<FONT COLOR="#FF0033"><B>Abby Awards 2006:</B></FONT> Everest ponders over what could have been

Everest Brand Solutions is a complex mix of disappointment and excitement at the moment. The agency came in at Rank 3 this year at the Abbys with a total of two golds and three silvers (28 points in all), which is a matter of pride. But there is also disappointment. First, Everest has slipped a notch from last year’s No. 2 position. Second, it is miffed because the horse it was betting on – its ad film for ING Vysya – didn’t win a metal in the Film Single: Financial Advertising category.

Aniruddha Banerjee, COO, Everest Brand Solutions, admits, “Yes, naturally, we are disappointed that our ‘Expect the Unexpected’ TVC didn’t win despite its sharp and fresh creative idea. I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t have won.”

According to him, the film was aired for just 20 days because it was for an IPO; this didn’t give it the chance to generate the kind of popularity it should have rightfully. “Besides,” he says, “the visibility of the campaign was less as compared to the SBI Life Insurance film that won, as ING’s budgets weren’t as huge as SBI’s.”

Banerjee also feels that Everest should have performed better overall by picking up at least four or five more metals. Another of its entries, this one for CNBC ‘Storyboard’, ‘Don’t Miss the Popular Spots’, in the Film: Media category, was also expected to clank the metals.

“But I’ll say all is not lost,” says Mahesh Chauhan, CEO, Everest Brand Solutions, focusing on the positive aspects. “To begin with, we really wanted Everest to be in the top five agencies this year so that last year’s Rank 2 didn’t look like a fluke of sorts!” he says. “And thankfully, we made it to that list.”

Everest is also rather pleased with the width of its wins. Last year, it was mainly an ad for Tortoise Mosquito Coils and a radio spot for Mango Bite (‘Sholay’) which pushed it up the ladder. “But this time, we got five metals for five different brands, which is a good sign,” Chauhan remarks.

The agency’s wins are as follows: In the Print Single category, it got two metals this year. One is a silver in the Press Single: Healthcare, Household Care, Toiletries and Cosmetics category for ‘Keyhole’, its ad for Tortoise Mosquito Coils. The ad showed the shot of a keyhole, with Emergency Exit written on the door, implying an exit route for mosquitoes when Tortoise got into action.

It won another silver for the ad, ‘Couple’, for Intercontinental The Grand in the Press Single: Travel and Hospitality category. The ad served to publicise the Seafood Festival organised by the hotel and showed the visual of a couple dining, through the eyes of a fish (on their plate).

In the Direct Mail category, Everest bagged three metals, including a silver for XPS Courier Services, titled ‘Grape Box’, in the Direct Mail: Business and Consumer Services category. A box was sent out to corporations, with Grapes written on the top. On opening the box, you found raisins inside. The message pointed out that this was what happened when packages were delivered late.

Everest scored a gold for ‘Kaleidoscope’, its entry for the ING Vysya Mutual Fund. A kaleidoscope was sent to potential investors. On inserting a coin in the hole provided, you could see the coin multiply and form the image of several coins, thereby underscoring the message that here’s a mutual fund that offers good returns.

The second gold came for an ad for Autocop titled ‘The Box’. A wooden box with a lid was sent out to the TG, but the lid just wouldn’t open. The message on the flip side of the box said, ‘Autocop makes your cars as secure’.

© 2006 agencyfaqs!