Congrats to P&G and Saatchi and Saatchi

I am still very excited and happy for the win by Dove’s “Evolution”, (see AdAge report here, and my previous entry), (emphasis mine)

The film winner at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival was Dove’s “Evolution” from Ogilvy, Toronto, a 60-plus-second spot that barely qualified for the category. [K: "barely qualified", smile] Famous for going viral on the web and garnering more impressions than a Super Bowl ad, it made the cut because someone at one point had the foresight to run it once on TV.

And I would like take a moment to send a special congratulation to my friend Kevin Roberts‘ Saatchi and Saatchi team. Quoting AdAge (emphasis mine),

P&G cleans up
On the marketer end, package-good giant Procter & Gamble enjoyed its best-ever year at Cannes. With only the film contest left to decide, P&G already had picked up 12 Lions plus the press Grand Prix for Ultra Tide Stain Remover, up from nine Lions in 2006.

“We’re exhilarated,” said Procter & Gamble’s Chief Marketing Officer Jim Stengel, who was hanging out in the Majestic hotel’s lobby. “To me it’s very symbolic to do this [well] on a big brand in a big country. It’s the creativity, the business and the culture that all goes together.”

As P&G happily counted its Lions for detergent and dental floss, the marketer’s happiest agency was Saatchi & Saatchi, winner of the press Grand Prix and nine of the 12 other P&G Lions. P&G’s 30-strong delegation wrapped up with a Saturday lunch at the Majestic to “capture the energy and ideas,” Mr. Stengel said, and return to their countries inspired. [...]

This year’s Agency of the Year award went to Saatchi & Saatchi, New York [K: I would love to pay them a visit one day].

Congrats to Kevin Roberts and the Saatchi and Saatchi team.