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New York Festivals International Advertising Awards® competition announced the 2016 award-winners this evening at the New York Show℠ gala held at the renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City.  The annual event celebrating the World’s Best Advertising & Creative Communications℠ kicked off with a cocktail reception followed by the awards ceremony and after-party to toast trophy-winners from around the globe. 

This is the first time in the six year history of New York Festivals Executive Jury that two outstanding entries were selected unanimously to receive the coveted Best of Show Award.

"I think it speaks volumes about the caliber, quality and sincerity of this year’s Executive Jury.  It’s was a defining moment that not only helps further clarify the mission of New York Festivals, but the industry at large, underlining the fact that both pieces of work were so adamantly admired and supported, leaving us no other choice than to award both campaigns as Best of Show,”  said Michael O’Rourke, President of New York Festivals. “Each of these campaigns equally exemplify the very best this industry has to offer. The notion that award shows are all about stroking egos is something we’ve all heard before.  But if you had the opportunity to witness what I just did over the last 5 days, you’d immediately realize that the sole intention of this year’s Executive Jury was to recognize and celebrate the ideas that truly stood for something.  The NYF trophy isn't a pat on the back.  It’s an affirmation, and a symbol of genuine respect from over 400 professionals around the world, who day in and day out face the same challenges you do.  That has to mean something.

Asia Pacific agencies Y&R New Zealand and Watts of Tokyo Ltd. each scored a coveted Best of Show Award. Watts of Tokyo Ltd., was in the spotlight earning the Best of Show Award for “High School Girl?” for client Shiseido’s Products. The award-winning film campaign portrays beauty, which is an idea common to all humanity regardless of genders and provided triggers for individuals and for society to rethink their idea of beauty. 

“We would like to thank you for Show Yanagisawa, Jin Ohashi, and of course the School ”Girls” for their amazing patience to strike a pose and stand-still in a 7-hour-long shoot,” said Masato Kosukegawa, Creative Director, Shiseido.  Also our special thanks go to Akira Shima, a copywriter of Shiseido, who passed away on March 7, 2016.  We are sincerely grateful to the Jury for the recognition of this project done by small number of people.  I hope that many who watched it will feel happy by the concept of the film: “Everyone can be pretty.” 

Y&R New Zealand was also center stage earning Best of Show for their integrated campaign “McWhopper” for Burger King Corporation. Burger King raised awareness for Peace Day by offering a public olive branch to long time corporate rival to create a burger mash-up on behalf of world peace.

“Aside from boasting the sexiest trophy on the awards circuit, a win at New York Festivals is also amongst the industry’s most coveted. So to land the big one and rub shoulders with the likes of Inglorious Fruits (2015 Best of Show) and Epic Split (2014 Best of Show) is an incredible feeling and the agency couldn’t be prouder, “ said Tom Paine,  Creative Director, Y&R New Zealand . “If it wasn’t 5am here in New Zealand, we’d all be celebrating in true antipodean style: recklessly.”

REMY COINTREAU / LOUIS XIII, French alcohol manufacturer, was honored with the New York Festivals 2016 Brand of the Year Award for their commitment to creativity and innovation. Remy Cointreau was honored with the Grand Award, as well as 2 First Prize Awards, 6 Second Prize Awards, 2 Third Prize Awards, and 3 Finalists Awards.

BBDO was honored with the title of 2016 Network of the Year for the fourth running. The award is presented to the agency network that achieves the most awards and produces the finest caliber of work. In total, 20 global offices earned 2 Grand Prize Awards, 16 First Prize Awards, 15 Second Prize Awards, 22 Third Prize Awards, and 93 Finalist Awards. In addition, the network was honored with 2 UNDPI Finalist Awards.

The Regional Agency of the Year Award is awarded to an advertising agency that earns the highest score for entries in all competitions across all mediums. This year’s Regional Agency of the Year Awards salute the following agencies: Europe - Forsman & Bodenfors, Sweden;  North America -  BBDO New York; South American - AlmapBBDO, Sao Paulo; Asia Pacific - Y&R New Zealand, Auckland; and Middle East - Impact BBDO, Dubai.

Tool of North America was honored with the title of 2016 Production Company of the Year. The Film Production Company of the Year Award is based on total points scored, irrespective of whether these have been entered by the production company, advertising agency, or another third party. Entries produced by Tool of North America earned 1 Grand Prize Award, 1 First Prize Awards 1 Second Prize Award, 4 Third Prize Awards and 1 Finalist Award.

The 2016 Executive Jury awarded the following prominent agencies with Grand Prize Awards:

ACTIVATION & ENGAGEMENT: Colenso BBDO/Proximity, New Zealand, “Brewtroleum” for DB Breweries, DB Export.

AVANT GARDE: Y&R New Zealand, “McWhopper” for Burger King Corporation.

BRANDED CONTENT/BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT: Forsman & Bodenfors, Sweden “Look Who's Driving” for Volvo Trucks.

CREATIVE MARKETING & EFFECTIVENESS: Proximity Madrid, Spain “#NoMoreEvictions” for Plataforma de Afectados por la Hipoteca (PAH).

DESIGN: Impact BBDO Dubai, United Arab Emirates “The Tribal Rapport Field Guide” for Mercedes-Benz / G-Class.

DIGITAL: BETC, France for “The Interactive Form” forCANAL+.

FILM: WATTS OF TOKYO INC., Japan for “High School Girl?” for Shiseido's Products (MAJOLICA MAJORCA / INTEGRATE).

FILM CRAFT: Quad Productions Quad Group, France “Shockwave” for Road Circulation Security Delegation.

INTEGRATED: Venables Bell & Partners, USA “#OptOutside” for REI.

MEDIA: DDB, SPAIN “Holograms for Freedom” for No somos delito (We are not crime).

MOBILE: McCann, France “Makeup Genius” for L'Oreal.

OUTDOOR: McCann London, United Kingdom “Survival Billboard” for Microsoft.

PACKAGE DESIGN: Publicis Colombia “FUNTASTIC HAND” for CIREC FOUNDATION.

PUBLIC & MEDIA RELATIONS: FRED & FARID, France “#NOTCOMINGSOON” for REMY COINTREAU / LOUIS XIII.

PSA: Schjærven Reklamebyråm, Norway “#DearDaddy: for CARE Norway.

Each year, New York Festivals, in partnership with the United Nations Department of Public Information, appoints a UN panel to select public service work that exemplifies the aims and ideals of the United Nations. The 2016 UNDPI Jury honored the following entries: T/A POL AS, Norway “Save the Rainforest” for NRK TV-aksjonen earned the UNDPI First Prize Award; Ogilvy & Mather London, UK “It Happens Here” for 28 Too Many/FGM was awarded the UNDPI Second Prize Award; and Leo Burnett Worldwide, USA “Music Vs Gun Violence” for Chicago Ideas was honored with the UNDPI Third Prize Award.  

The 2016 International Advertising Awards competition received entries from 65 countries around the globe. The Executive Jury, comprised of 21 of the most awarded Chief Creative Officers, selected this year’s winning entries through 5 rounds of live judging from a Shortlist that was chosen by NYF’s Grand Jury comprised of 350 members from 60 countries. To view a showcase of this year’s award-winning work please visit: HERE.