The third and final day of ADFEST saw a flurry of Lotus awards, including some that went to teams from Mainland China.
The highly coveted Film Lotus was the most popular category again this year, with 470 entries. Film Jury President Bechara Mouzannar, the Chief Creative Officer for Leo Burnett MENA, said “I feel the overall quality was a step backwards from last year. That said, there is a wonderful history of storytelling in Asia, and the films that did win a Film Lotus this year were really different and told in an exciting way.”
No Grande award was given, but Golds went to Wase-Be Advertising Inc. Tokyo’s “Farewell” for Freshly Ground Coffee with the Creamiest Milk, and Lowe China Shanghai’s “Human Traffic Sign” for Buick. These teams can take consolation from the fact that Mouzannar didn’t see any work he liked enough to give even a gold in the Radio category.
Buick: Human Traffic Signs
Client: Shanghai General Motors
Agency: LOWE SHANGHAI
Production: Locus Seoul/A New Life Films
Country: China
Director: EUN TAEK CHA
Music Studio: DRUM MUSIC
Producer: JIYOUN LEE, MARY BAE, SHAN WANG\
Executive Producer: Nelson Cho
Japanese agencies did especially well at this year’s ADFEST, with 68 prizes heading to Tokyo, more than the next two most awarded cities — Melbourne and Sydney — put together. AGENCY OF THE YEAR was awarded to Dentsu Inc., Tokyo, which was also named Interactive Agency of the Year. They submitted 190 entries to ADFEST, more than any other, and won the most awards, collecting 21 trophies.
PRODUCTION COMPANY OF THE YEAR was awarded to Tohokushinsha Film Corporation, Tokyo and the Advertiser of the Year award was presented to Suntory. Leo Burnett won the prize for Network of the Year.
Other China teams to win awards today included Cheil Pengtai, Beijing for “A Taikang Moment” created for Taikang Accident Insurance, which received a Gold in the Media — Best Use of Mobile category. The INNOVA category received 32 entries this year for outstanding innovation ideas for communication. Two China teams took home golds: AKQA Shanghai for “Nike House of Mamba”, which also won a Grande Lotus in the INTERACTIVE category; and Cheil China, Beijing’s “Signature Bottle” for Aershan Mineral Water. The Grande, however, went to Hakuhodo Inc., Tokyo’s “Hibiki Glass” spot for Suntory Whisky Hibiki.
Nike: Nike House of Mamba
Client: Nike
Agency: AKQA Shanghai/London
Production Company: WISPARK Shanghai, China
Aershan Minereal Water: Signature Bottle
Client: AERSHAN Mineral Water
Agency: Cheil Beijing, China
Director: Kenho
Production company: Filmplexe
Executive Producer: Chris He
Taikang Insurance: A Taikang Moment
Hibiki Glass” spot for Suntory Whisky Hibiki
Creative Director: Kentaro Kimura.
Director Kosai Sekine (Glassloft). Director: Tatsuya Saito (abcs).
Producer: Satoshi Takahashi (kichi Inc.)
ADFEST concluded with a typical combination of pretense and entrepreneurialism as a soiree beside the infinity pool at the Royal Cliff Hotel transitioned into a Chicago House show in a go go bar with TV sports, pool tables and drink serving gender adventurers.
Simon Gosling – CEO Happy Finish, Judy Hill – Executive Producer Nexus, Marcel Weibenga – Partner, Business Development Director and Music Supervisor Sizzer Amsterdam, Edoardo Rossi – Commercial Director 360fx.it
Pascal Chinarro – Founder Dlpparis, Brendan Cravitz – Executive Producer Grey Singapore, Phan Viet Quoc Huy – EP Clubhouse Films
Kim Shaw – Co-Publisher and Editor Campaign Brief, Sonal Dabral – Chairman & Cheif Creative Officer DDB Mudra Group
Ryan Mcguire – Editor & Managing director Cutters, Jon King – Executive Creative Director Beacon/Leo Burnett Tokyo
BAM Music Library Brings Edgy, Indie Sounds to Chinese Creatives
