New York Festivals invites entries for 2009

The awards mark their 51st year, riding high on a 23 per cent increase in entries submitted in 2008 over the previous year

Now in its 51st year, the New York Festivals (NYF) International Advertising Awards has officially made its call for entries for next year. The 2009 New York Festivals International Advertising Awards ceremony will be a three day event, starting on May 13.

The NYF Awards recognise work from 71 countries in all media, including television, cinema, print, outdoor, interactive, design, mixed media, collateral, radio and student advertising. In 2008, the awards witnessed a 23 per cent increase in entries submitted over the previous year. afaqs!, will be the Indian representative for the upcoming awards.

New York Festivals invites entries for 2009

In an official communiqué, NYF president Michael O’Rourke says, “Our role as an awards company is to not only award great work, but to ensure our winners are truly recognised at the international level. Whether it’s a screening in Sao Paulo or a seminar in Seoul, people will get a chance to view and appreciate our winners’ creative efforts.”

On NYF's online judging system, Marco Cremona, creative director, Young & Rubicam, Milan, and president, Art Club of Italy, says in a communiqué, “For me, it’s better to have judging online because there are too many factors that can influence human beings when they gather to decide on something. The dynamics are too complex, and the risk is to lose track of the pure value of an idea. I strongly believe it is better when you are judging on your own computer, dealing with your own judgement, and without any influence. This is an important quality an awards show should have.”

However, Santosh Padhi, aka Paddy, executive creative director, Leo Burnett, who has judged the awards twice, has different feedback regarding the online judging system. Speaking to afaqs!, Paddy says, “Though the system can be quite handy, there are chances that one might end up with a pixilated version of the entry while judging. Technical issues like the size of your computer screen or resolution can become a deterrent, too. Again, while judging, there are chances that localised content in the creative might be misinterpreted or not understood at all. Physical judging helps iron out such discrepancies.”

Last year, the awards received entries from 71 countries. India managed 37 nominations and eventually grabbed nine metals. Leo Burnett won five metals, Euro RSCG, two, and Bates David Enterprise (now Bates 141) and JWT, one each.

Leo Burnett also won the much coveted and the only World Gold Medal for India last year, for Tide's Put Back the Stain campaign (Best Use of Medium/ Magazine). A majority of Leo Burnett’s finalists (12) were in the Print category. These included two each for Getty Images, Luxor Highlighters, Reliance Mobiles and Tide. Nearly all the top 10 brands in India featured as entries last year.

In 2008, all NYF award winners were selected by an international panel of 246 senior creative directors, representing the most innovative and creative minds from 48 countries. Last year, India was represented by the likes of Santosh Padhi judging the Press category, Sainath Choudhury judging the entries for the Film Art and Technique category, Shikhar Mohan judging the Outdoor Poster category and Chaya Brian Carvalho scrutinising the Website category.

The 2008 New York Festivals Advertising Agency of the Year Award for exceptional work was awarded to BBDO New York. In addition to winning the Grand Trophy for the HBO Voyeur Integrated Campaign, BBDO took home an impressive 11 gold, nine silver and 10 bronze medals, along with a staggering 42 finalist certificates.

Founded in 1957, NYF now has representation in 62 countries and also oversees three standalone international competitions, including the Midas Awards for financial services communications, the Global Awards for health-care communications and the AME Awards for advertising and marketing effectiveness.

afaqs! is the official representative for New York Festivals in India.

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