Agency takes Media Grand Prix with campaign lauded for business
results as well as "wonderful idea"

JWT’s Kit Kat Mail triumphs at Cannes

FOR THE first time, the Media category at Cannes was to be judged on results as well as creativity. And the winner? JWT Japan, with a campaign for Kit Kat Mail that created a new product and a new distribution channel for Nestlé, as well as a new business opportunity for the Japanese postal system.

The award capped another successful year for WPP at the world's pre-eminent advertising festival in which WPP agencies across all disciplines won a total of 109 Lions, beating the 104 gained in 2008.

JWT Japan's campaign for Kit Kat was inspired by the Japanese translation 'Kitto Katsu', which means "surely win" and was seized upon by the JWT team to create 'edible postcards' that could be posted to children to wish them success in their exams.

The agency negotiated with Japan Post to offer the product in 22,000 post offices, creating an entirely new channel in which there was no confectionery competition. So successful did it prove that Japan Post has retained the product as a permanent offering alongside traditional stamps and postcards. Nick Brien, chairman of the Media jury at Cannes described it as a "wonderful idea" and said the campaign "demonstrated through tremendous innovation and tre-mendous, flawless execution that it could deliver outstanding business results in a groundbreaking way". WPP agencies also won Gold Lions in the Film, Press, Outdoor, Cyber and Design categories of the competition, as well as many Silver and Bronze Lions. And among the highlights of contributions by WPP companies to the events program at Cannes, Young & Rubicam introduced The Who's Roger Daltrey and music promoter Harvey Goldsmith, Grey presented on music in advertising, and CEO Martin Sorrell chaired the Cannes Debate on the recession and the future of the industry.

Lucky token: JWT Japan's Grand Prix winner.

Source: The WIRE - Issue 33