Donald Gunn–former president of the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival (1998 and ’99) and prior to that the head of Leo Burnett’s Creative Exchange Resources Department–has released the 11th annual Gunn Report, a compilation of award show results over the past year. From this research, which covers around 40 leading industry competitions, the Gunn Report has named the most awarded production houses, directors, ad agencies, commercials, interactive projects and integrated advertising of 2009.
For the fourth consecutive year, bicoastal/international MJZ has taken the top slot among production houses, this time scoring with such notable projects as Skittles’ “Pinata,” Coca-Cola’s “It’s Mine,” Axe Dark Temptation’s “Chocolate Man” and Careerbuilder.com’s “Tips.”
Moving up to second (after finishing in a fourth place tie last year) was Gorgeous Enterprises, London, on the strength of Transport for London Cycle Safety’s “Awareness Test,” Sony Bravia’s “Play-Dog” and Home Office Anti-Binge Drinking’s “Girl/Boy,” as well as work for Guinness, Barclaycard, Skoda, Specsavers, MTV Anti-Drunk Driving and Amnesty International.
Earning third place in the production house derby was Outsider, London and Santa Monica, marking its return to the Gunn elite, having last made the top 25 in 2006. Outsider’s showing was fueled by such U.K. entries as Shelter Charity’s “House of Cards” and Volkswagen Golf’s “Enjoy the Everyday.” On the stateside front, there was The Discovery Channel’s hit “I Love The World.”
Tied for fourth were Rattling Stick, London, and Biscuit Filmworks, Los Angeles and London (the U.K. shop being Biscuit @ Independent, London, though Biscuit and London-based Independent are in the process of amicably parting ways). The big winners for Biscuit included Comcast’s “Rabbit” and the Environmental Defense Fund’s “Polar Bears,” both for the U.S. market, and Volkswagen Polo’s “Dog” for the U.K. Rattling Stick registered with Orange Mobile’s “Rewind City” and Hovis Bread’s “Go On Lad.”
On the longevity front, only two production houses have made the top 25 for all 11 years of the Gunn Report: Gorgeous and Partizan (London, Paris, New York, Hollywood).
Directorial tally
Tom Kuntz of MJZ won the most awarded director of 2009 honor with work that included Skittles’ “Pinata,” Axe’s “Chocolate Man” and Careerbuilder.com’s “Tips.” “Pinata,” incidentally finished in a three way tie for the second place as the most awarded commercial in the world.
Behind Kuntz was a three-way tie for second among directors Harold Einstein of Station Film, Noam Murro of Biscuit Filmworks, and Ringan Ledwidge of Rattling Stick (repped stateside by Epoch Films).
Propelling Einstein to his second place finish was the Crest Toothpaste campaign consisting of “Bulldozer,” “Lice” and “Pre-Nup,” which also earned distinction as the most awarded commercials of 2009 (out of Saatchi & Saatchi New York). Meanwhile Ledwidge leapt from 21st to second in the directorial competition with Orange’s “Rewind City” and Hovis Bread’s “Go On Lad.” And Noam Murro ascended from 13th last year to second in ’09 with such ads as Comcast’s “Rabbit” and VW Polo’s “Dog.” “Rabbit” was the fifth most awarded commercial in ’09, according to the Gunn countdown.
Rounding out the top five most awarded directors in ’09 were four more who tied for the fifth slot: Bryan Buckley and Wayne McClammy of Hungry Man, Garth Davis of Exit Films, Melbourne (and Anonymous Content stateside), and Chris Palmer of Gorgeous (the London shop is also handled in the U.S. by Anonymous Content).
Spots
The most awarded commercial of ’09, the aforementioned Crest campaign, was followed by three spots that tied for second–Schwepps Mixer’s “Burst” (George Patterson Y&R, Melbourne), Shelter Charity’s “House of Cards” (Leo Burnett, London), and Skittles “Pinata” (TBWAChiatDay, New York). Next was a two-way tie for fifth between Comcast’s “Rabbit” (Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco) and Norte Beer’s “Doctor”/”IT Guy”/”Millionaire” (Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, Buenos Aires).
All Gunns Blazing
For the second year running, The Gunn Report delved into the integrated campaign arena for awards performance. Finishing first was the Obama campaign “Obama For America” from Obama for America, Washington, D.C.
Earning second place was New York City Department of Education’s “Million” via Droga 5, New York, with third going to Warner Bros. Records/NYC & Co.’s “Oasis Dig Out Your Soul In the Streets” for BBH New York. Three integrated campaigns tied for fourth: Burger King’s “Whopper Sacrifice” from Crispin Porter+Bogusky, Boulder, Colo., Haagen-Dazs’ “Help The Honey Bees” for Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, and Hornback Home Improvement Stores’ “House of Imagination” out of Heimat, Berlin.
Interactive
For the third year, The Gunn Report ranked the most awarded interactive fare. As in All Gunns Blazing, Crispin, Goodby and Droga5 figured prominently in the top five interactive projects, with first going to Burger King’s “Whopper Sacrifice” from Crispin, second place earned by Nintendo Wii’s “Wario Land Shake It” and third by Doritos’ “Hotel 626,” both via Goodby.
Tied with “Hotel 626” for the third place interactive finish was Wowow TV’s “12 Cams Create Your Rainbow” for Bascule, Tokyo. And tied for the fifth interactive slot were Jewish Council For Education and Research’s “The Great Schlep” from Droga 5, and Nokia N-Gage’s “Get Out And Play” for Farfar, Stockholm.
Agencies
Gunn’s rundown of individual agencies based on TV/cinema, print and All Gunns Blazing found DDB London qualifying as the most awarded shop in the world this year, followed by Almap BBDO, Sao Paulo, Brazil, in second, Dentsu, Tokyo and Osaka, in third, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners in fourth and Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, Buenos Aires in fifth.
As for the most awarded interactive agencies of ’09, Goodby took the top slot, followed by Crispin Porter+Bogusky, Boulder and Miami, Bascule, Tokyo, in third, Farfar, Stockholm, in fourth, and a five way tie for fifth among: AKQA, London, AlmapBBDO, Sao Paulo, BBH London, Dentsu, Tokyo, and R/GA, New York.
The leading agency networks from number one through five were: BBDO, DDB, Ogilvy & Mather, Leo Burnett, and Saatchi & Saatchi.
The most awarded advertiser in the world was Volkswagen. Finishing second was Nike, with third going to Axe/Lynx, and fourth to Sony. Tying for fifth were adidas and Burger King.
The five most awarded countries in the world this year were exactly the same as in ’08 and in the same order: USA followed by the U.K., Argentina, Germany and Japan.
