SINGAPORE – September 18, 2013 – After breaking Grand Prix records at Cannes earlier this year, McCann Melbourne’s ‘Dumb Ways to Die’ made Spikes Asia history with a record seven Grand Prix trophies at last night’s award ceremonies. The Grand Prix wins in Branded Content & Entertainment, Digital, Film, Film Craft, Integrated, Promo & Activation and Radio helped bag for McCann Wordgroup the honor of Network of the Year, with McCann Melbourne as Agency of the Year, as well as Advertiser of the Year for client Metro Trains.
Speaking with adobo after the awarding, McCann Worldgroup Asia Pacific President Charles Cadell called the win as one being well worth the wait, as, “We’ve been trying to up the creative game for two or three years – it kinda takes that long in a network – so this is it, and hopefully we’ll see more of them. It’s fabulous!”
Held at the Marina Bay Sands Mastercard Theater in Singapore, the night also saw the Philippines’ first-ever Cannes Grand Prix winner DM9Jayme Syfu score two Grand Prix Spikes (in Direct and Mobile) for its groundbreaking Smart TXTBKS initiative.
DM9JaymeSyfu chairman and chief creative officer Merlee Jayme was jubilant as she told adobo, “It’s the first time, I think, for the Philippines to win a Grand Prix here, and the team is so proud to have these!”
According to Direct and Promo & Activation jury president Jose Miguel Sokoloff (President, Lowe Global Creative Council & Co Chairman and CCO Lowe SSP3 Colombia) the voting on ‘Smart TXTBKS’ in Direct was unanimous for its “perfect use of technology, not for technology itself, but for repurposing technology…to do good and be good,” adding that it had a resonance in society that was “brilliant and laudable”.
Mobile Juror Budjette Tan, Deputy Executive Creative Director at MRM Manila said the situation was similar when it came time to vote in his jury. “They were impressed how such a simple idea of using low-tech technology can change lives. We saw our share of AR-based and smartphone-based executions, but the simple fact that a low-tech phone and a sim you (might) throw away can change the life of a student impressed all the judges.”
The Philippines was well-represented at this year’s awards, with BBDO Guerrero bagging Gold in Creative Effectiveness for ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’. Ace Saatchi & Saatchi scored Silver in Film for “Re-Meet” for Cebuana Lhuillier, while their ‘Screen Age Love Story’ for MyDSL took a Silver each in Media and PR. Leo Burnett Manila won a Bronze Spike in Print for its ‘Earth Hour’ spot for WWF, while Y&R Philippines won a Bronze in PR for its ‘Dengue Bottle’ campaign for Maynilad Water Services. TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno won a Bronze Spike in the Design category for Ayala Land Nuvali’s ‘Koi Fish Feed Invite.’
Cheil Worldwide’s Cannes-winning campaign for Samsung Insurance, ‘Bridge of Life’ took the Spikes Outdoor Grand Prix for ‘Bridge of Life’, impressing judges with its approach to preventing suicide, while McCann WorldGroup India bagged a Design Grand Prix for ‘Keys are hard to find’ for ATSS Keyless Entry System, while 303Lowe, Perth was awarded the Grand Prix in Creative Effectiveness Grand Prix for its ‘A Roommate worth having’ campaign for IKEA. Draftfcb New Zealand, Auckland’s simultaneously amusing and heartwarming ‘Driving Dogs’ for Mini / SPCA New Zealand won a Grand Prix in PR.
No Grand Prix was awarded for Print or Print & Poster Craft.
The team from HS Ad Korea won the Young Spikes creative competition, one of the special awards, while the first-ever Spikes palm went to Exit Films, Melbourne. Media Agency of the Year was awarded to Open, Auckland. Party Tokyo won the Independent Agency of the Year Spike, which it also won last year.
The Spikes 2013 closing party, sponsored by Leo Burnett, was held at the Avalon-Marina Bay Sands.
Visit adobo magazine’s dedicated Spikes microsite for complete winners’ lists, a breakdown of Philippine winners, photos from the festival, and more!
