MC CANN ERICKSON TOPS IN CREATIVE EXCELLENCE

ADVERTISING FIRM MC CANN Erickson has for a record fifth year in a row emerged the local leader in excellent advertising creative design. At Wednesday night’s 2004 Creative Excellence Awards show, hosted by the Advertising Agencies Association of Trinidad and Tobago (AAATT), Mc Cann Erickson copped the lion’s share of the awards winning 18 awards. Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s, was the venue for the red carpet event, hosted by comedian Errol Fabien and Cyclops, at which 83 awards were presented.

Under the stewardship of executive creative director Leonardo Azellino, Mc Cann Erickson won in several highly competitive categories. The re-designed award was in the shape of an exclamation mark simply called “the mark.” Among its accolades were: Overall Best In Show — Print
TSTT — “Champagne Bat”; Overall Best In Show Outdoor — Design: Angostura Bitters — “Martini Girl”; Alcoholic Beverages Best Outdoor:  Angostura Bitters — “Martini Girl”; Non-Alcoholic Beverages Best TVC:  Coca-Cola “Real Carnival”; Financial Services Best Print: RBTT BANK — “Professional Woman”; Best TVC:  RBTT BANK — “Your Way Ahead.” Marvin Imamshah, associate creative director at Mc Cann Erickson told Newsday: “It’s a great feat having won the most awards five years in a row. This demonstrates our level of commitment. Clearly our workmanship stands out. We want to thank our clients who inspire us to bring the work to life.”

Thirteen agencies submitted work in 12 categories for consideration by an international panel of adjudicators headed by Norman Mayers. Deadline for submission of entries was July 9 2004, and ads had to have been published between July 1 2003 and June 30, 2004. Participating agencies in this year’s Creative Excellence Awards were Advantage Advertising, All Media Projects Ltd (Ample), Collier Morrison and Belgrave, Corbin Communications, Communications Insight, Valdez and Torry International, Publicis Caribbean, The Edge, Mc Cann Erickson, Mical Marketing, Lonsdale Saatchi and Saatchi, Inglefield Ogilvy and Mather and Rostant Advertising. The categories were alcoholic beverages; non-alcoholic; transportation; corporate institutional; financial products and services; retail stores and products; promotions; health and personal care products; food; retail restaurant and products; public service, charities and non-profit organisation; and design. Patrons were treated to a well produced and compact programme, with entertainment provided by rapso group 3 Canal.

President of the AAATT Glen De Verteuil described the awards as celebrating the backbone of the industry, which allowed its practitioners the freedom to dream, create and entertain. He revealed that this year’s awards received a record number of entries from a record number of agencies. De Verteuil said: “We manage and are expected to develop and capture the faces, voices and personalities of international brands, as well as local brands expected to compete with international brands. “In the face of this we must deliver creatives of an international standard, while staying true to the uniqueness and vagaries of this twin island republic in which we are lucky enough to ply our trade.”