The 15th annual Gunn Report–a compilation and analysis of award show results over the past year–finds some familiar folks rating highly in the mix of industry honors. BBDO, for example, saw its performance on the awards circuit in 2013 garner it Agency Network of the Year for the eighth straight year. Nike was the Most Awarded Advertiser in the world with Volkswagen finishing second. Either Nike or VW has earned this distinction every one of The Gunn Report’s 15 years. And for the second consecutive year, Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, Ore., and NY, emerged with the Most Awarded Agency crown.
However, there was also room this year for new blood. Wieden+Kennedy actually tied for Most Awarded Agency with McCann Melbourne. This marks the first time that McCann Melbourne broke into Gunn’s top 50, the driving force being the stellar showing by Metro Trains' “Dumb Ways to Die” which was the Most Awarded Commercial, also took first place in Digital, second place in the All Gunns Blazing (spanning integrated, innovative and the like honors) category, and tied for third place in Print. “Dumb Ways to Die” became the most awarded campaign in the history of The Gunn Report.
McCann Melbourne wasn’t the only shop to score first place status for the first time. Biscuit Filmworks and one of its helmers, Tim Godsall, respectively won for the first time, respectively, the Most Awarded Production Company and Most Awarded Director of the Year honors.
Finishing second in the production company derby was Paranoid (Los Angeles, São Paulo), followed by MJZ (bicoastal, London) in third, and Rattling Stick (London, L.A.) in fourth. Rounding out the top five was Henry de Czar (Paris).
After Godsall, the Most Awarded Directors of the Year were Ringan Ledwidge (UK, U.S.) in second, followed by Julian Frost (Australia), Tom Kuntz (U.S.) and a tie for fifth between Steve Ayson (Australia, New Zealand, Thailand) and Marcos Kothar (Brazil).
Metro Trains’ “Dumb Ways to Die” was followed in the rundown of Most Awarded Commercials in the World in 2013 by: Southern Comfort’s “Whatever’s Comfortable-Beach” from Wieden+Kennedy, NY; Carlton Draught’s “Beer Chase” from Clemenger BBDO, Melbourne; and a tie for fourth between Axe’s “Susan Glenn” out of BBH, NY, and Leica M Monochrom Camera’s “Soul” from F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, São Paulo.
Again after “Dumb Ways to Die,” the Most Awarded Digital in the World last year stacked up as follows: Nike+ Fuelband’s “Nike+ Fuelband” from R/GA, NY, in second, Adidas Neo’s “Window Shopping” out of TBWAHelsinki in third, and a fourth place tie between Google/Lego’s “Build With Chrome” from M&C Saatchi/Mark, Sydney, and The JFK Presidential Library & Museum’s “Clouds Over Cuba” out of The Martin Agency, Richmond, VA.
And the pecking order behind “Dumb Ways to Die” for the Most Awarded Campaign consisted of Hemoba/Vitoria FC’s “My Blood is Red & Black” (Leo Burnett Tailor Made, São Paulo), Nike+Fuelband, Dove’s “Real Beauty Sketches” (Ogilvy, São Paulo) and Australian Defence Force’s “Mobile Medic.”
All Gunns Blazing’s top five is comprised of Hemoba/Victoria FC’s “My Blood is Red & Black,” followed by Metro Train’s “Dumb Ways to Die,” Nike+ Fuelband, Sports Clube de Recife’s “Immortal Fans” (Ogilvy Brasil, São Paulo), and Samsung Life Insurance’s “The Bridge of Life” (Cheil Worldwide, Seoul).
Behind the tie for first between Wieden+Kennedy, Portland and NY, and McCann Melbourne, third place for The Most Awarded Agency in 2013 went to AlmapBBDO, São Paulo, fourth to Ogilvy Brasil, São Paulo, and a tie for fifth between BBH London and Clemenger BBDO, Melbourne and Sydney.
The Most Awarded Agency in Digital is R/GA New York, followed by Forsman & Bodenfors, Gothenburg, McCann Melbourne, AlmapBBDO, São Paulo, and Wieden+Kennedy, Portland and NY.
Behind BBDO for The Most Awarded Agency Network are Ogilvy in second, DDB in third, Leo Burnett in forth, and McCann in fifth place.
After Nike in first and VW in second, the Most Awarded Advertisers are Axe/Lynx in third place, Coca-Cola in fourth and Google in fifth.
As for the five Most Awarded Countries in 2013, the U.S. finished first followed by Australia, the U.K., Brazil and France.
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More