JWT Mumbai wins the only Gold for India at AME Awards, New York

JWT Mumbai has bagged the 2010 AME Gold Medallion at the International AME Awards for Advertising and Marketing Effectiveness, held in New York.

The agency won the award for The Times of India's Teach India campaign in the Public Service and Not-for-Profit category. The campaign was the sole shortlisted Indian finalist.

This year, AME Awards announced for the first time that the competition would award winners both regionally and internationally. This year, the competition received entries from over 30 countries. The entries were judged by a jury representing 29 countries, which included marketers, media planners, strategy directors, social media experts and creative professionals.

"This is a significant honour, as the AME had a two-step judging process. We had to run the gauntlet first at the Asia-Pacific level; and only then could we be eligible for competing internationally. It was a tough jury list and it is gratifying to finish as Gold winners," says Sushobhan Mukherjee, vice-president and strategic planning director, JWT Mumbai.

Teach India, TOI's social initiative broke in July 2008. The initiative is an effort to change the literacy figures of India. The campaign addresses a two-fold issue -- one is the fact that India would not be able to lead unless the population is literate; and the second is that there exists a latent need for citizens to contribute to society. These insights were gained from the feedback received for TOI's earlier Lead India initiative.

The AME Awards for Advertising and Marketing Effectiveness are part of the New York Festivals, and were established in 1994 to recognise creative and successful marketing strategies across all industry verticals.