For the first time ever, the executive jury for the New York Festivals International Advertising Awards selected only one outstanding entry to receive the coveted title of “World’s Best Idea®”: Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam was honored for its integrated campaign “Write The Future” on behalf of client Nike.
The objective of “Write The Future” was to weave Nike into conversations taking place around the World Cup. The winning entry celebrates the participating Nike athletes by giving a glimpse into their future based on their success and failures on the World Cup stage. Jason Clement, director of emerging platforms at Wieden+Kennedy New York, accepted the award on behalf of W+K Amsterdam during a gala ceremony for the 54th annual awards show held at Skylight West in New York City.
Nike was also presented with the New York Festivals 2011 Advertiser of the Year Award for its commitment to creativity and innovation. In addition to being awarded the “World’s Best Idea®,” Nike earned one Gold World Medal, seven Silver, one Bronze, and seven Finalists.
BBDO was honored with the title of Network of the Year, receiving three Gold World Medals, 18 Silver, 38 Bronze and 72 Finalist Certificates.
“We’re humbled by this recognition,” said David Lubars, chairman/chief creative officer, BBDO North America. “We want to thank our many clients for demanding our best.”
Leo Burnett Sydney was awarded the Agency of the Year Award for its stellar work, earning four Gold World Medals, five Silver, two Bronze and 10 Finalist Certificates.
The New York Festivals Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to legendary advertising executive Keith Reinhard, chairman emeritus of DDB Worldwide, for his contributions to the advertising industry. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes prominent industry leaders whose accomplishments and contributions have advanced the field of advertising and made a lasting impression on the creative community.
Meanwhile two NYF Living Legend Awards were bestowed. The honor recognizes prominent industry luminaries, whose personal excellence and extraordinary contributions have advanced the field of advertising, made a lasting impression on the creative community, and who continue to influence the profession in a significant way.
This year NYF honored iconic director Bob Giraldi of Giraldi Media with one of the first ever NYF Living Legend Awards. JD Gargano, former student of Giraldi and broadcast designer/motionographer for Tribune Creative Group, presented the award along with fellow Giraldi students. A second NYF Living Legend was awarded to Bob Carr, award-winning commercial film editor with Red Car. Larry Bridges, founder of Red Car Inc., presented the award to Carr.
The United States received a total of nine Gold World Medals. This was followed by Australia with seven six for Germany, three each for Argentina, France and Sweden, two for Japan, and one apiece for England, Finland, Singapore and The Netherlands.
Each year New York Festivals, in collaboration with the United Nations Department of Public Information, appoints a panel to select work that exemplifies the aims and ideals of the United Nations. The 2011 UNDPI Jury honored the following entries: the Gold Award went to Lowe Brindfors of Stockholm, Sweden, for “The Lottery of Life,” the integrated media campaign produced for Save the Children Sweden. DDB Budapest, Hungary received the Silver Award for “Slow Download” for Amnesty International Magyarorszag. The digital and interactive campaign calls for pressure on world leaders to deliver on the promises of the Millennium Development Goals. DDB Shanghai China was awarded the Bronze Award for “Green Pedestrian Crossing,” for the China Environmental Protection Foundation. The outdoor campaign was produced to encourage a reduction in automotive traffic.
Winning entries of the 2011 New York Festivals International Advertising Awards were selected by NYF’s Executive Jury. Award winners were selected from a short list of finalists chosen by the Grand Jury, comprised of 320 senior creative directors from 56 countries around the world, representing the largest and most diverse jury of any advertising competition in the world.
For a full rundown of winners, click here.
Directing and Editing “Conclave”; Insights From Edward Berger and Nick Emerson
It’s been a bruising election year but this time we’re referring to a ballot box struggle that’s more adult than the one you’d typically first think of in 2024. Rather, on the industry awards front, the election being cited is that of the Pope which takes front and center stage in director Edward Berger’s Conclave (Focus Features), based on the 2016 novel of the same title by Robert Harris. Adapted by screenwriter Peter Straugham, Conclave stars Ralph Fiennes as the cardinal leading the conclave that has convened to select the next Pope. While part political thriller, full of backstabbing and behind-closed-door machinations, Conclave also registers as a thoughtful adult drama dealing with themes such as a crisis of faith, weighing the greater good, and engaging in a struggle that’s as much about spirituality as the attainment of power.
Conclave is Berger’s first feature after his heralded All Quiet on the Western Front, winner of four Oscars in 2023, including for Best International Feature Film. And while Conclave would on the surface seem to be quite a departure from that World War I drama, there’s a shared bond of humanity which courses through both films.
For Berger, the heightened awareness of humanity hit home for him by virtue of where he was--in Rome, primarily at the famed Cinecittà studio--to shoot Conclave, sans any involvement from the Vatican. He recalled waking up in Rome to “soak up” the city. While having his morning espresso, Berger recollected looking out a window and seeing a priest walking about with a cigarette in his mouth, a nun having a cup of coffee, an archbishop carrying a briefcase. It dawned on Berger that these were just people going to... Read More