India shines at APAC Effies; Wins 18 metals including Grand Effie

Ogilvy & Mather bagged the 'Agency of the Year' title, while Havas bagged Grand Effie and Lowe came third in Global Effectiveness ranking.

The 2015 APAC Effie Awards saw a host of Indian agencies bagging awards and recognition. While Ogilvy & Mather Mumbai walked away with the 'Agency of the Year' title, Havas Worldwide bagged the Grand Effie for its 'No Child Brides' campaign for Child Survival India, in the Goodworks Non-Profit category.

"I am truly blessed to be surrounded with so much great talent focussed on creating great work. The APAC Effie Agency of the Year is a fantastic triumph. I salute our people and all our clients who constantly partner us to create this wonderful body of work that the world celebrates," exclaimed Piyush Pandey, executive chairman and creative director, Ogilvy South Asia.

Four Indian agencies won five Gold metals at the APAC Effie this year. Soho Square's 'The campaign that created history' for BJP won in the Government/ Institutional category. Lowe Lintas + Partners' 'From Dark to Connectivity' for Unilever India won it two Golds - in Branded Utility and Media Innovation categories, respectively. Havas Worldwide's 'No Child Brides' won a Gold, apart from the Grand Effie this year. Finally, Ogilvy & Mather's 'Message Barter' for The Akanksha Foundation won Gold in the Small Budget - Services category.

Nirmalya Sen, CEO, India of Havas Worldwide, said, "This is big and we are truly thrilled. Even more so, given the objective of the campaign. This isn't just a validation of our belief in 'Creative' Business Ideas, but will also encourage all of us at Havas Worldwide India to invest more effort and time in fulfilling our Creative Social Responsibility as an agency."

India won seven Silver metals this year, with Ogilvy winning three and Lowe bagging two. Ogilvy's '#PledgeToVote' and 'Google Reunion' for Google India won Silvers in the IT Telco category. The same agency bagged another Silver for its 'Message Barter' campaign. Lowe's 'From Dark to Connectivity' once again got the agency two Silvers, in the Asia Pacific Brands and New Product and Services categories, respectively. McCann won one Silver for the 'Share My Dabba' campaign for Happy Life Welfare Org in the Goodworks Non Profit category. Soho Square's 'Humanising Technology in India' for Voltas bagged the final Silver in the Sustained Success category.

Four Indian agencies - Grey Group, McCann World Group, Ogilvy & Mather and Lowe Lintas won five Bronzes. Grey's work for Fiat India - 'Great just became interesting' - won a Bronze. McCann won a Bronze for Coca Cola's 'Taking on formality in Indian homes' campaign. 'Kissanpur: Real Connectivity', by Lowe Lintas for Unilever won a Bronze. The two other Bronze metals went to Ogilvy - for Mondelez' 'Tayyari Jeet Ki' (in the Sustained Success category) and HUL's 'Taste of Togetherness' (beverages non-alcohol category).

India emerged as the biggest winner this year, taking a total of 18 awards including the Grand Effie. Australia and New Zealand followed with 15 and 11 awards, respectively.

The APAC Effie Awards is organised by the Confederation of Asian Advertising Agency Associations (CAAAA) and Tenasia Group. The winners and finalists are accorded points that add to their ranking in the Effie Effectiveness Index, the world's most prestigious ranking of effective marketers, brands, agency holding groups, agency networks, agency offices and independent agencies.

Lowe Lintas + Partners has been declared as the Most Effective Agency in India, with Ogilvy coming in second, followed by McCann. It is for the first time that Lowe has broken into the top 5 in the network ranking - securing the No. 3 position globally.

Joseph George, CEO, Lowe Lintas + Partners, India, said, "Of course, I am delighted. It ain't easy to do this two years in a row. I am happy just seeing this as a reaffirmation yet again, and most so for own selves, of the type of work we want to do, like to do and are good at!"