Clear winner: Young & Rubicam team cheering after winning the Golden Kancil and Agency of the Year awards at the Kancil Awards 2012. Presenting the Golden Kancil award is Star Publications (M) Bhd group managing director and CEO Ho Kay Tat (right).
KUALA LUMPUR: Young & Rubicam has emerged the winner of the coveted Golden Kancil at the advertising industry's most prestigious awards, the Kancil Awards 2012.
Aside from receiving the top award for its Penguin Books campaign, the advertising and marketing communications company was also named “Agency of the Year”.
Petronas Bhd won “Advertiser of the Year” while Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd chief operating officer Henry Tan clinched the “Chairman's Award”.
Star Publications (M) Bhd won a merit award for art direction under the craft category for its iSnap Half TV campaign.
Association of Accredited Advertising Agents Malaysia (4As) creative council chairman Jeff Orr said this year's entries were “sharp and intelligent” as compared to the “fun” style last year.
“You can't compare year upon year because we have different judges.
“Also, because last year's entries were very good, we have raised the bar this year,” he said.
Organising chairman David Mitchell said the creative economy in Malaysia was conspicuously moving away from traditional media.
“Back then, we were constrained to formats by using traditional media.
“But, when we get to digital media now, there is no format. We are going to see a lot more amazing stuff coming up,” he added.
Organised by the 4As, the Kancil Awards received 30% more entries this year, with the largest number coming in the “Posters” category followed by the “Cyber” and “Film/Radio” categories.
4As also revealed a new logo at the ceremony.
This year's awards, themed “Stop Dreaming”, introduced a new category for non-broadcast film and radio.
There were 11 main creative Kancil Awards categories in film, print, radio, cyber, outdoor, direct, design, integrated, craft, media and rebel.