Triple A Awards 2002: McCann, Enterprise take top honours <font size="1" face="Verdana"><b><font color="#FF0033"><u>Triple A Awards!</u></font></b></font>

McCann-Erickson India and Enterprise Nexus - and to a lesser extent, Mudra Communications and Rediffusion-DY&R - dominated this year's Triple A Awards, which were given away late yesterday evening in Mumbai. Between them, the four agencies accounted for more than three-quarters of the trophies given away, with McCann and Enterprise walking away with all five golds awarded. McCann had the added pleasure of being associated with the Copywriter of the Year and the Advertiser of the Year awards, while Enterprise did itself proud by winning the lone Grand Prix Silver in the International Jury Awards category.

All of it sounds good, but for the fact that quite a few top-level Indian agencies didn't enter their work this year. O&M, Leo Burnett India, Quadrant Communications, Lowe, Publicis Ambience, Lemon, Euro RSCG India and Contract Advertising were absent. Nothing new about O&M, Burnett and Ambience not participating - they abstained last year too. But the absence of Lowe, Contract and Quadrant did dampen spirits a bit. After all, these were the three top agencies at last year's Triple A Awards, accounting for close to 50 per cent of all awards - and all golds - given away.

Nonetheless, year 2002, it appears, has been particularly gracious on McCann - hugely due to Coca-Cola. After winning over consumers and industry peers all through last year, the agency's ‘Thanda matlab…' campaign hit bull's-eye at yesterday's awards too. The campaign allowed McCann to help itself to a bronze trophy (for the ‘tapori' ad), a silver trophy (for the ‘crate' press ad) and three gold trophies (one each for the ‘Hyderabadi' and ‘Punjabi' ads and one for the coveted Campaign of the Year). And, without doubt, ‘Thanda' also went some way in fetching McCann its silver in the Showcase of the Year - TV, and bronze in the Showcase of the Year - Press.

McCann wasn't the sole agency to reap a golden harvest. Enterprise too picked up two gold trophies… one for the ‘cat-and-dog' press ad for The Economic Times, the other for the Showcase of the Year - Press. Enterprise also benefited hugely in the newly constituted International Jury Award for TV Entries. (For the record, this category was judged by an international panel which included creative lights such as Neil Johnson, Christopher D'Rozario, Ms Milka Pogliani, Robyn Putter, Mark Fong and Jeremy Craigen, as well as our own Piyush Pandey and Mohammed Khan. Awards won in this category were added to the winning agency's overall awards tally.) Enterprise won the only Grand Prix Silver to be awarded in this category. The winning entry: the delightful ‘platform' commercial for Titan. In total, seven entries won trophies in the International Jury Award category - the above mentioned Grand Prix Silver, and six Grand Prix Bronzes. Enterprise claimed two of the bronzes as well. JWT India too won two Grand Prix Bronzes, while Mudra and Rediffusion shared the remaining two.

While McCann and Enterprise might have picked up a greater number of high-value metals, Mudra and Rediffusion compensated by winning more of the ‘lower denomination' trophies. Rediff, in fact, won a silver in the Showcase of the Year - Press category. For its part, Mudra picked up a bronze in the Showcase of the Year - Press category, as well as a bronze for the Campaign of the Year (for McDonald's). Enterprise Nexus was awarded two bronzes (one for NECC, one for Bennett, Coleman & Co) for the Campaign of the Year.

In terms of total awards won, Enterprise and Mudra shared the limelight, with both agencies laying claim to 16 awards each. They were followed by Rediffusion, with 12 trophies. McCann came next with 11 awards. McCann and Enterprise accounted for all five golds, seven of the 18 silvers and 15 of the 49 bronzes. The top four agencies accounted for 15 of the 18 silvers, 35 of the 49 bronzes - and five of the seven International Jury Awards. (Enterprise alone walked away with three of the last; interestingly, McCann failed to make a mark on the International Jury.) Such was their domination.

The other agencies that left an impression on the awards were JWT India (six trophies), Saatchi & Saatchi (four trophies), Grey Worldwide, TBWAAnthem, Avenues, Equus Red Cell, Everest Integrated Communications, The Flagship and FCB-Ulka (one apiece).

One of the categories that debuted at the Triple A Awards 2002 was the Art Director of the Year, Copywriter of the Year and Advertiser of the Year awards, the first two given to individuals. While the Art Director of the Year award went to Santosh Padhi of Leo Burnett India, McCann's national creative director Prasoon Joshi took the Copywriter of the Year award. And Coca-Cola India was adjudged as the Advertiser of the Year… for the ‘Thanda' campaign. Befitting.

Another new award category that had been constituted this year was the Brand Performance Awards, a set of ‘Marketing Awards' for brands that have performed significantly in their respective categories. These Brand Performance Awards were given away on the basis of AC Nielsen's market data. Yesterday, a total of six Brand Performance Awards were given away - five of gold and one of platinum. The gold winners were Anchor Toothpaste (Anchor), Chik Shampoo (CavinKare), Fair & Lovely Fairness Cream (HLL), Maxo Mosquito Coil (Jyothi Laboratories) and Parle-G Biscuits (Parle Products). The Triple A Most Outstanding Brand Performance Award 2002 (the platinum award) went to Ghari Washing Powder (Rohit Soaps).

All and all, this year's Triple A Awards has been immensely gratifying for McCann and Enterprise. And Mudra and Rediffusion too, to be sure… © 2003 agencyfaqs!