Wacky Japan tops Gunn listing

Japan's zany and wacky sense of humour appears to have earned it the title of most creative nation in Asia-Pacific, according to the second annual Gunn Report. Regionally, the nation topped the list of most-awarded country, while Dentsu Tokyo/Osaka emerged as the most-awarded agency. In addition, Dentsu's "The Running Woman" television spot for Wowow TV was the second most-awarded commercial in Asia-Pacific. The ad - which followed the equally quirky "The Birdman" commercial for the same client - featured a woman who runs away from a prospective suitor and pushes a man off a bridge in her rush to get home to watch television. The top regional television commercial was the McDonald's "One Week Only" TVC by Leo Burnett Thailand. The rankings were compiled by combining the winners list from the top awards shows for TV, cinema and print from around the world, including Cannes, Clio and MEDIA's Asian Advertising Awards. Overall, the Gunn Report - compiled by Mr Donald Gunn, the former Leo Burnett director of creative resources worldwide - placed the United States, Britain and Brazil as the three most awarded nations of the world in 2000. Japan placed seventh, followed by Thailand. Singapore, which was the most-awarded in Asia-Pacific in 1999, was 10th. Hong Kong slipped one place to 16th position. The high rankings achieved by Japan and Thailand was due to those countries incorporating their own brand of humour into their advertising. Mr Gunn described humour as one of the more powerful tools in advertising and added that humour was especially strong in the top-ranked nations, the US and Britain. "You can't bore people into buying your product. Like a good salesman, you have to succeed in being friendly and likeable as well as persuasive," he told MEDIA. Most senior agency creatives in the region agreed, saying humour builds a connection between people and the countless brands vying for their attention. Mr Craig Davis, regional creative director of Saatchi & Saatchi said: "If you can make people laugh, then you are more likely to be able to make a connection with people. "Humour is a great way to connect to people and start a relationship." Although Singapore dropped from seventh to 10th position in the global rankings, top creatives in the Lion City said there was no shame in that. DDB Singapore ECD Tim Evill said, "It's still pretty damn good for a small country of just three million people." However, he stressed that awards should not be taken too seriously and that at the end of the day, it was what agencies did for their clients' bottom line which was more important. Saatchis Singapore's Toyota Corolla ad, "Overprotective Parents", was the most awarded print ad in Asia-Pacific. O&'s "Never One-Sided" outdoor campaign for The Economist was also rated highly among regional works. On the world stage, the Martin Agency's Virginia Holocaust Museum campaign in the US topped the print section, while the Guinness "Surfer" TVC by Abbott Mead/Vickers/BBDO in London took the TV category. THE GUNN REPORT - In The World In 2000 MOST AWARDED COUNTRIES MOST AWARDED AGENCIES 1. USA (1) 1. Abott Mead/Vickers/BBDO - London (4) 2. Great Britain (2) 2. Wieden & Kennedy - Portland, OR (5) 3. Brazil (3) 3. Fallon McElligott - New York & Minneapolis (15=) 4. Spain (4) 4. Dentsu - Tokyo & Osaka (6=) 5. Argentina (5) 5. Lowe Lintas - London (6=) 6. France (6) 6. Almap/BBDO - Sao Paulo (11=) 7. Japan (9) 7. Saatchi & Saatchi - London (15=) 8. Thailand (10) 8. The Martin Agency - Richmond, VA (30=) 9. Germany (7=) 9. Tandem Campmany Guasch DDB - Barcelona (26=) 10. Singapore (7=) 10. DDB - Chicago (-) 11. Australia (=) 11. BDDP & Fils/BDDP@TBWA - Paris (-) Canada (20=) Lautrec Euro RSCG - Buenos Aires (30=) 13. Mexico (-) 13. DM9DDB - Sao Paulo (9) 14. Netherlands (11=) TBWA Hunt Lascaris - Johannesburg (26=) 15. Sweden (13) 15. Cliff Freeman & Partners - New York (2) 16. Hong Kong (15) F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi - Sao Paulo (39=) 17. South Africa (14) Goodby Silverstein & Partners - San Francisco (13=) 18. New Zealand (20=) Leagas Delaney - San Francisco (-) 19. Norway (16=) Saatchi & Saatchi - Singapore (11=) 20. India (-) 20. Bartle Bogle & Hegarty - London (13=) 21. Portugal (16=) BMP DDB - London (1) 22. Chile (19) Leo Burnett - Bangkok (47=) Poland (20=) The Top Agency Networks 1. BBDO (2) 2. DDB (1) 3. Saatchi & Saatchi (4) 4. Leo Burnett (6) TBWA (3) 6. Lowe Lintas (5) 7. Ogilvy & Mather (7) 8. Euro RSCG (11) 9. Young & Rubicam (8) 10. Dentsu (10) 11. McCann-Erickson (14=) 12. FCB (9) 13. Grey (12) 14. Publicis (14=) 15. J. Walter Thompson (16) 16. Hakuhodo (18) 17. Bates (17) 18. D'Arcy (19) 1999 ranking in brackets.

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