Leo Burnett wins prestigious Network Excellence Award

Continuing to shine amongst its global offices, Leo Burnett Sri Lanka and Toronto recently won the coveted White Pencil for Creative Excellence for HumanKind thinking at the network’s 21st Worldwide Agency of the Year Awards. 

The prestigious accolade was secured for the Petal Paint campaign, which was conceptualised and successfully rolled out for leading local client JAT Holdings. Each year, representatives from Leo Burnett offices from around the world, gather in Chicago to celebrate and acknowledge outstanding work from across the network. From campaigns that have pushed creative boundaries, to those that have delivered exceptional results, only the finest work is recognised at the event.  

Commenting on the elite line-up of award-winners at the ‘Worldwide Agency of the Year 2018’ celebrations, Leo Burnett Worldwide Executive Chairman Mark Tutssel stated: “Leo Burnett is a creative solutions company. We live and die by our ideas and believe that creativity is the most powerful asset in business today. It is through a creative lens that we solve everything, and to us, creativity is a deep understanding of human behaviour that we translate into transformative solutions for our clients. It’s what we bring to every business problem and strategy. The agencies, campaigns and works that were recognised with awards this year truly exemplify this passion and dedication for creativity.”

Sharing in their brilliance for creativity and innovation, the winners of the various Creative Excellence Awards were celebrated for making some of the most memorable and noteworthy contributions to Leo Burnett’s iconic international and global brands. 

The Gold, Silver and Bronze Pencils were awarded to the top three creative ideas of the year, whereas the HumanKind Pencil was won by the piece of work that best embraced the agency’s HumanKind philosophy, and the Design Pencil was bagged by the best piece of design in the network. Along with Leo Burnett Sri Lanka and Toronto, Leo Burnett Dubai, Sao Paulo, Chicago and Germany were also recognised for their remarkable work.

A unique initiative designed to breathe new life into discarded floral offerings at temples across the island, Petal Paint was conceptualised by Leo Burnett Sri Lanka and Toronto on behalf of JAT Holdings, a premier conglomerate that specialises in ‘Transforming Spaces’. 

The initiative focuses on manufacturing special paints using the pigment of these wilted flowers, which would otherwise litter temples or end up in dumpsters and on the roadsides. Coupling the ancient art of extracting colour from a natural source such as a flower with ultra-modern technology, Petal Paint not only creates a revolutionary line of paints, it also pays homage to Sri Lanka’s rich heritage of temple art, often found in the form of captivating wall murals in shrine rooms. 

Commenting on the significant achievement by Leo Burnett Sri Lanka and Toronto, JAT Holdings Ltd. Managing Director Aelian Gunawardene said: “Petal Paint was our way of paying homage to our nation’s religious and cultural heritage, by distilling pigment from dried flowers into special paints which can be used to restore temple art. This initiative promotes the sustainable use of thousands of discarded floral offerings in temples, whilst ensuring Sri Lanka’s rich heritage of temple murals remains vibrant and alive. Kudos to Leo Burnett Sri Lanka for winning the highest honours from its global network – a well-deserved accolade!”

Petal Paint was made possible through seamless co-ordination and efforts of JAT Holdings and Leo Burnett Sri Lanka with support from Leo Burnett Toronto, this award-winning campaign serves as a fitting example of how a strong client-agency relationship can deliver ground-breaking results.