MxMIndia

Category: Awards

  • The juries for Titanium and Integrated, Press, Outdoor, Radio and Film Craft categories are announced

    Tista Sen, Malvika Mehra, Tapas Sen & Abhijit Chaudhuri join Prasoon Joshi in first list of Cannes Lions jury

    By A Correspondent

     

    Tista Sen, Malvika Mehra, Tapas Sen and Abhijit Chaudhuri join Prasoon Joshi in the first list of Cannes Lions jury announced yesterday. While Mr Joshi is Jury President of the coveted Titanium and Integrated category (as announced earlier), Ms Mehra will be adjudicate in the Press category, Ms Sen in Outdoor, Mr (Tapas) Sen in Radio and Mr Chaudhuri in Film Craft.

     

    Commenting on this year’s jury line-up, Philip Thomas, CEO of Lions Festivals says, “We are delighted to welcome this group of high calibre professionals to judge entries and award creative excellence in their respective categories. Every year the outcome of the judging process at Cannes Lions sets new benchmarks in creative communications for the global industry. By pulling together this collection of leading names we can expect the outcome of the jury’s deliberations to continue to achieve this.”

     

    The entire list of the juries for the five categories is as follows:

     

    Titanium & Integrated

     

    Prasoon Joshi, Chairman, CEO and Chief Creative Officer, India & South Asia, McCann Worldgroup – Jury President

    Alexandre Herv̩, Vice President РExecutive Creative Director, DDB Paris, France
    Anselmo Ramos, Founder, David, Brazil
    Gaston Legorburu, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, SapientNitro, Global
    Jacki Kelley, CEO North America & President, Global Clients, IPG Mediabrands, Global
    Katrien Bottez, Executive Creative Director, Duval Guillaume, Belgium
    Kentaro Kimura, Co-CEO, Executive Creative Director, Hakuhodo Kettle, Japan
    Kevin Brady, Executive Creative Director, Droga5, USA
    Steve Vranakis, Executive Creative Director, Google Creative Lab, UK
    Tor Mhyren, President/Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, Grey, Global

     

    Press

     

    R̩mi Babinet, Founder and Creative Director, BETC, France РJury President

    Alvin Lim, Group Creative Director, Draftfcb, China
    Damisa Ongsiriwattana, Creative Director, JWT Bangkok, Thailand
    Damon Stapleton, Executive Creative Director, Saatchi & Saatchi, Australia
    Danilo Boer, VP Senior Creative Director, BBDO New York, USA
    Darren Bailes, Executive Creative Director, VCCP, UK
    Fernando Tchechenistky, Executive Creative Director, DDB, Argentina
    Gabriel Roman, President/General Creative Director, Lowe Ginkgo, Uruguay
    Götz Ulmer, Executive Creative Officer, Jung von Matt/Alster, Germany
    Juan Silva, Executive Creative Director, Shackleton, Spain
    Kalpesh Patankar, Creative Director, Y&R Dubai, UAE
    Leslie Sims, Executive Creative Director, McCann NY, USA
    Malvika Mehra, National Creative Director & Executive Vice President, Grey Worldwide, India
    Marcelo Reis, Creative VP and Partner, Leo Burnett Tailor Made, Brazil
    Mariana O’Kelly, Joint Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy & Mather, South Africa
    Maurice Wee, Creative Director, Bartle Bogle Hegarty, Singapore
    Nuno Jerónimo, Partner & Creative Director, O Escritório, Portugal
    Volkan Karakasoglu, Creative Director, TBWA\Istanbul, Turkey

     

    Outdoor

     

    Jose Miguel Sokoloff, President, Lowe Global Creative Council & Co Chairman and CCO Lowe SSP3 Colombia – Jury President

