Hakuhodo wins big at Indonesian ad awards

Hakuhodo Indonesia walked away with the ‘Agency of the Year’ award in Citra Pariwara 2016, Indonesia’s largest annual advertising festival. The agency's journey to the top comprised five 'best of category' awards in print, film, out-of-home, direct and non-conventional, 21 golds, 19 silvers and 15 bronze metals. It also took home the ‘Media Agency of the Year’ award with one gold, three silvers and one bronze. 

The agency won the ‘Best of Film’ for its 'Elevator' campaign for Cimory Low Fat Yoghurt with a humorous take on hidden fats. 

A more heart-warming campaign on Dengue awareness for the insurance brand Sompo called 'Prayer for Good' earned Hakuhodo its “Best of Direct Promotion’ metal.

MullenLowe Indonesia was named 'Digital Agency of the Year' for its work on Rinso, a campaign titled 'Cupboard 1101' and two video campaigns for Indomie, the viral rap battle and the telenovela that won them one silver and two bronzes.

A local digital agency, Narrada Communications, came second in the media category while VML Indonesia took third place.

Citra Pariwara is organised by Persatuan, Perusahaan, Periklanan Indonesia (P3I), the Association of Indonesian Advertising Companies and is in its 29^th year.

“There is a lot of good work coming out of Indonesia and I can see the work going from strength to strength each year," says Irfan Ramli, chairman of P3I and the president of Hakuhodo Indonesia.  "Indonesian advertising has a voice that has its roots deeply embedded in local history and culture.  There are fresh, simple, unique ideas that should see themselves travelling to Cannes next year.”

Given Hakuhodo's overwhelming win, Ramli, a long-time veteran of Indonesia's advertising scene, stressed he was not involved in this year's judging.

The jury was made up of international and local judges including: Ajab Samrai, chief creative officer of Ogilvy & Mather Japan; Takayuki Nizawa, senior creative director of TBWA Hakuhodo Japan; Achjuman "Maman" Achjadi, chief strategy officer, Dentsu Aegis Network; and Roy Wisnu, chief creative officer, MullenLowe Group.

“[The] standard of the work is very strong and as I look at Indonesian advertising, it is getting better each year" says O&M’s Samrai who headed the jury for print, radio, film, out-of-home, direct, non-conventional, integrated and print craft at CP 2016.

PT United Family Food won the “Advertiser of the Year” award, and Cimory (yoghurt), Zuper duper sour candy and Sompo (insurance) were the most awarded brands.