Dialogue

Brand Speak

Eight of the 10 Indian finalist entries bagged Bronze at the Asian Advertising Awards 2006, five of which went to JWT alone for the Slim Figures campaign for Levi’s. Media magazine announced the winners of the 20th edition of the Awards, which were given away at an event in Bali on April 27, 2006.

JWT Mumbai’s campaign Slim Figure has won two bronzes for Poster, two for Print, and one for Print Campaign. Speaking to exchange4media, Senthil Kumar, Creative Director, JWT Mumbai, said, “I think the Asian Advertising Awards are the No. 2 awards in the Asia Pacific region, after the Asia Pac Ad Fest. That’s the reason Campaign Brief considers it for their rankings. The Slim Figures campaign seems to be working for us well, and we’re hoping to win heavy metal at Clio and Cannes.”

In Print, under the Public Service / Charity Fund Raising Category, O&M, Mumbai’s work for The Indian Association For Promotion Of Adoption and Child Welfare (IAPA), titled Adoption ‘Bed’ – won a Bronze. In Television, again in the the Public Service / Charity Fund Raising Category, McCann Erickson’s work for Heal Foundation, titled ‘Boy’, also won a Bronze. This is proving to be another favourite at ad festivals, taking off from where it left at the Asia Pac Ad Fest, and was the only winner in the Television category from India.

In the Interactive Campaign competition, BC Web Wise won a Bronze for their work on Ford Fusion. Chaya Brian Carvalho, Managing Director, BC Web Wise, had said in a statement following the agency’s finalist nomination, “Without doubt our creative team puts in their best creative efforts to make every campaign truly effective and innovative. When the work gets recognised on the international arena, it definitely speaks volumes about our team’s capability.”

In addition to the Bronze winners, India had two more finalists in the running – both in the Television category. One of these was Leo Burnett’s work (in the Media segment) for The Times of India ‘Pakya’ film. The other was O&M’s Mobile Manners ‘MMS’ for Hutchison Telecom (Corporate and Insitutional Reputation / Image).

A record 3,213 entries from 15 markets were received for this year’s Awards, registering a 20 per cent rise over 2005, said the organisers. India and China showed the greatest increase in the number of entries submitted. Thai agencies were judged the overall strongest performers, winning the most number of awards across different categories, while Singapore agencies were ranked second.

Thailand’s JEH United scooped Best of the Best Award with the TV Campaign ‘The Love Story’ (series), a creative skincare advertisement for client Smooth E (Thailand) Co Ltd. Gold awards went to Lowe & Partners of Malaysia for their Print campaign for Land Rover Owners Club; JWT Shanghai for a Nike Poster Campaign; Dentsu Tokyo for their Out Of Home Campaign for NTT Resonant; and Creative Juice\G1 for their Bangkok Insurance TV work.

A panel led by JWT Global Chief Creative Officer, Craig Davis, judged the nominations. From India, K S Chakravarthy, National Creative Director, Rediffusion DYR, was part of the 16-member panel this year.

Commenting on the entries this year, Davis said, “This has been the strongest jury line up I’ve seen in recent years, and the work the judges have reviewed have been both fresh and imaginative. While it’s important for Asia that the work is recognised and awarded in the region, I have no doubt that the big winners we’ve selected here will go on to receive recognition at international shows.”

The Awards were combined with a two-day global creative conference – Create ’06 – dedicated to expanding the boundaries of creative advertising in Asia.