    Alemsah Ozturk, Chief Happiness Officer, 41? 29!, Turkey
    Brett Morris, Chief Executive Officer & Chief Creative Officer, Draftfcb, South Africa
    Cristina Tin Sanchez, Executive Creative Director, BBDO Guerrero, The Philippines
    Darren Spiller, Executive Creative Director, DDB Group Melbourne, Australia
    Eugene Cheong, Chief Creative Officer, Asia Pacific, Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific, Singapore
    Gigi Lee, Executive Creative Director, Y&R Malaysia, Malaysia
    Gonzalo Ricca, Executive Creative Director, DON, Argentina
    Jeff Kling, Chief Creative Officer, Fallon Worldwide, USA
    José Valdir Bianchi, Art Director, Agência Mood, Brazil
    Juan Sanchez, Chief Creative Officer, TBWA\España, Spain
    Keiichi Higuchi, Creative Director, Dentsu, Japan
    Kevin Lee, Executive Creative Director/Partner, Leagas Delaney, China
    Luis Elizalde, Executive VP Chief Creative Officer, Saatchi & Saatchi, Mexico
    Matthieu Elkaim, Executive Creative Director, CLM BBDO, France
    Stefan Kolle, Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Kolle Rebbe, Germany
    Tista Sen, National Creative Director & Senior Vice President, JWT India, India
    Vicki Maguire, Deputy Executive Creative Director, Grey London, UK

     

    Radio

     

    Tony Hertz, Owner & Creative Director, Tony Hertz: Radio & Brand Sound, The Philippines – Jury President

    Danny Searle, Chief Creative Office/Vice Chairman BBDO Asia, BBDO, Singapore
    Emma Eriksson, Creative/Partner, Le Bureau, Sweden
    Felipe Luchi, Creative Vice-President, Lew’Lara\TBWA, Brazil
    Jan Leube, Chief Creative Officer, Y&R, Germany
    Josh Rabinowitz, EVP/Director of Music, Grey Group, USA
    Max König, Creative Director, Simple, Chile
    Raf Debraekeleer, Producer – Director, Cobra Radio Brewery, Belgium
    Rafael Arnau, Producer, Composer, Sound designer, Rafael Arnau Freelance, Spain
    Shane Bradnick, Executive Creative Director, DDB, New Zealand
    Simon Blaxland, Owner, Blazland Productions, UK
    Tapas Sen, Chief Programming CrOfficer, Radio Mirchi, Entertainment Network, India
    Tom Eymundson, Partner, Director, Pirate Group, Canada
    Vanessa Pearson, Executive Creative Director, House of Brave, South Africa
    Victoria Marie Evensen, Copywriter, Dinamo, Norway
    Vince Lagana, Creative Director, Leo Burnett Sydney, Australia

     

    Film Craft

     

    Brian Carmody, Co-Founder, Smuggler, USA – Jury President

    Abhijit Chaudhuri, Director, Q.E.D. Films, India
    Augusto Gimenez Zapiola, Director, Argentinacine, Argentina
    Corey Esse, Managing Director/Executive Producer, Exit Films, Australia
    Felipe Vellasco, Director, Sentimental Filme, Brazil
    Jenny Gadd, Head of Integrated Production, Johannes Leonardo, USA
    Kerstin Heffels, Producer, Heimat, Germany
    Martin Loraine, Deputy ECD, AMV BBDO, UK
    Pia Dueholm, Executive Agency Producer, INGO Stockholm, Sweden
    Roel Welling, Director, Wefilm, The Netherlands
    Thierry Buriez, Creative Director, Being, France

     

    With the introduction of the new Product Design category, a total of 17 juries will be judging in Cannes this year. Members of the remaining 12 juries will be announced shortly. Cannes Lions, the world’s leading celebration of creativity in brand communications, will take place 15-21 June at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France. For information on how to enter work, or register to attend, please visit www.canneslions.com.

     

  • The jury members will meet in Cannes to judge work in the new Product Design, Film, Media and Promo & Activation Lions categories

    Cannes announces jury list for four categories

    By a correspondent

     

    The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has announced the members of a further four juries who will meet in Cannes to judge work in the new Product Design,  Film, Media and Promo & Activation Lions categories.

     

    Commenting on the formidable jury line-up including the new Product Design Lions jury, Terry Savage, Chairman of Lions Festivals, said, “As a global festival celebrating the best creative ideas in brand communications, it is important to embrace all facets of this ever-changing industry, and as such we very much look forward to welcoming the members of the first ever Product Design Lions jury to Cannes Lions along with all our other juries. By judging and awarding only the very best work using integrity, commitment and unbeatable industry knowledge, this esteemed group of industry professionals selected for these juries, will ultimately help drive the industry forward on a global scale.”

