Hasta La Creative!

LONDON – Youth development charity YMCA England is launching a Christmas appeal to help fund emergency services for vulnerable homeless young people during winter.

LONDON – BBC Magazines has delayed the launch of its much-anticipated Lonely Planet magazine after deciding it did not want to hit news-stands on the same day as the 15th anniversary and 100th issue of rival travel magazine Wanderlust.

(TrendHunter.com) Selfridges, a London store, has the right attitude toward credit crunch fears, belt-tightening with their new Credit Crunch Chocolate. Their new luxury candy line allows buyers to treat themselves to something…

LONDON – JWT has promoted Rosemarie Ryan and Ty Montague, who currently oversee JWT New York and JWT Chicago, to head up JWT North America.

LONDON – Cherie Lunghi, ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ star and former face of Kenco coffee, has been signed up to front a Marks & Spencer ad campaign in the New Year, according to a report.

LONDON – Mr Sparkle, the owner of a magical workshop, is the animated star of the Christmas TV ad for jewellers H.Samuel.

LONDON – Gannett, the Virginia-based publisher of USA Today, has acquired social media firm Ripple6 for an undisclosed sum.

NEW YORK – OMD Worldwide has named Mainardo de Nardis, former global CEO at Aegis, as its chief executive.

The filmmakers from creative production company Shilo (www.shilo.tv) are very proud to announce that their collaboration with Carl Le Blond, Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy & Mather Amsterdam, John Jackson, Director of Social Responsibility, MTV Networks, Suki Dusanj, Founder of The Burma Arts Board, activist Sam Roddick and others has earned the 2008 London International Awards Gold Statue for Television/Cinema Animation.

Here’s a really happy Carl Le Blond receiving the award in London.

Check out the posters “none of us are free” here and of course, the winning commercial:
Free Burma – Bombings – (2008) 1:30 (The Netherlands)

Of the nearly 18,000 total submissions into the London International Awards from 81 countries, only five percent reached finalist status. From that elite group, less than two percent earned Silver and less than one percent won Gold. “The standard of animation in film has just made quantum leaps forward in the past few years,” commented Barbara Levy, president of London International Awards. “Only the very best would be considered for metal.”

Last month, the “Burma Viral” project was also presented with the Silver Shark Award during the 46th annual Kinsale Shark Awards, in the category of International Craft: Best Animation. One of the longest running international advertising festivals, the Kinsale Shark Awards celebrate the best work in broadcast advertising from Ireland and around the world.

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LONDON – Waitrose is focusing on the festive homeward journey in its Christmas campaign, which launches on 18 November to Christmas Eve.