide. With the reputation of the club growing, particularly in the southern states, the awards had no trouble attracting some of the top names as judges. A look through the list of names of past judges shows a who’s who of Australian advertising.

The judging categories have changed and developed over the years. Categories were added to the list as they came into prominence. In 1982 , BADC were the first club in Australia to introduce a free-entry, student category. 1987 saw the introduction of the BAD Person of the Year award, designed to recognise outstanding contribution to the industry.

But the one thing that has kept the BADC going for all these years is their ability to throw a fantastic party. By 1979 Barrie Dye and Ted Poulter had begun to envisage the awards as a big party plus an awards night. The people liked the idea. The awards went from a crowd of 100 at the first awards night to a staggering 800 – 1000 by 1988. There was now a problem of finding a venue for so many people. A creatively modified City Hall was the only place in Brisbane big enough. The concept of catching up with old friends has certainly been a success.

Of course a party this big needs someone to pay for it. It was in the ninth year that sponsorship began, with categories being sponsored by suppliers and other associated businesses. The first sponsor was Brian Cassingham of Cass and Company.

But if there is a single continuing legacy that BADC have brought to Brisbane, it is their contribution to the standard of work being produced in Brisbane today. By forcing the industry to assess their work, the BADC awards have made a significant contribution to increasing standards of work in Brisbane today. This in turn has meant greater recognition of the talented people working out of Brisbane.

And that has been and always should be the aim of the Brisbane Advertising and Design Club, to promote the creative excellence of the Brisbane advertising and design industry.