     

    As implemented last year, there will be a two-stage judging process for the Media Lions category. A 40-strong jury of media professionals from around the world will be divided into eight sub-groups of five people tasked to cast the first round of votes that will determine the shortlist. Jury president Matt Seiler, Global CEO of IPG Mediabrands, will spend time with each sub-group but will not vote during this first round. At the second voting stage, the shortlist will be judged and the winners selected by the Awarding Jury made up of 13 media industry leaders including the jury president.

     

    The three other juries will be led by Amir Kassaei, Chief Creative Officer, DDB Worldwide, USA (Film Lions); Susan Credle, Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett, USA (Promo & Activation Lions) and Donghoon Chang, Executive Vice President, Samsung Electronics, South Korea (Product Design Lions).

     

    Amir Kassaei, Chief Creative Officer, DDB Worldwide, USA is the Jury President for the Film category while Matt Seiler, Global Chief Executive Officer, IPG Mediabrands, is the Global - Jury President + Awarding Jury for the Media category.

     

    Susan Credle, Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett, USA is the Jury President for Promo & Activation while Donghoon Chang, Executive Vice President, Samsung Electronics, South Korea is the Jury President for Product Design category.

     

  • The chief guest at the event was actor Amitabh Bachchan, who was also accorded the Honorary Membership of the IAA India Chapter

    HUL, McCann win big at IAA’s Olive Crown Awards for green advertising

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Holi weekend got off to a green start with the International Advertising Association India Chapter’s Olive Crown Awards on Friday, March 14 in Mumbai. The crème de la crème of the Indian advertising business was in attendance for the fourth edition of what is India’s first and only recognition for creative excellence in communicating sustainability.

     

    Mc Cann Erickson was crowned Green Agency of the Year. The agency also bagged the coveted Campaign of the Year for ‘Wake Up, Clean Up’. Dentsu Creative Impact got the Silver in the Campaign of the Year. Hindustan Unilever was awarded the Corporate Social Crusader of the Year as well as the Green Brand of the Year. Mathrubhumi too received the Corporate Social Crusader of the Year while the DDB Mudra group bagged the Silver in the Green Brand of the Year category.

     

    The Green Advertiser of the Year award went to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Karnataka State Government. The Green Crusader of the Year was awarded to Maneka Gandhi, Member of Parliament. The chief guest at the event was actor Amitabh Bachchan, who was also accorded the Honorary Membership of the IAA India Chapter.

     

    Srinivasan Swamy

    Said Srinivasan K Swamy, Chairman, R K Swamy BBDO and President, India Chapter and VP-Development Asia Pacific, IAA: “These awards have acquired the hue of a ’cause’ and this is one of the reasons for their universal acceptance.”

     

     

  • Cannes announces jury list for Cyber, Design and Direct Lions categories

    Juries for Cyber, Design and Direct Lions announced by Cannes

    By a correspondent

     

    The organisers of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the largest global annual awards celebrating excellence in creative communications, have announced members of an additional three juries set to participate at this year’s event for the Cyber, Design and Direct Lions categories.

     

    Commenting on the jury line-up, Philip Thomas, CEO of Lions Festivals said, “The prestige associated with winning a Lion is largely a result of the calibre of the professionals judging the work. It is therefore fitting to have such a formidable group of industry experts, who will no doubt help inspire and advance the global communications industry with the outcome of their deliberations. We very much look forward to welcoming them all to Cannes in June.”

     

    The juries will be chaired by Susan Bonds, Chief Executive Officer, 42 Entertainment, USA (Cyber Lions); Karl Heiselman, Chief Executive Officer, Wolff Olins, USA (Design Lions); and James McGrath, Creative Chairman, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, Australia (Direct Lions).

     

    Three Indians have made it to the list including Meera Sharath Chandra, Founder Chief Executive Officer & Chief Creative Officer, Tigress Tigress, India in the Cyber category; Mangesh Rane, Founder Director, Open Strategy & Design, India in the Design category; and Rajat Sethi, Partner, Strategic Caravan International, India in the Direct category.

