Gunn points to Asia's strongest year ever

The Gunn Report, which takes into account the results of major international, regional and national awards, noted that on average, Asia's points were up by more than 43 per cent over previous years.

Euro RSCG's Soken DVD 'Kill Bill Kill Bill', 'Titanic' and 'X ... X ... X' campaign, which won Best of Show at Media's Advertising Awards and AdFest, was the third most-awarded ad in the television category.

BBDO Bangkok's Unif Green Tea 'Worm' campaign tied fourth with Wieden & Kennedy UK's Honda Civic 'Everyday', 'Sense' campaign.

The multiple wins of Unif Green Tea's 'Worms' included a gold at Cannes, silvers at both One Show and Clio and Best of Show at the new Adman Awards in Thailand, according to Donald Gunn, former Leo Burnett director of worldwide creative resources, who added that along with Euro RSCG's (France) 'Waterboy' ad, the 'Worms' campaign was one of the most animated and "refreshing" commercials in 2004.

While Asia failed to repeat last year's scoop of first place in the print category, which had been achieved by BBH Singapore's 'Hugging' campaign to promote Levi's Classic Men's 501s line of jeans (at the time ending a four-year dominance of the section by the US and Britain), three local campaigns made it into the top five.

TBWA Japan's Adidas 'Vertical Football', which Gunn described as a "brilliant outdoor spectacular coup", and the agency's Sphere Action figures 'Desert Rats' ad from Singapore tied for third place in the print category. Ogilvy & Mather's The Economist 'Brain' came in as the fifth most-awarded print ad.

Gunn noted: "I'm sure Thailand, Singapore and Japan will be highly placed in 2005, that Malaysia will stay in the 'top 25 table' and that Hong Kong will move up in it, and look for stronger and stronger years coming from China and India."

Bangkok-based Phenomena, which fell from last year's third spot to fifth, and Matching Studio, another Thai production company, which managed to leap 11 points to 33rd place, were both identified by Gunn as achieving world-class work. "Along with Phenomena, (Matching Studio) completely dominates commercial production in Thailand, and maintaining their standards, were responsible for two of 2004's most awarded ads in the world - the Soken DVD Player campaign and Unif Green Tea Worms," said Gunn.

Overall, Dentsu Tokyo/Osaka was the sixth most-awarded agency in the world. BBDO Bangkok took eighth spot, while Euro RSCG made a huge jump from 44th to 12th place. Ogilvy & Mather Singapore came in at 17th place.

Pole position went to Almap BBDO Sao Paulo with Wieden & Kennedy London ranked second.

THE GUNN REPORT 2004

MOST-AWARDED TV

RANK CLIENT/TITLE/AGENCY POINTS

1 Honda Accord 'Cog' 38

Wieden& Kennedy

2 Sony PlayStation 'Mountain' 31

TBWA\London

3 Soken DVD 'Kill Bill Kill Bill' 25

Euro RSCG Flagship

4= Honda Civic 'Everyday', 'Sense' 16

Wieden & Kennedy

4= Unif Green Tea 'Worms' 16

BBDO Bangkok

MOST-AWARDED PRINT

RANK CLIENT/TITLE POINTS

1 Volkswagen Polo 'Cops' 25

DDB London

2 Bisley 'Barcode', 'Chaos', 'Clock' 22

Kolle Rebbe Werbeagentur

3= Adidas 'Vertical Football' 19

TBWA\Japan

3= Sphere Action figures 'Desert Rats' 19

TBWA\Singapore

5 The Economist 'Brain' 16

Ogilvy & Mather Singapore