Media release
28 June 2012
Colenso BBDO breaks records at Cannes
12 Lions and top five ranking in the 2012 Effie Effectiveness Index - the best performance by a New Zealand agency ever!
New Zealand agencies put on an impressive showing last week at Cannes with Colenso BBDO scooping 12 Lions, beating the
previous New Zealand record (set by Colenso in 2010) by two and achieving a new 'personal best' for the agency.
Colenso BBDO was Australasia's most successful agency at Cannes with GPY Melbourne and Whybin\TBWA Sydney the next best with eight Lions each.
The performance at Cannes caps off a remarkable week for Colenso, which included being ranked fifth in the world on the
2012 Effie Effectiveness Index, and Australasia's most effective creative agency.
"Our approach has always been harnessing the power of creativity to produce great outcomes for clients. We know that
great work, works and last weeks' recognition at Cannes highlights the link between creativity and effectiveness," says
Nick Garrett, managing director of Colenso BBDO.
Colenso's work for DB Breweries' Export Dry and Monteith's brands won a total of eight Lions. 'The Wine is Over'
campaign for DB Export Dry took two Silvers and two Bronze Lions, including a Silver in the hard-fought Titanium and
Integrated category; while Monteith's 'Sorry about the Twigs Folks' work was awarded two Golds, a Silver and a Bronze.
Other Colenso campaigns to win Lions included the 'Donation Glasses' fundraising campaign for Pedigree that won a Gold
Lion; and Mountain Dew Skate Pinball for Frucor, which won a Silver and two Bronze.
"To achieve such remarkable results on the world stage, across a wide range of clients and categories, in difficult
financial conditions makes me incredibly proud. It's testament to the continued evolution of the agency, and our focus
on result-generating creativity," says Garrett.
In its 59th year, the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity sets the benchmark for excellence in creative communications
globally and received more than 34,000 entries for this year's awards.
"The level of work at Cannes was exceptionally high this year, so it's great to see Kiwi creativity and effectiveness
being recognised on the world stage," says Nick Worthington, Colenso BBDO's creative chairman, who was also president of
the promo & activation jury.
The Auckland agency was punching above its weight within the 288-office BBDO group, accumulating more Lions than any
other BBDO office worldwide; and it was the second most effective BBDO agency in the Effie Effectiveness Index after
Sancho BBDO (Bogata), who ranked second equal.
Other New Zealand agencies awarded at Cannes include Clemenger BBDO, who picked up three Lions, Special Group won two,
while Publicis Mojo, DDB and Saatchi and Saatchi all picked up one Lion each.
Ends