Sri Lanka’s first Spikes Asia metal won by Leo Burnett
Leo Burnett Solutions Inc. (LBSI), the Sri Lankan office of the internationally acclaimed advertising agency network Leo Burnett Worldwide, became the first agency in Sri Lanka to win metal at the Spikes Asia Festival that was held in Singapore recently.
‘Pass It On Once You’re Done With It,’ to promote eye donations, won Bronze in the most coveted Film category and it was also shortlisted and awarded a finalist status in Film Craft for Direction and in Digital media for viral films. This TV commercial conveys a powerful message based on the yearning of a blind boy and creates empathy for the helplessness of people who can’t see, narrated through a thought-provoking and emotionally-engaging story. This commercial was conceived by Leo Burnett’s Senior Creative Director Subhash Pinnapola, who also directed the film. This Bronze award adds another first to Leo Burnett Sri Lanka’s numerous other accolades.
The Spikes Asia festival is the popularly dubbed the Cannes of Asia and is the region’s most respected advertising festival. This year the festival attracted 63 speakers, over a thousand delegates and recognized the region’s best work with 271 metals.
Interestingly, only 34 metals were presented in the Film Craft category with only two gold awards being awarded. Therefore Leo Burnett’s win of a Bronze in the TV category makes this success even more laudable and prestigious. In the 24 year history of the festival, this is the first time ever that a Sri Lankan agency has won an accolade at the festival, making this win a landmark not just for Leo Burnett but for the advertising industry in the country.
In this context Leo Burnett’s Mark Tutsell, Worldwide Creative Director stated: “Congratulations on winning a prestigious Bronze Spike in Film. This is an outstanding creative achievement. ‘Pass it on’ is beautifully directed and a worthy winner at this highly competitive creative show. Congratulations Leo Burnett Sri Lanka. I am so proud of the agency and Subhash on his accomplishment.”
Speaking on this accomplishment on behalf of Leo Burnett, Subhash said: “Winning Sri Lanka’s first ever metal at Spikes is a very rewarding win, however I believe the bigger reward is the message we communicated and the results it has been able to achieve for Akshidanaya. This truly is the real reward. The decision of so many donors to gift their eyes is much more worthy of an award. I believe that this award must go to those people who will donate their eyes someday to help the blind.”
“Leo Burnett has always been at the forefront of creativity in Sri Lanka and is the country’s most awarded agency for the last several years. We have been the first to bring glory to Sri Lanka from many different regional and global frontiers. This amazing result is yet another worthy accolade which we have gained for ourselves and the country. I am happy we have once again been able to make a mark for Sri Lanka,” said Ranil de Silva, Managing Director of LBSI. “My heartiest congratulations go out to Subhash and his team for this amazing win and to the client Akshidhanaya for believing in the communications.”
Leo Burnett Solutions Inc. is well known amongst the advertising community for its many industry firsts, having won numerous awards both nationally and internationally. Among the international recognition Leo Burnett has received are awards at the Effies, the AME Awards and Adfest. Since its inception in 1999, the agency has contributed immensely to the Sri Lankan marketing communications industry and has helped change the paradigm of creativity in the country.
