UN awards advertisers for campaigns spreading the humanitarian message

International advertising companies whose campaigns have raised awareness of humanitarian or development issues have been honoured by the United Nations for public service advertising that best expresses the ideals and goals of the UN.

The awards, jointly sponsored by the UN Department of Public Information (UNDPI) and The New York Festivals, were presented by Raymond Sommereyns, DPI’s Director of the Outreach Division, who touched on the breadth of issues the world body is involved in before naming the winners at a formal ceremony on Thursday evening.

“The work of the United Nations encompasses many different areas – from eradicating poverty and hunger to promoting gender equality, from combating polio to establishing collective security. All these are issues that touch people’s lives around the world,” he told a gathering at the Hudson Theater in Manhattan.

This year’s panel of judges reviewed work dealing with UN issues such as poverty, protection of the environment, HIV/AIDS and child labour. The judges selected three public service advertisements/campaigns – one print and two television – to receive awards.

This year’s Gold UNDPI award went to Leo Burnett Publicidade Ltda (Brazil) for “Favela”, a print advertisement to raise awareness about poverty. The Silver went to Leo Burnett Paris (France) for a campaign for “Enfance et Partage,” a non-governmental organization (NGO) working to prevent child abuse. And the Bronze went to DDB Jakarta (Indonesia) for “Supermarket Baby,” a television campaign about the trafficking of infants for adoption.

In addition to the winners, the following companies were honoured as finalists: Classic Partnership Advertising Dubai (United Arab Emirates), AMP Radio Networks Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), FCB Paris (France), and TBWA Berlin (Germany).

Last night’s ceremony attracted a diverse crowd, with participants sporting everything from jeans to tuxedos as they crossed a red carpet to enter the hall while pop tunes played in the background, lightening the atmosphere at an event focused on weighty issues.

The New York Festivals, founded in 1957, oversee six international awards competitions, in Film and Video, Television Programming and Promotions, Radio Programming and Promotions, Television and Radio Advertising, Design and Print Advertising, and Interactive Media.