The Outdoor Advertising Assn. of America (OAAA), Washington, D.C., has announced its 2009 OBIE Awards. Leo Burnett Toronto and BBDO New York claimed top honors at the 67th Annual OBIE Awards, held in April. The OAAA announced the winners during a live webinar hosted by Chief Judge Mark Tutssel, chief creative officer for Leo Burnett Worldwide.
The OBIE Awards are the oldest and among the most prestigious awards in the advertising business.
Two Best of Show OBIE Awards were presented, one to Leo Burnett Toronto and one, for the third year in a row, to BBDO New York. Leo Burnett Toronto’s campaign for James Ready Beer won Best of Show, Traditional Billboard. BBDO New York took home Best of Show, Multi-Format, for its quirky The Economist campaign.
An additional nine OBIEs were awarded in individual categories, recognizing outstanding creative across various platforms and formats. Leo Burnett and BBDO were the only agencies to win OBIEs in multiple categories in 2009.
“The 2009 OBIE Awards winners illustrate the essence of outdoor: simple creative that surprises and delights the audience,” said Nancy Fletcher, OAAA president and CEO.
TBWAChiatDay’s Absolut campaign won the 2009 OBIE Hall of Fame Award for its OOH body of work. “Sometimes a campaign crosses over from being simple advertising to being a cultural phenomenon,” said Stephen Freitas, OAAA chief marketing officer.
Twenty-one merit prizes and 43 finalist certificates were also awarded. The complete list of OBIE winners, merits and finalists can be found at www.obieawards.org.
Here’s a sampling of the winners.