     

  • Indian entries enjoy unprecedented success at D&AD Awards 2014

    India Shining @ D&AD global awards

    By A Correspondent

     

    Indian craft and creativity was recognised in a big way at this year’s D&AD Awards, with an incredible 25 Awards handed out to Indian entrants, with three of those in contention to win a Yellow Pencil as Nominated* work.

     

    In 2013, India achieved just two In Book Awards with no Nominated entries. Meanwhile, this year’s haul elevates India to a highly respectable 9th in the global table, further consolidating the Indian creative community’s burgeoning reputation on the international stage. While In-Book refers to work that will be included in the 52nd D&AD Annual which will be published in September 2014, Nominations refers to work that will be included in the D&AD Annual and is also being considered by the Jury for the award of a Yellow Pencil. The Yellow Pencil results will be announced at an event in London on 22 May 2014.

     

    Ogilvy & Mather India earned two Nominations in Graphic Design and Crafts for Design for its work with WWF India in addition to a further four In Books within Outdoor Advertising.

     

    At this stage (before the Yellow Pencils are awarded in May), McCann Erickson India is the most awarded agency from India, earning 10 In Book Awards and a Nomination in the White Pencil category for its Share My Dabba campaign for Happy Life Welfare, The Dabbawala Foundation.

     

    D&AD is partnering with Kyoorius to bring the awards with the same standards of judging and creativity. The awards are scheduled to happen on June 12 in Mumbai with the Call for Entries having been issued already.

     

    Tim Lindsay

    Said D&AD CEO Tim Lindsay: “Entries to D&AD have gone up over 10% this year, which is a reflection of D&AD’s increasing popularity in maturing creative markets like Brazil and China. The main theme we’re seeing this year is one of convergence: the lines between categories are becoming more and more blurred, which means ideas have to be smarter and the execution more pristine than ever. We’ve also seen a massive increase in smaller design studios entering – which I hope indicates the creative industries are in rude health at every level.”

     

    In total, 683 awards were handed out at the 2014 awards, up on the figure of 614 from the previous year. Globally at this stage (before the Yellow Pencils are awarded on May 22), Grey London has racked up the highest number of Awards with 19 (2 Nominations and 17 In Books).

     

    There has been a crop of Awards for Ogilvy&Mather Paris’s ‘Smarter People for Smarter Cities’, which took 13; Grey London’s ‘The Sunday Times Rich List’, which took 11 and Ogilvy & Mather Brazil’s ‘Real Beauty Sketches’, which took six.

     

    As a non-profit, all of D&AD’s surpluses go straight into programmes that develop the next generation of creative talent while campaigning for the creative industries to help solve the world’s toughest social and environmental issues. As has been reported earlier, the surpluses from the D&AD Award’s Indian avatar, will also be ploughed back to help the fraternity.

     

  • With global judging standards set to be replicated at the Kyoorius Awards, a look at what it took to decide on this year's most coveted awards

    What makes the Pencil so Pure?

     

    By Shephali Bhatt

     

    If ‘popular’ is the operative word for a Cannes Lion, ‘pure’ would perhaps be the most apt for a D&AD pencil. Among the most revered awards in advertising, the London-based show has a rigorous judging process that sets it apart. The winning categories are In Book (entries that find a place in the D&AD Annual, and an equivalent of Bronze), Nomination (Silver), Yellow Pencil (Gold) and finally Black Pencil (an equivalent of the coveted Grand Prix.)

     

    The judging for D&AD 2014 was held at Kensington Olympia in London over a period of one week starting 24 March. With the award entries spread out in the Olympia’s grand hall, it certainly makes a case for the most beautiful judging room, rivalling even the Palais at Cannes with its views of the Mediterranean.

     

    Unlike other shows where agencies enter a lot of work across categories to raise the odds of winning, here they only send what they think is exceptional. Part of it can be attributed to the high participation fees, says Sue Daun, executive creative director at Interbrand London and one of the jury members in the Branding category this year. But more importantly, it’s because everyone views the work basis its excellence.

