DDB Group Singapore tops GONG Creative Circle Awards

This is the second time in a row that the agency topped the awards. Its haul of 60 consisted of one Best of Category, 16 Gold, 16 Silver and 27 Bronze awards.

Organised by the Association of Accredited Advertising Agents Singapore (4As), the awards returned after a hiatus of almost two years. It encompasses all aspects of creative communications with awards given out in five major disciplines: advertising, design, promotions, direct mail and interactive.

“Our success tonight is a testimony to the talent of our teams and the trust our clients place in us,” said Joji Jacob, group executive creative director at DDB Group Singapore.

DDB Group won the Best of Category award with the ‘Obsessions (Pimple, Big Bottom, Bad Hair Day)’ campaign for Breast Cancer Foundation. The campaign touched on the insight that women often spend more time worrying about trivial things like hair and skin than on issues that could mean life and death. The ads portray these more trivial concerns through body paint, making the audience think twice about paying attention to what really matters in life.

The coveted Solitaire Award was presented to JWT Singapore for the ‘Rapid Rescue’ campaign for Singapore Red Cross. The Solitaire Award is an award bestowed by the heads of jury that is selected from the winners of all the Best of Category awards.

Together with one Best of Category, two Gold and Silver awards, JWT Singapore also won the title of Digital Agency of the Year. Kinetic Singapore emerged as Independent Agency of the Year, while new award Design Agency of the Year went to A Beautiful Design.

“Rapid Rescue is a great example of how we embrace technology, and use it to bring simple yet powerful ideas to life,” said Valerie Cheng, executive creative director of JWT Singapore. “Idea-centric advertising agencies have been working toward making digital part of their core offering, and JWT’s success shows it is absolutely possible.”

Rapid Rescue, a mobile app rolled out in Singapore earlier this year by the Red Cross, allows people who face a medical emergency to use their iPhone to locate individuals near to them who are trained in first aid.

Lynette Ang, senior vice president, strategic marketing communications, at NTUC Income, meanwhile was crowned Creative Client of the Year. Breast Cancer Foundation walked away as Advertiser of the Year, having bagged the most gold awards as a client.