Y&R Group ANZ has become the first agency to scoop the two highest awards at the 52nd International Andy Creative Awards in New York.
Y&R New Zealand won the really big one – Best in Show (the Grandy), for Burger King McWhopper, while GPY&R Australia won the Richard T O’Reilly Award for Outstanding Public Service (the Grandy for Good) for Melanoma Patients Australia’s Melanoma Likes Me campaign.
McWhopper also won Gold in Corporate Responsibility.
FCB New Zealand was the only other Kiwi agency to taste success at Andy, scoring a Gold in Branded Content for Paradise Hill It’s Not OK.
It is the first time Y&R Group ANZ have won Best in Show at Andy and the first time an ANZ-based group, or any network, has won both major prizes.
“For the jury, Y&R NZ’s McWhopper campaign was an audacious way to do something and it’s all tying back to good,” said Gina Grillo, International Andy Awards. “The social impact of it was just crazy.”
“One of the unique aspects of the awards this year was the Y&R network dominating both the Grandy Award and Public Service Award,” he said.
The McWhopper campaign garnered more than 8.9 billion impressions and increased awareness of Peace Day by 40%.
Y&R NZ ceo/chief creative officer Josh Moore said: “Gatorade Replay, Nike FuelBand, Chipotle Back to the start, and Marcel Inglorious Vegetables – these campaigns were the absolute pinnacle of our industry in the years they won the Grand Andy, so for McWhopper to be recognised at that level in 2016 is an outstanding achievement not just for Y&R NZ, but for the NZ advertising industry as a whole.”
“Whilst Tom Paine, Jono Key and myself are in New York to collect the Grand Andy, full credit is due to the entire team back in NZ, across Y&R Media, creative, production, design, digital and account service.
“And our fantastic suppliers – Assembly, Flying Fish, Match, Liquid Studios, Mandy, and Resn. This was a huge team effort and a testament to an integrated offering at its very best.”
Y&R Group regional chief creative officer Ben Coulson said: “It’s great (and slightly surreal) to see Australia and New Zealand take out the two top gongs, especially when you consider the calibre of work from all over the world competing here tonight.
“Andy is a famously tough show; they hand out very few prizes. A big thanks to our brave clients for pushing the boundaries with us, and to all the talented folk back home who worked so hard on these campaigns.”
Wieden + Kennedy global ECD Colleen DeCourcy led the global jury to recognize the “bravest, most perfect” creative work from around the world this year.
Y&R New Zealand received a cash prize of US$50,000 and the MPA charity will be receiving a US$10,000 donation from the Andys.
As the first show of the international award season, the Andys have become a predictor of what is likely to win in subsequent shows this year (the agency is already leading the NZ contingent at The One Show finals in NYC).
Y&R ANZ also won 2 Golds and 1 Silver – one of very few agencies from Australasia to win at the show. Other big global winners on the night included, adamandeveDDB London, Wieden + Kennedy Portland, Leo Burnett worldwide and FCB worldwide.
- A full list of winners can be found at www.andyawards.com
- See the McWhopper TVC below
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