     

    What’s encouraging is how the jurors don’t run a good piece of work down just because it wasn’t entered correctly. If they feel it’s deserving of some recognition, they go to the extent of asking if it’s also been submitted to the right category and if not, they ask if it can be. “There’s no agenda except to bring out the best work,” says Tista Sen, JWT India’s NCD and a D&AD 2014 jury member for Outdoor. Nobody tries to find which agency has created a particular piece or make an agenda of running down advertising from rival shops or networks. That whatever wins will be a reflection of the judges’ calibre is what drives them. “We should be able to defend the work we vote for,” is the mindset the judges have here which is unheard of at many other shows around the world which operate on a ‘more the merrier’ philosophy when it comes to trophies.

     

    At the same time, the criteria for choosing the best work are extremely stringent. So, phrases like ‘I like it’ or ‘I just don’t like it’ don’t cut ice with ‘Craft for Advertising’ jury foreman Louise Sloper who is also the head of design at BETC London. You will have to be able to answer ‘what bits did you like in particular’. The judges are tough but evidently fair. So John Mescall, Mc-Cann Melbourne’s ECD (Yes, of the Dumb Ways To Die fame) can solemnly ask to “kill the sound” of an entry for trailbytimeline.org.nz because the jury needs to experience what it is like to visit the actual website which doesn’t have a supporting voice-over.

     

    Alcohol brands are in for a hard time with the jury across categories since most innovations are suspected to have been “done before.” So is the case with any PSAs that come their way. Rob Reilly, jury foreman of Integrated and Earned Media and the global creative chairman of McCann Worldgroup, opines it’s easy to create a great idea for an NGO and convince them to buy it. It’s a challenge to do that for great brands and he for one has more respect for the latter while judging.

     

    Some judges did complain of too many entries trying too hard and becoming complicated in the process. The judges unanimously believe that to make something simple is a lot harder. What dominates the entire judging process is an aura of positivism where judges are immersed in bringing out the best work ahead and everyone is allowed to have their say, senior or rookie (which many complain is absent from other award shows). If implemented well, some of these ideas can raise the standards of the gong fests back home. Something that we are in dire need of.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2014, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • Ambuja Cement has entrusted the creative duties for brand Ambuja to Publicis

    Publicis bags Ambuja Cement creative mandate

    By a correspondent

     

    Ambuja Cement has announced that they have entrusted the creative duties for brand Ambuja to Publicis.

     

    Vivek Deshpande- Head Branding, Ambuja Cements said, “We have very ambitious plans for our brand – we wanted an agency who would partner us at every step of the way forward. In Publicis we found both the strategic and creative quality that gives us confidence. We look forward to this partnership.”

     

    Nakul Chopra

    Nakul Chopra, CEO Publicis South Asia added, “Ambuja is an iconic brand; we feel privileged to partner them in taking their brand to the next level. That this opportunity will allow for media neutral ideas which could straddle traditional and non-traditional media – makes it even more exciting.”

     

     

     

    Partha Sinha
    Bobby Pawar

    In a joint statement, Partha Sinha and Bobby Pawar, Directors Publicis South Asia said, “We are delighted with this opportunity – we have some ambitious ideas for the brand and are currently in the middle of executing them. It’s a fantastic brand team to work with and we are confident of delivering big on this brand.”

     

  • Bennett, Coleman and Co Ltd was among the four regional winners in the International News Media Association (INMA) Global Innovation Awards for 2014

    BCCL wins INMA Global Innovation Awards

    By A Correspondent

     

    Bennett, Coleman and Co Ltd was among the four regional winners in the International News Media Association (INMA) Global Innovation Awards announced in Dallas,USA. The competition rewards excellence in media company innovation programmes. A global winner will be announced on May 13 at the INMA World Congress in San Francisco.

     

    The other regional Global Innovation Awards recipients were Gannett, US; Fairfax Media, Australia and MittMedia, Sweden.

     

    The Best in South Asia accolade went to BCCL for its entry on “Transforming Print Media Sales Culture Through Technology.” The sales culture transformation programme looked at ending silo selling, more efficient pricing, driving agility and creating a climate of accountability, and data-driven selling. The programme included intense effort at changing the internal culture to one that encourages efficiency, agility, and accountability.

     

    From these four regional winners, a global award recipient will be unveiled at the closing dinner of the INMA World Congress May 13 in San Francisco. Regional winners’ innovation programmes will be presented at the World Congress and awards formally presented.

