MIXX Conference Happens, Nissan Wins MIXX Best of Show

On Monday and Tuesday during Advertising Week, the IAB held its MIXX Conference and Awards. All the usual suspects where there are the Crown Plaza in mid-town Manhattan for the event. Adify, Laredo Group, Star Media, Microsoft, VideoEgg, ValueClick and many others. Of particular note was VideoEgg's Lauren Rogers who dressed herself in a yellow chicken costume for the ntire two days of the show. Cuteness. (And yes, VideoEgg advertises on Adrants)

In one panel Heroes creator Tim Kring talked about how the web played (and still plays) a big role in the show bit only for promotional purposes but as an integral part of the show's plotline as well as a platform for new and separate plot lines. Kring acknowledges the internet has drastically changed how traditional television is consumed, how viewership ratings have been negatively affected and how new audience have found the show and are viewing without turning on the television set - which challenges Nielsen to no end.

A cocktail reception followed the of the conferences second day and then MIX held its Awards Gala which hosted by GroupM Interaction Worldwide CEO Rob Norman who, along with his British accent and wit, made the event enjoyable which, as is the case with many awards show, can be a challenge to say the least.

With 18 categories plus Best of Show the event moved quickly even though it started quite a bit late. But, late is relative. It just gave everyone more time to drink and socialize before the dinner.

Who won? Nissan and Tequila nabbed Best of Show for the Rogue launch campaign. The campaign also won Gold for Digital Video, VOD/Interacrtive Television and Digital Integration. Of note, Vodafone won Gold in the International category for its Livefeeds campiagn created by OgilvyOne Worldwide, Athens. Refreshingly, the Ogilvy rep who accepted the award, unlike much award show chest pounding, openly admitted he had nothing to do with creating the campaign and was just there to accept the award on behalf of those who did.

I had the pleasure of sitting with two Gold winners, TBWA/Media Arts Lab's Joannah Bryan who won Super-Rich Media for the Apple Don't give up campaign and a guy whose name I can't remember (apologies) from JOGO Media who won In-Game Advertising for BMW's M3 Challenge. A full list of winners is available on the MIXX Awards website.

All the pictures are here.