Stink, London, and DDB London topped the 2006 British Television Advertising Awards (BTAA), being named respectively, the most successful production company and ad agency of the year in the U.K.
Stink’s win came largely on the strength of spots directed by Ivan Zacharias: Honda’s “Impossible Dream” out of Wieden+Kennedy, London, and Sure (in European markets it’s called Rexona) deodorant’s “Stunt City” for Lowe, London. Zacharias is repped stateside by bicoastal Smuggler.
“Impossible Dream” garnered the BTAA honor as best TV commercial of the year, in addition to picking up Gold Awards in three categories–cars, corporate and best spot over 60 seconds.
Meanwhile “Stunt City” also earned three Golds, topping the best :30 or less, toiletries and European categories.
Taking two Golds apiece were: the U.K. Department for Transport’s teen road safety PSA “Cameraphone” (the best :30 or less and public service categories) directed by Chris Palmer of Gorgeous Enterprises, London (Palmer helms U.S. spots via bicoastal Anonymous Content) for Leo Burnett, London; and Stella Artois beer’s “Ice Skating Priests” (the best over :60 and alcoholic beverages categories) directed by Jonathan Glazer of Academy, London, for Lowe, London.
Also scoring Gold in the alcoholic beverages category was Guinness’ much-lauded “noitulovE” directed by Daniel Kleinman of Kleinman Productions, London. Another high-profile ad, Sony Bravia TV’s “Balls,” got Gold in the best 60 seconds or less category. “Balls” was directed by Nicolai Fuglsig of bicoastal/international MJZ for Fallon, London. And rounding out the Gold winners, in the sponsorship bumpers category, was five’s package of “Cow,” “Horses” and “Pigs,” directed and written by Claire Lambert of hybrid production company/agency Devilfish, London.
TikTok’s Fate Arrives At Supreme Court; Arguments Center On Free Speech and National Security
In one of the most important cases of the social media age, free speech and national security collide at the Supreme Court on Friday in arguments over the fate of TikTok, a wildly popular digital platform that roughly half the people in the United States use for entertainment and information.
TikTok says it plans to shut down the social media site in the U.S. by Jan. 19 unless the Supreme Court strikes down or otherwise delays the effective date of a law aimed at forcing TikTok's sale by its Chinese parent company.
Working on a tight deadline, the justices also have before them a plea from President-elect Donald Trump, who has dropped his earlier support for a ban, to give him and his new administration time to reach a "political resolution" and avoid deciding the case. It's unclear if the court will take the Republican president-elect's views — a highly unusual attempt to influence a case — into account.
TikTok and China-based ByteDance, as well as content creators and users, argue the law is a dramatic violation of the Constitution's free speech guarantee.
"Rarely if ever has the court confronted a free-speech case that matters to so many people," lawyers for the users and content creators wrote. Content creators are anxiously awaiting a decision that could upend their livelihoods and are eyeing other platforms.
The case represents another example of the court being asked to rule about a medium with which the justices have acknowledged they have little familiarity or expertise, though they often weigh in on meaty issues involving restrictions on speech.
The Biden administration, defending the law that President Joe Biden signed in April after it was approved by wide bipartisan majorities in Congress, contends that... Read More