PMAA 2009: Jagran Solutions wins maximum accolades for India

Televisionpoint.com Correspondent | Mumbai
Winners for the Promotional Marketing Awards of Asia (PMAA) 2009 has been announced for the best promotional marketing campaigns undertaken in the last one year. Indian agencies and clients brought home seven gold Dragons and a total of 22 metals.

Ambika Sharma, national head, Jagran Solutions, who is also the PMAA's zonal director for India, tells Televisionpoint.com that the awards recognise excellence in integrated marketing initiatives and judge the campaigns on a number of parameters.

Sharma says, "The Marketing Association Worldwide (MAA Worldwide) has been a voice of authority on the promotional marketing industry of the world since 1965. The awards recognise the best work in the industry throughout Asia."

Jagran Solutions bagged the top honour for delivering the Best Campaign in India for the Microsoft Go-Alive Challenge campaign, Solutions Digitas led the metal tally from India with two golds.

Out of the 16 categories, Indian agencies and clients swept away two categories entirely - Best Use of Direct Marketing in a Promotion Campaign and Best Business-to-Business Campaign.

Solutions Digitas won two gold and two bronze Dragons; Jagran Solutions won one gold, three silver and two bronze; Mudra Communications bagged one gold and one silver; while Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, ICICI Bank and Digital Radio Broadcasting bagged one gold each.

Kanika Mathur, president and co-founder, Solutions Digitas, says, "Our commitment to this philosophy is now bearing results. I am elated over these wins and I hope that our winning spree continues like this."

Among the remaining awards that came to India, Encompass Events won two silver; Tequila India won one silver and one bronze; Candid Marketing got one silver; and Dentsu Communications and Netscribes got one bronze each.

Jagran Solutions' Microsoft Go-Alive Challenge claimed the Dragon for the Best Campaign in India. To connect with the campuses, Microsoft launched the Challenge, whereby the contest asked participants to design a website for their campus using specific Live tools.

The gold Dragon for Best Event or Experiential Marketing Campaign, which was awarded to Red FM for its 'No Votes Campaign' celebrates the 'dazzling depths of excellence' in various categories.

Abraham Thomas, chief operating officer, Red FM, says, "Clearly our strategy of building the Red FM brand with the listener at the focal point has worked. We will continue to focus on finding new ways to touch the lives of our listeners."

All the winners at the PMAA 2009 will go on to represent Asia at the MAA Globes Awards, which will be held later this year. In the past, Sharma has also served as a jury member at the PMAA as well as the MAA Globes.

The PMAA sees participation from over 13 countries in Asia. In 2008, India bagged the maximum number of metals at the PMAA, sharing the honour with China. While PMAA chooses the best in the Asian industry, there are separate promotional marketing awards that are conducted in other various other countries.