     

    The INMA Global Innovation Awards are designed to shine a spotlight on the fast-emerging structured innovation programmes of media companies seeking new foundations in transformational times.

     

    “With this new competition, INMA wants to reward the people, programmes, and processes behind the emerging innovation culture in the media industry – the foundations upon which novel ideas are being launched at a rapid rate,” said Earl J Wilkinson, executive director and CEO of INMA. “We want to reward media companies that are mastering the art of innovating routinely.”

     

  • AAAI has announced the winners of its Young Lions Competitions in Creative (Print), Media and Marketers categories

    AAAI announces the winners of Young Lions Competitions

    By a correspondent

     

    The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) has announced the winners of its Young Lions Competitions in Creative (Print), Media and Marketers categories.

     

    The winning teams included: Young Lions Creative Competition that was won by Gaurav Joshi & Siddharth Joglekar from Publicis India, Mumbai for “Come forward and help crime and accident victims”; Young Lions Media Competition that was won by Chinmay Kelkar & Rohan Sood from MediaCom, Mumbai for “Don’t bribe and kill the nation”; and Young Lions Marketers Competition that was won by Samyukta Iyer & Janvi Parekh from Hindustan Unilever, Mumbai for “A premium brand enters a traditional Indian category of hair oil but Indians are not willing to pay the premium. What Ad strategy should they use?”

     

    The jury for Creative Competition comprised Josy Paul (Chairman and National Creative Director, BBDO India), K S Chakravarthy (National Creative Director, FCB Ulka), Bobby Pawar (Director, Chief Creative Officer – South Asia, Publicis India) in Phase-I and Haresh Moorjani (Creative Director, FCB Ulka), Bobby Pawar (Director, Chief Creative Officer – South Asia, Publicis India), Nandan Srinath (Director-Response, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd) and Vinod Nair (Managing Director, Network Advertising) in Phase-II.

     

    For Media, the jury comprised Dinesh Vyas (General Manager, India-Planning, MEC), Anand Chakravarthy (Head-West, Maxus), Sujata Dwibedy (Vice President, Starcom India), Deepak Netram (Vice President, Lodestar UM) in the Phase-I and Sam Balsara (Chairman & Managing Director, Madison Communications), Jasmin Sohrabji (Managing Director, Radeus Advertising) in the final phase.

     

    The jury of Marketers Competition comprised Ajay Kakar (Chief Marketing Officer-Financial Services, Aditya Birla Group), Deepali Naair (Chief Marketing Officer, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts), Rohit Srivastava (Core Consulting and National Head of Strategic Planning, Contract Advertising), Nandan Srinath (Director-Response, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd), Vinod Nair (Managing Director, Network Advertising) and the Marketers competition was conducted under the leadership of Dr M G Parameswaran, Advisor, FCB Ulka.

     

    These competitions conducted by AAAI, supported by The Times Group, had invited participation of young creative people, under 28 years of age, from Advertising Agencies (for Creative) young media professionals, under 28 years of age, from Advertising/Media Agencies (for Media) and young marketing professionals, under 30 years of age, from client organisations/Advertisers (for Marketers). In all 250 entries were received for these competitions.

     

    The winning teams will be flying to France in the month of June this year to participate in the prestigious Young Lions Competitions in Cannes Lions.

     

  • Indian entries bagged six awards where a total of 56 awards – 12 Golds, 26 Silvers and 18 Bronzes were presented.

    Lowe Lintas shines at APAC Effie 2014, second runner-up in Agency of the Year

    By A Correspondent

     

    Lowe Lintas Mumbai bagged four metals at the APAC Effie 2014 which had  its Awards Gala on April 3. A total of 56 awards – 12 Golds, 26 Silvers and 18 Bronzes were presented. Indian entries bagged six awards.

     

    Australia, China and New Zealand are ranked the top 3 countries with the highest number of winners. Also announced at the Awards Gala were the APAC Effie 2014 Agency of the Year and Agency Network of the Year Awards. Colenso BBDO/Proximity New Zealand was awarded Agency of the Year Awards, with Lowe Lintas & Partners Mumbai and Whybin\TBWA Sydney following closely in the second and third positions respectively.

