India Effie 2012: Ogilvy & Mather is Agency of the Year; takes home Grand Effie too

Effie 2012, the effectiveness awards organised by The Advertising Club, saw Ogilvy & Mather winning the coveted Agency of the Year title. The agency also managed to win the Grand Effie for ‘Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye – Cadbury Dairy Milk’s growth story from 2005-2012’.

Cadbury won the Client of the Year title at this year’s awards.

Ogilvy & Mather topped the table with 280 points. Besides the Grand Effie, the agency won nine Gold, 11 Silver and three Bronze metals.

McCann Worldgroup was a distant second with 65 points. The agency bagged 3 Silver and 7 Bronze metals. Lowe Lintas and Partners, with their 3 Silver and 6 Bronze metals, stood third on the points table.

Commenting on what worked for Ogilvy & Mather this year, Madhukar Sabnavis, Country Head – Discovery and Planning, Ogilvy & Mather, said, “At Ogilvy, what works best is the power of three. I call it ‘The Trimurti’. It is the combined force of creative plus servicing plus planning.”

Chandramouli Venkatesan, executive director chocolates and biscuits, Cadbury India, said, “What works for Cadbury is the entire ecosystem, and the creative agency is an integral part of the ecosystem.”

On McCann Worldgroup India’s performance at the awards, Prasoon Joshi, President, McCann Worldgroup South Asia, said, “It’s been a good year and awards are always encouraging. However, it is also the time when you look back and see what could have been better.”

Piyush Pandey, Executive Chairman and Creative Director South Asia, Ogilvy & Mather India, said, “We are blessed to have a great support system that includes some of the most amazing clients and a great team comprising of young talent. We need more of that.”

Commenting on this year’s event, Shashi Sinha, President, The Advertising Club, and chief executive, IPG Mediabrands India, said, “This is a landmark year for the club, as we have managed to demonstrate the national presence by extending half of both rounds of judging to Delhi.”

Sinha also pointed out that while Effie is just the stepping stone for taking the club to other cities too. He added, “We are kicking off 2013 with the annual creative review with Piyush Pandey and R Balki, being organised in Delhi.” Ajay Kakar, Chairperson, Effie 2012, said, “This year, as against a record of 27 agencies participating last year, this year we have 50 agencies participating who sent in 357 entries.”

(Campaign Asia)