Leo Burnett triumphs at ADFEST 2013

Leo Burnett Solutions (LBSI), Sri Lanka’s most awarded marketing communications agency made its mark in the annals of the industry by being the only Sri Lankan agency to bring home three bronze metals and three finalists awards from ADFEST, Asia Pacific’s premier advertising festival and awards show.

ADFEST, the first and most respected advertising awards show in the region is held annually in Pattaya, Thailand. This success showcases the agency’s strength across a range of advertising and communication mediums.

Leo Burnett Solutions Executive Creative Director and the first Sri Lankan to sit on an ADFEST Jury Subhash Pinnapola stated: “It was an exhilarating experience for me to serve on the jury. The bar definitely had been raised this year by the standard of work we saw from across the region. The ideas are getting better and better and the craft of the work is becoming almost an art form.

“I am proud of our team especially as we were the only Sri Lankan agency to win an award at the festival from amongst five agencies who submitted their work to the festival. Our six wins, including three metals is a tribute to the work, talent and efforts of the entire agency team who are truly committed to the pursuit of great ideas and perfect craft. More importantly we hope to continue to be the most creative agency in the country and in the region by passionately pursuing big ideas for each and every one of our clients.”

Leo Burnett Sri Lanka’s commercial for the Cerebral Palsy Foundation titled ‘Whistle story’, won two medals in the Film Lotus category. This commercial was created to raise awareness about Cerebral Palsy and to make people recognise the issue by introducing the Cerebral Palsy Lanka Foundation.

The agency also won a bronze medal for the ‘Paper Flag’ created for the Mawbima newspaper in celebration of the National Day in the Press Lotus category. The Cannes Lions winning idea which gained wide acclaim locally and internationally was also a finalist in the Lotus Root, Direct Print Lotus, Business to Consumer and Promo Lotus and Best use of print/conventional outdoor categories.

Leo Burnett Solutions Managing Director Ranil de Silva said: “This year’s ADFEST was a truly gratifying experience. We saw our work being recognised and achieving amongst the thousands of entries from across the region. I am grateful to my team; especially the creative team ably led Subhash as well as every Burnetter who made our success possible. I am happy that our small outpost of our network played a role to help ensure that Leo Burnett Asia Pacific was named as the Network of the Year.”

Reminiscing on his visit to ADFEST this year de Silva also said that, “This year the ADFEST was really great. We definitely had some inspiring moments. The print work in the region is world class. I do think Asia is showing the world the way forward in this medium.

“I also enjoyed listening to many of the speakers. I was delighted with Leo Burnett’s outstanding performance and very proud of my team for picking up three medals and three finalists. I also enjoyed the youthful company of the Sri Lankan Burnetters and the nights out on walking street and of course the foot massages.”

The Leo Burnett Asia Pacific network saw itself triumph as ‘The Network of the Year’ at ADFEST 2013 with an astounding tally of 75 finalists and over 35 metals won by Leo Burnett branches from Sri Lanka, Thailand , Tokyo, Melbourne, Sydney, Mumbai, Malaysia, Dubai, Jakarta, Singapore, Beirut, Taipei and Hong Kong.