Business

Saturday October 31, 2009

Leo Burnett wins Agency of the Year award

By LEE KIAN SEONG


PETALING JAYA: Leo Burnett Advertising Sdn Bhd made a strong comeback at the Kancil Awards 2009 yesterday by winning the Agency of the Year Award and one of the two Golden Kancil Awards.It won the Golden Kancil Award in the film category for its piece entitled Funeral.

The company was not in the top 10 ranking in the Kancil Awards last year.

It recently won the gold award at the Malaysia Effie Awards for its Earth Hour 2009 campaign.

The other Golden Kancil Award went to digital marketing agency IF/Interactive for its digital work entitled Seconds Away.For a relatively young company, IF/Interactive has racked up an enviable number of local and international awards over the years.

It picked up a gold and four bronzes at last year’s Kancil Awards.

The company was 70% acquired by the London-listed marketing communications group Aegis Group plc (whose operations in Malaysia include specialist Carat) last year, bringing IF/Interactive under Aegis’ worldwide digital network, Isobar.

Advertiser of the Year was won by Singapore’s Ministry of Community Development, Youth & Sports. The Chairman’s Award was awarded to Ho Kay Tat from The Edge Communications. The event also featured a specially produced tribute to the multi-talented icon, the late Yasmin Ahmad. She was executive creative director with Leo Burnett.

Kancil Awards 2009 committee chairman Ng Chiew Ping said the committee saw a radical change in the birth of 10 Golden Kancils in this year’s awards. “We felt it timely to start honouring the different disciplines and nuances that make each category effectively unique.”

She said these radical changes were also reflected in the overall submissions with the digital entries doubling this year due to clients’ budgets as well as their deeper understanding of this “new” media.

“This growing phenomenon of going digital is also reflected in the increase in the number of mid-size agencies submitting their best works for a chance to win a Golden Kancil,

“In view of the current climate, we believe it is crucial that we do not lose momentum for the industry and continue to encourage, nurture and celebrate great ideas by hosting this creative award show that has been a vital part of the industry for the past 30 years,” she said.

The annual Kancil Awards is organised by the Association of Accredited Advertising Agents Malaysia.

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