O&M Cannes win hit by scam furore

<p>SINGAPORE: The controversy surrounding Ogilvy & Mather Singapore's </p><p>performance at Cannes is threatening to hit the Creative Circle Awards, </p><p>with several agencies talking about boycotting the show. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>This emerged after O&M's Cannes wins came under a cloud amid allegations </p><p>that its Guinness work was a scam, and that it had ripped off work from </p><p>The Smith Agency in the US for the "God" campaign for the Churches of </p><p>the Love Singapore Movement. Agencies said there was nothing to stop O&M </p><p>from entering both campaigns in the CCA. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>O&M is alleged to have misled Cannes judges into thinking Guinness </p><p>"What's on your mind" work had beencreated for Asia Pacific Breweries </p><p>(APB). Greenaway said the work was originally created for APB's </p><p>joint-venture United Stout Marketing (USM), but then the account moved </p><p>to Saatchi & Saatchi. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>O&M then approached Gaelic Inn pub owner Ian Crowhurst, who paid for the </p><p>media, while O&M covered production costs. Greenaway, who was on the </p><p>Cannes print and poster judging panel, said he only realised APB's name </p><p>was on the entry form when the ads were being judged. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Greenaway said the "God" campaign was similar because of the affiliation </p><p>between the US and Singapore churches, and added, "our work is an </p><p>extension of the US campaign". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>See analysis, p11. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>