Impact Communications leads the medal tally at third RMAI

Impact Communications bagged 11 awards, followed by RC&M with seven awards, ITC ABD (agri-business division) and MART with three awards each.

The Rural Marketing Association of India (RMAI) recently conducted the third edition of RMAI Corporate Awards 2010 in New Delhi. The bi-annual event saw Impact Communications and RC&M bagging the maximum number of awards.

The New Delhi based agency, Impact Communications, bagged 11 awards, including the Special Jury Award, followed by experiential marketing agency RC&M, which bagged seven awards. At the third position, there were two awardees - including MART and ITC ABD (agri-business division).

In the Best Long Term Rural Marketing Initiative, RC&M bagged the silver for Mahindra & Mahindra's Manual to Mechanisation campaign. Impact Communications bagged the gold in the same category for Path (Sure Start) - Pehla Ek Ghanta campaign. The Pehla Ek Ghanta campaign also fetched the gold for Impact Communications in the Social/Health/Developmental sector, along with the Special Jury Award.

In the Best Integrated Rural Marketing Initiative category, RC&M bagged the bronze for M&M's Mileage ka Master campaign; while Lafarge India settled for silver for its Sapno Ka Ghar campaign. ITC won the gold in the same category for its Choupal Haat initiative.

In the Best Innovative Rural Marketing Initiative category, Hero Honda bagged a bronze for its Service Har Jagah campaign. Impact Communications won the silver in the category for Tata Magic's Ramgarh Mein Magic campaign. The gold in the category went to Ogilvy & Mather for Bru Instant Coffee Connect campaign.

The fourth category, Most Effective Use of Event Marketing, was dominated by Impact Communications, with the agency bagging all the three metals. The agency shared the bronze with ITC for Choupal Mahaotsav, while it won a silver for Consumer Country Fair - Kullu Dussherra and gold for Brand's Divine Connect campaign during Haridwar Mahakumbh 2010.

In the Most Effective Use of Sales Promotion and Point of Purchase category, RC&M bagged a silver for LG Batteria campaign for LG All Rounder phone. The agency bagged a gold for TVS Star's campaign, TVS Ne Bana Di Jodi, in the Most Effective Use Of Direct Marketing Print category.

In the Distribution and Trade Promotions category, Impact Communications bagged a silver for Kodak's Hum Sab Mein Hai Kodak Photographer campaign; and a gold for Cadbury's retail seeding.

In the Internet/SMS/Mobile Application for Rural People category, MART won a silver for Ericsson's campaign, Amne Samne - video telephony on a shared usage mode, while the gold went to Reuters Market Light for direct vouchers to be sold over the counter.

In the Social/Health/Developmental sector campaigns, where Impact Communications bagged the gold, MART won a bronze for Path - healthy water healthy life campaign; and also won a silver for its campaign, Collective - enriching the marginalised.

In the tenth category, Best and Innovative Use of Traditional Media or Congregation Point, ITC ABD bagged the bronze for Choupal Haat campaign, while Impact Communications won the silver for Consumer Country Fair - Kullu Dussherra and the gold for Brand's Divine Connect.

There was also a special category to reward the creative talent under the Creative Awards category. In this category, the silver was bagged for Ayurvet Ltd for the Best Rural Promotional Film in Less than 10 Minutes for Doodh ka chor-Thanella campaign. RC&M also bagged a silver in the Best POP Design category for TVS Star City - Dumdaar Sach ka Samna.

RC&M also bagged a gold in the Best Outdoor Design Poster(s) Wall category for M&M-Puddling ka Maharaja. Madison media won a gold and its only award in the Best Radio Program for Airtel Mere apne-Enabling relationships. O&M bagged its second gold in Innovative Communication for Bru Instant Coffee Connect.

The third edition of the awards was attended by 175 participants from corporate houses, media agencies, consultancies and implementation agencies. A total of 75 entries were received for the 11 categories.

The three member jury comprised S Siva Kumar, chief executive officer, agri-business, ITC; MG Parameswaran, executive director and CEO, DraftFCB Ulka; and Anand Sinha, country head, Abt Associates. A total of 29 entries were selected for gold, silver and bronze awards.