Leo Burnett India is Global Agency of the Year of its network

Leo Burnett India has a reason to end 2008 on a happy note. The agency has been chosen as the Global Agency of the Year – top among the Leo Burnett network’s 94 offices in 86 countries.

In an official communiqué, Mark Tutsell, chief creative officer, Leo Burnett Worldwide, says, "Leo Burnett India stepped onto the world's stage in 2008, leaving Cannes with more Lions than any other office in our network. Now, they have cleaned up again, winning three coveted awards hosted by our network: the Gold Pencil, the Bright Star and the Global Agency of the Year award."

India was chosen as the best global agency out of the Burnett network's five Bright Stars. The other four Bright Stars were Argentina, Brazil, Italy and Japan. These Bright Stars, in a sense, were on the shortlist for the Agency of the Year title.

A Bright Star status is arrived at after evaluating the reputation of an agency in its region and worldwide, the profits it makes, employee satisfaction scores, interactions with fellow industry members at various forums, creative work and awards won.

In order to be considered a Bright Star, each market must have met its financial and business goals and delivered creative breakthroughs. This year, as a network, Leo Burnett had also climbed up the ranks in the Gunn Report, from No. 6 to No. 2.

The India office won the network's much coveted Gold Pencil for outstanding achievement in creativity across traditional and non-traditional media for Luxor Highlighters. This is the first time that the Indian arm of Leo Burnett has won this creative accolade.

Arvind Sharma, chairman, Leo Burnett India, says in a press statement, "Being judged the best office among the top ad networks in the world is an achievement we're proud of. What is more heartening is that these awards come close on the heels of the Leo Intel Award for planning excellence announced a week ago. Together, these prove our mettle across creative, planning and business results."