T-Mobile’s “Welcome Back” scored Best TV Commercial of the Year honors at the 2011 British Arrows Awards (formerly the BTAAs) held at Battersea Evolution in Battersea Park on Wednesday (3/16). Directed by Henry-Alex Rubin of Smuggler for Saatchi & Saatchi London, “Welcome Back” additionally scored two gold awards for telecommunications services and best over 90 second TV commercial.
“Welcome Back” also helped Smuggler tie with Academy for Arrows’ Most Successful Production Company of the Year. Additional work helmed by Rubin (a Sony Ericsson Experia X10 phone campaign that earned three bronze awards and three finalists) spurred Smuggler to earn the distinction.
Meanwhile Academy’s strong showing was propelled by gold award wins for Ikea’s “Kitchen Party” directed by Kim Gehrig and Match.com’s “Piano” helmed by Si & Ad, as well as a silver award recipient, Kick Racism out of Football’s “Unacceptable” helmed by Walter Stern.
Mother was named Advertising Agency of the Year, in part on the strength of the aforementioned “Kitchen Party” and “Piano” spots, among other work. This marks the third time Mother has copped the ad agency honor. Only three other shops have won three or more times: BBH London with five, and DDB and Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO with three apiece.
Volkswagen received The Chairman’s Award recognizing outstanding contribution to the industry. This is only the second time an advertiser has been selected, Hamlet being the first. The award is usually given to an individual.
To view the full list of winners, visit the British Arrows here.
Disney Pledges $15 million In L.A. Fire Aid As More Celebs Learn They’ve Lost Their Homes
The Pacific Palisades wildfires torched the home of "This Is Us" star Milo Ventimiglia, perhaps most poignantly destroying the father-to-be's newly installed crib.
CBS cameras caught the actor walking through his charred house for the first time, standing in what was once his kitchen and looking at a neighborhood in ruin. "Your heart just breaks."
He and his pregnant wife, Jarah Mariano, evacuated Tuesday with their dog and they watched on security cameras as the flames ripped through the house, destroying everything, including a new crib.
"There's a kind of shock moment where you're going, 'Oh, this is real. This is happening.' What good is it to continue watching?' And then at a certain point we just turned it off, like 'What good is it to continue watching?'"
Firefighters sought to make gains Friday during a respite in the heavy winds that fanned the flames as numerous groups pledged aid to help victims and rebuild, including a $15 million donation pledge from the Walt Disney Co.
More stars learn their homes are gone
While seeing the remains of his home, Ventimiglia was struck by a connection to his "This Is Us" character, Jack Pearson, who died after inhaling smoke in a house fire. "It's not lost on me life imitating art."
Mandy Moore, who played Ventimiglia's wife on "This Is Us," nearly lost her home in the Eaton fire, which scorched large areas of the Altadena neighborhood. She said Thursday that part of her house is standing but is unlivable, and her husband lost his music studio and all his instruments.
Mel Gibson's home is "completely gone," his publicist Alan Nierob confirmed Friday. The Oscar winner revealed the loss of his home earlier Friday while appearing on Joe Rogan's... Read More