Ambience on a high with wins at NY Fest, CA Advertising Annual

Ambience-Publicis has won a gold as well as a silver award at the recently concluded New York Festival 2003 International Print Advertising Competition. And in addition to the NY Fest wins, two entries from the agency have been selected to appear in the December 2003 issue of the CA Advertising Annual (of Communication Arts), one of the most prestigious ‘books' on creative advertising.

The gold award that Ambience has picked up at the NY Fest was for its campaign for Western Union Money Transfer, while the silver was for the ‘air-conditioner' ad for Sil Red Chili Sauce. The gold and the silver that Ambience won add to the five Finalist nominations India has had in this year's NY Fest. agencyfaqs! regulars may recall that Chennai-based Maitri Advertising Works was one of the Finalists (for work done for RPG Group company, Health & Glow), while another Chennai-based shop, 1 pointsize, was another (for its print campaign ‘Clothes with a twist' for men's apparel brand, Stori). The third Finalist nomination from India was for an entry made by JWT India's Anagha Nigwekar soliciting eye donations. On its part, TBWA India had two Finalist nominations - one for BonTon Opticals (category: Personal Items) and the other for Sony PlayStation (category: Toys & Games).

The Ambience entries that have been selected by the 2003 jury to appear in Advertising Annual are the ads for Western Union Money Transfer and an ad for Vicks Inhaler. While the Western Union ads were quite visible and won at quite a few award shows, the ad for Vicks, strangely, failed to win any awards. The ad, which purports to be one for some perfume, has a scratch-and-sniff patch on it. Scratch the patch and sniff… and nothing happens. No smell of perfume. ‘Can't smell this? Vicks inhaler for a blocked nose,' reads the explanatory copy.

"I must say I am quite pleased with the wins at New York and Advertising Annual," says Elsie Nanji, vice-chairman & chief creative officer, Ambience-Publicis. "The ads for Western Union and Sil have been awarded before, but having the Vicks inhaler ad as an entry in Advertising Annual feels really good." © 2003 agencyfaqs!