JWT is top network at AdFest

The final night of AdFest was a big one for JWT. As a network they won 2009 Network Agency of theYear for the second year running and JWT Shanghai put in a great effort to win Agency of the Year. Campaign Brief Asia doesn’t have access to any methodology or tallies by JWT Shanghai would have been in stiff competition for this award with BBDO Malaysia, Dentsu Tokyo and Saatchi & Saatchi Malaysia.

JWT showed the depth of the network by winning awards across the agency (Shanghai, Beijing, Jakarta, Bangkok, Colombo, Mumbai and Chennai) and in almost every category from television to radio to Cyber.

“I believe JWT’s commitment to Passion, our regional creative review, is critical in maintaining our creative excellence and developing young creative talent,” said SheungYan Lo, Chairman and ECD, JWT China.

Three of JWT’s most awarded campaign’s are CEPF’s “Shan Shui” from JWT Shanghai, Nokia’s “Bruce Lee”  from JWT Beijing and The Times of India’s “Naaka Mukka” from JWT Chennai. JWT’s final medal tally included 7 Golds, 12 Silvers, 8 Bronzes and numerous Finalists.

Phenomena Bangkok was named Production Company of the Year (for the second year in a row)

Interactive Agency of the Year was Dentsu Inc Tokyo, while DM Agency ofthe Year was Clemenger BBDO Melbourne. Advertiser of the Year wasthe China Environment Protection Foundation.

All in all CB Asia thinks alldelegates would have to agree that, despite the big drop in entries anddelegates, this was a good festival. The award showpresentations were better organised and the speeches were all of a highstandard. The key, of course, is the judging, and across the boardstandards were very tough and jury selection was first class.

Well done AdFest.

This year was the 12th Asia Pacific Advertising Festival and the Gala Dinner announced the winners of this year’s Film, Radio, Outdoor, 360, INNOVA, Lotus Roots and Special Award winners.

CYBER LOTUS

This year, out of 305 entries, there were 5 Golds, 10 Silvers and 16 Bronze Lotus Awards in the Cyber category, in addition to 1 Best of Show. The Best of Show was awarded to GT Inc, Tokyo, which in addition won a Gold, Silver and Bronze Lotus Award.

The remaining Gold Lotus Awards were won by Dentsu Inc. Tokyo, Bascule Inc. Tokyo, JWT Beijing and BBDO Proximity Malaysia.

Japanese agencies continue to excel in the Cyber category, with an impressive 20 Lotus Awards in addition to 1 Best of Show. Of the 5 Gold Cyber Lotus Awards, 3 were awarded to Japan, which also won 6 of the 10 total Silver Lotuses. Other top performing regions included JWT Beijing, with 1 Gold and 1 Silver; while Singapore, Sydney and Seoul also walked away with a Silver Lotus Cyber Award each.

FILM LOTUS

From a total of 443 entries, 37 Film Lotus Awards were presented, including 1 Best of Show, 6 Gold, 16 Silver and 14 Bronze awards.

ADK Tokyo collected Best of Show for its ‘LaLa Reports’ campaign for LaLa Girls Comic Magazine. It also picked up 2 Silver Lotus Awards. The following six agencies won Gold: JWT Bangkok for ‘Eraser’ Chiclets Stick; Ogilvy & Mather Jappan KK Tokyo for ‘Great Supporting Role’ for Shiro Sake; George Patterson Y&R Melbourne ‘Burst’ for Schweppes; Lowe Indonesia Jakarta that created ‘Dojo’ for Lifebuoy Shampoo; Ogilvy & Mather Bangkok for ‘Melody of Life’ Thai Life Insurance; and Ogilvy & Mather Taipei for ‘Soap’ for Wego, which also won 1 Silver and 1 Bronze for entries from the same campaign.

Tokyo was the top performing city with 1 Best of Show, 1 Gold, 6 Silvers and 2 Bronzes, followed by Bangkok with 2 Gold, 4 Silvers and 4 Bronze. Other top performers include Melbourne with 1 Gold and 1 Bronze; Singapore with 3 Bronze; and India with 2 Silvers and 1 Bronze.

RADIO LOTUS

Out of 124 entries for Radio Lotus, 14 awards were presented including one Best of Show, 2 Gold, 8 Silver and 3 Bronze.

Leo Burnett Melbourne picked up Best of Show for its Connex ‘Busy Man’ campaign for SMS Updates. The agency also won Gold for its ‘Punctuation’ campaign plus 2 Silvers for ‘Pizza’ and ‘Words’, all for SMS Updates.

