14th Annual International Global Awards Announces 2008 Winners, Global Grands Go to Ogilvy Healthworld South Africa and Blue Shield of California

The Global Awards, the premier competition that honors the very best in healthcare communication worldwide, announced its 2008 award winners. Now in its 14th year, The Global Awards received entries from 30 countries, spanning 5 continents. This year's judges awarded 2 Grand Global Awards, 25 Global Awards and 200 Finalist certificates from this year's entries.

Ogilvy Healthworld, South Africa took home the Grand Global Award trophy for Escapology 2008 under Healthcare Communication to the Professional, for their client Augmentim SR & ES-600. Ogilvy's challenge was to build on the previous year's successful "Save the Chickens" campaign. "Save the Baby Chickens" was launched and "The Underground Academy" for aspiring Escapologists was created. At the academy, baby chicks are taught how to break out of the coop; how to avoid ending up as chicken soup; while showing the world the real cure for colds and flu. Medical professionals were also sent secret memos, under-cover invitations and interactive "Escapology Kits" as part of the launch for Augmentin ES 600.

Blue Shield of California was awarded the Grand Global under Healthcare Communication to the Consumer/Patient for their "Chat Box" microsite. The winning work challenges the perception that health insurance companies are cold hearted; and promotes that Blue Shield of California shares people's frustrations. Solution: Blue Shield set up a "traveling box", allowing people to express their concern while becoming a part of Blue Shield's television commercials as "talking heads". The comments from the commercials were placed on the microsite, so people could learn about Blue Shield's remedy for each problem. Blue Shield of California was also awarded a Global Award in the consumer category, DTC: Integrated Mixed Media for "Chat Box".

Germany took top honors in this year's Global Awards with eight Global Award trophies: BBDO Germany GmbH took home two awards for "Flowerpots" for client Johnson and Johnson; Hamburg's kempertrautmann gmbh received honors for "Hotline" and also for "Brain", for their client Dextro Energy. Scholtz & Friends Hamburg GmbH, won for "The Fat Monuments", for German Olympic Sports Federation. In addition, Young & Rubicam Gmbh & Co. Kg took home a trophy for "Beauty of Growth", for Prevention of Skin Cancer; McCann Erickson Frankfurt GmbH received a Global for "Dignity", for client Kunto Sangmo - Lebens- und Sterbepraxis; and KNSK Werbeagentur GmbH received honors for "No Pain" for client Johnson & Johnson.

The United States received a total of seven Global Awards. Winners included: DraftFCB's concept video, for client Prolastin, "Lung Preserver"; and CCG Medtamedia Inc., for their Testimonial Video for Aricept. GSW Worldwide took home trophies for "Woozy World" for client MGI Pharma; and also for "The (Slightly Confusing) History of Eczema" for client Protopic. Digitas Health received a Global Award for their website work on "Celebration Chain" for Arimidex; and Blue Shield of California was honored with a Global Award for "Chat Box". ICC also won for their "Travelers Postcard Illustration Series" for Sanofi Pasteur Vaccine Portfolio. England, Austria, Denmark, Switzerland and Belgium also garnered Global Award Trophies in this year's competition.

For the first time in The Global Award's history, Australian and New Zealand winners were announced live in Sydney. The weekend gala, hosted by Michael Demetriades, Global Awards Executive Director, was initiated by healthcare creative directors who wanted to showcase work in their region. Four Global Awards went to Australian agencies, including: DDB Remedy for their work on Impotence Australia, and The Colorectal Foundation. Global Award Trophies also went to Ward 6 for Testogel and Currawong Productions for Christian Medical College.

All 2008 Global Awards entries were judged by a panel of industry experts from companies around the world. Tom Domanico, Global Awards Chairman and CEO, Worldwide Creative Director of DraftFCB, New York commented, "Jurors from preliminary judging panels around the world did a great job in judging and selecting the best works... the caliber of the work has improved over previous years and speak to the ideals of the Global Awards competition and the healthcare communications industry... entries submitted from all over the world truly make the Global Awards global."

All winning entries are featured in the Showcase section of our website www.theglobalawards.com, and are promoted by our network of representatives in 62 countries around the world.

All press inquiries are welcome and should be directed to Gayle Mandel: gmandel@newyorkfestivals.com. Ph: 1 212 643 4800

About the Global Awards

Now in their fourteenth year, The Global Awards are recognized as the only awards dedicated to excellence in healthcare communications on an international basis. Categories in The Global Awards extend over regional, national and continental boundaries, and reach out to healthcare corporations, hospitals and education groups as well as to advertising agencies, design studios and production companies. By broadening the focus beyond advertising alone, the mission of The Global Awards is to lift the perception of creativity above clever headlines and smart design, and to explore the feelings and emotions transmitted between a message's creator and it recipient. The intellectual and emotional achievement of communication transcends the barriers of distance, language and culture. The Global Awards honor this profound human connection. For more information go to www.theglobalawards.com

About New York Festivals

The New York Festivals (NYF) oversees six international awards competitions: Advertising In All Media; Advertising In Innovative Media, Film & Video; Radio Programming & Promotion and Television Programming and Promotion. Entries to each of the competitions are judged around the world by panels of peers in their respective industries. In addition, NYF also oversees three stand-alone international competitions: The Midas Awards for financial services communications, the Global Awards for healthcare communications and the AME Awards for advertising and marketing effectiveness. Founded in 1957, NYF now has representation in 62 countries. For more information, go to www.newyorkfestivals.com.

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