The award ceremony of the first Ad’Or 2001 Advertising Festival under the slogan “Advertising is the most enjoyable thing to do with your clothes on” took place at Sala Palatului on Saturday, May 19. The over 1,500 guests attended a show opened by fireworks and hosted by Virgil Iantu.
McCann Erickson was chosen advertising agency of the year and also got most of the awards. “I think we’ve had defence, midfield, attack and all. And we’ve had the most nominations, as well,” Bogdan Enoiu, general manager of the agency, told Ziarul Financiar.
Disappointed with the “Carpet beater” campaign not having won a single award, Enoiu promised the competition: “We won’t take any more awards, because it is too painful for you.” Campaign of the year award winner was Headvertising Agency with the “Reinventeaza.te” (Reinventyour.self) campaign, developed for Xnet.
The fiercest competition was, as probably expected, the one for the best TV spot, as TV commercials generally provide a better quality and multiple ways to express one’s creativity. The award went to Headvertising again, for a spot featuring a gypsy musicians band.
Some things out of the ordinary occurred, as well: several spots made at the beginning of the Romanian advertising industry drastically contrasted with the awarded spots, the prize for the best cosmetics and personal care products campaign was not awarded, with the jury arguing “none of the spots in competition met the standards of Ad’Or awards,” while the best campaign for household cleaning products category registered a single nomination.