The second Gold Radio Lotus Award went to Rediffusion Y&R Mumbai for its ‘Themes’ campaign for Seventymm. The agency also won Silver for its ‘Vandana’ campaign for American India Foundation.

Other agencies to win Silver in this category include: Grey Melbourne for ‘Pictures of you’ Anti-Speeding Message, Publicis Communication Mumbai for ‘400 Times’ Mosquito Repellent, JWT Bangkok picked up 2 Silvers for ‘Argument’ Brasso and ‘Shortest Story’ Sorrento Highlight Marker, and Creative Juice\Bangkok, which also won 2 Bronze for its Malee Juice Mix Cool Max series.

The third bronze went to Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore for ESPN Radio.

OUTDOOR LOTUS

With 365 entries, there were 2 Gold, 5 Silver and 10 Bronze Awards in this category, plus 1 Best of Show. Ogilvy Beijing won Best of Show for its New Citizen Program series (see left), and also won 2 Silvers. Two Gold Outdoor Lotus Awards were presented to DDB Sydney for ‘Night Reflection’ McDonalds and ADK Tokyo for its IKEA Kansai store launch.

Three remaining Silver Lotus Awards were presented to Y&R Singapore, BBDO Guerrero Manila and Lowe and Partners Petaling Jaya, which also scooped 2 Bronze Outdoor Lotus Awards. The other top ranking agencies in this category include Aim Proximity Auckland and JWT Shanghai, with two Bronze Outdoor Lotus Awards apiece.

360 LOTUS

This year 52 entries were received to the 360 Lotus Awards but only three finalists were shortlisted. The 360 Lotus category was judged by the seven Jury Presidents: Sir John Hegarty, Chairman & Worldwide Creative Director at BBH, London; Mark Tutssel, Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett Worldwide, Chicago; Prasoon Pandey, Director at Corcoise Films, Mumbai; Selina Ang, Executive Director at OgilvyOne Worldwide Malaysia; Suthisak Sucharittanonta, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer BBDO Bangkok, Bangkok; Koshi Uchiyama, Creative Director at GT Inc. / (suit) men entertainment, Tokyo; and Vince Frost, Creative Director and CEO of Frost*Design in Sydney.

The Jury Presidents were disappointed with the quality of entries this year, but three agencies successfully made the Finalists: Dentsu Tec Inc for the SoftBank Mobile White Family Project, TWBA\Tequila\New Zealand for ‘This is not a Jersey’ for adidas; and McCann-Erickson Tokyo for ‘
Mushi Battle Project’, Tokyo Hands.

INNOVA LOTUS

The INNOVA Lotus Award is given for outstanding innovation ideas for communication. It was also judged by the 7 Jury Presidents. Out of 48 entries received, the Grande INNOVA Lotus went to Dentsu Razorfish Tokyo for its ‘Melody Road’ safety awareness campaign.

Two INNOVA Lotus Awards were also presented to TBWA\Tequila\New Zealand for ‘adiThread’ for adidas and McCann Worldgroup Hong Kong for ‘Flirting with Sound’ for Elements shopping mall. There was also one Finalist: Aim Proximity in Auckland, for its ‘Yellow Treehouse’ campaign for Yellow Pages Group.

ADFEST 2009 SPECIAL AWARDS

Recapping the Special Awards:

Film Production Company of the Year was awarded to Phenomena Co Ltd. Bangkok, which was also the recipient of the award in 2008. Advertiser of the Year was presented to China Environment Protection Foundation.

Awards were given to Dentsu Inc. Tokyo as Interactive Agency of the Year and Clemenger BBDO Mebourne as Direct Agency of the Year. JWT Shanghai was presented with Agency of the Year, which coupled with JWT winning Network Agency of the Year for the second year in a row.

SPEAKER SESSIONS

The final day of speaker sessions kicked off in the morning with Berlin School of Creative Leadership’s presentation of violinist Miha Pogacnik, who delighted delegates with his performance, entitled ‘Passage through the Fire’ where he deconstructed and played a classical musical fugue that he used to illustrate different styles of creative leadership,.

Cheil Worldwide provided a glimpse into the future of mobile advertising with its seminar, ‘Riding the Korean Mobile Wave’.

After lunch, Jury Presidents Vince Frost, Mark Tutssel, and Sir John Hegarty each gave highly illuminating presentations called ‘360’, ‘Wildfire 2008’ and ‘What Makes Great Work’ respectively. Tutssel presented his seminar in conjunction with Contagious magazine’s Deputy Editor Jessica Greenwood.