     

    BBDO Worldwide was named the Agency Network of the Year, picking up a total of2 Golds, 7 Silvers and 6 Bronzes from its agencies in the region. In the running were Ogilvy & Mather and Lowe & Partners.

     

    Amidst the celebration in marketing effectiveness, the Awards Gala was also filled with joy and laughter brought by Pam Oei, a veteran actor and comedian who was the host and entertainer for the evening.

     

    “We were impressed by the volume of outstanding entries from the region. The strong participation from the industry is extremely encouraging for our first year,” commented Connie Chan, the 2014 Awards Chairman. “The Effies represents excellence in marketing effectiveness and winning this highly-coveted award is not easy.  Huge congratulations to all winners for the great work!”

     

    APAC Effie Awards is organised by Confederation of Asian Advertising Agency Associations (CAAAA) and Tenasia Group.  Said Anthony Kang, Chairman of CAAAA and Chairman of the APAC Effie Committee, “Effie Awards is a global symbol of marketing effectiveness and winning an APAC Effie is a huge testament that the work is one of the best in the region. It is more than just another great idea as it delivers outstanding results.”

     

    The Gold, Silver, Bronze winners and Finalists will be included in the Effie Effectiveness Index (http://www.effieindex.com), a global ranking which identifies and ranks the most effective marketers, brands by analysing finalist and winner data from worldwide Effie competitions.

     

    The full winners list can be viewed at the APAC Effie website – http://www.apaceffie.com.

     

  • The wins include PropTiger, Yepme and MySmartPrice in the consumer internet and eCommerce space

    Aim High bags 11 new PR clients

    By a correspondent

     

    PR firm Aim High Consulting (AHC) has announced 11 new client wins as they get into the fiscal 2014-2015. The wins include PropTiger, Yepme and MySmartPrice in the consumer internet and eCommerce space. AHC’s other wins are in sectors like NBFC, realty, IT, education and, wealth management.

     

    N Ravi Shankar, CEO, Aim High Consulting said, “We have some of India’s most exciting companies onboard for the new fiscal – around 50 of them, including the 11 new ones. The start-up ecosystem in India is evolving as much as the media that caters to this ecosystem; and we have managed to keep pace with both. It is with this confidence that these companies have decided to engage with us. PR for start-ups and emerging businesses has been our core strength and we are confident of growing the new clients that have come into our arboretum.”

     

  • The prestigious prize was awarded for significantly reducing the average time it takes to handle complaints

    ASCI awarded Gold award by EASA

    By a correspondent

     

    The European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA) Global Best Practice Gold Award was presented to The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) at the EASA’s bi-annual meeting in Amsterdam. The prestigious prize was awarded “for significantly reducing the average time it takes to handle complaints”.

     

    EASA mentioned that “The ASCI put in place actions to substantially reduce the journey time of complaints – from their first point of contact with the Secretariat, through the Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) and on to the transmission of the final decision to the advertiser and complainant.”

     

    The prompt and efficient processing of complaints meant that ASCI reduced the lead time of Complaints Processing from on an average from 45 days in 2011 to 28 days in 2012 to now 12 days. Other Key measures included introduction of Suspension Pending Investigation (SPI) by which ASCI can order an extremely objectionable ad to be removed immediately pending investigation, expansion from one to two Consumer Complaints Councils (CCC’s) which enabled weekly instead of bimonthly in 2013 and monthly in 2012 meetings, a faster response time to complaints and tracking of upheld complaint ads.

     

    Partha Rakshit

    ASCI’s Chairman, Partha Rakshit said, “ASCI is thrilled to learn that it has won the prestigious Gold Award for 2013. Last year we won the EASA Silver Awards for the National Advertising Monitoring Service (NAMS) initiative which started tracking most of the print and TV ads in India. That award spurred us to focus on improving ASCI’s effectiveness and credibility as a SRO delivering speedier redressal of complaints and higher compliance of its decisions, which has got the Gold this year. Various Government departments now recognize and support our self- regulation work by including ASCI’s code and representation in the rules and committees established to regulate advertising content respectively. We are very grateful to EASA for recognizing our work and for advice & encouragement they, along with the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), provide to ASCI.”