It was good times for Leo Burnett at the One Show Design ceremony last night. (Or maybe it just seemed that way because LB’s only representative, Connie Lam, wife of Alex Lam at Leo Burnett Singapore, left with more pencils than she could carry.)
Considering we had to sit through the awards ceremony while standing amidst an indecent amount of beer and alcohol, the event was pretty swanky. The ads were amazing and the crowd littered with select members of the design elite. But I was disappointed to find most pencil recipients didn’t bother to send anybody by to pick the award up. I hate the *cricket, cricket* feel of accolades left unreceived.
Gold Pencil and Best of Show recipients follow.
Collateral Design: Posters – Campaign: Jabula Hair and Braids. Agency: JWT, Cape Town
Collateral Design: Posters – Single: Amway, India. Agency: Rediffusion DYR, Gurgaon
Package Design – Single: Indesit Company. Agency: Leo Burnett, Milan
Collateral Design: P.O.P. In-store – Single: Mattel, Germany. Agency: Ogilvy, Frankfurt
HBO Voyeur by BBDO, NY walked away with Best of Show. Which is satisfying, because we dug it.
The after party: awesomer still. Phyllis Robinson, of copywriting fame from her early days at DDB, was present. I tried to take stealthy photos; the woman was kept busy. I thought to myself that if anybody had a copywriter “look,” Phyllis has it: eagle eyes, and a face that suggests she’s still got plenty of edge left on her pen.
There was sushi, lots of snacks, a sword swallower (eek!), and the Giant Stilt People that come stock at all ad parties EVER. Drinks ran unchecked.
I spent some time chatting with Meredith Turner of Rosen Group, who later introduced me to president Kevin Swanepoel of the One Club, who whipped his iPhone out and showed us pictures of Mao pins from China.
The night ended with hugs, cheek kisses and cotton candy. Somebody helped Connie Lam pack up all her pencils. On my way out, I picked up a One Show bag and caught a cab with Diane Stefani, who regaled me with useful information about good places to live in Manhattan, her husband’s catering business, and his nifty hobby of making jewelry out of typewriter bits. (I want some. Badly. Is that lame?)
When I got back to my hotel room (see vast gilded bed!!!), I kicked my shoes off and dumped my One Show swag out onto the sheets.
It was filled with the following exciting items: a free trial sub to the WSJ online, some ad design magazines, a free visit to the Chelsea, a black Leo Burnett pencil, dark chocolate, a milk chocolate One Show pencil wrapped in gold foil, an esoteric CD, and a big snappy One Show shirt that will serve as a nightgown for the rest of this week.
