Crity Awards 2061
Prisma Steals the Show

Advertisement Agencies’ Association of Nepal (AAAN) distributed Crity Advertisement Awards 2061 early July. It was only last year that AAAN started organizing this function. While the last year’s award function was special as being the first event of its kind organized in Nepal, its continuation this year was no less interesting. Prisma Advertising threw all by surprise walking away with awards in five categories out of the total ten including the “Best Agency” award. Last year, awards were presented in only five categories and this agency was not able to get a single award that year. Thompson Nepal, adjudged the Best Ad Agency in the last year’s award function, did not participate in the competition this year.

A total of 203 advertisements from 23 ad agencies competed for the awards and 34 of them were selected for the evaluation. In each category there were three nominees except for Best TVC and Best Ad Agency that had 4 and 6 nominees respectively. The show matured a lot this year compared to the first awards function that was held last year. The three-hour long show had many entertaining packages as well including a hilarious presentation from comedian Manoj Gajurel. The event was live broad-casted by all the Nepali TV channels of the country.

Some critics said that this award function has helped broaden the scope of advertising industry as more and more people have come to know that creativity has no bounds and because such creativity is being noticed and honored in Nepal as well. This process will definitely bring some change in Nepali creativity field, making all agencies think twice for the creative works they are producing. The award aspect will make them work harder towards perfection, which will benefit the clients in the long run. Even clients will now look at sparing some extra budget for creativity aspect in their advertisements; after all it’s their product that will benefit and get highlighted in the awards too.

Though it is just the second year for CRITY awards, still its approach and management this time was far better than the last year. Judges selection and the preparation as well as pre event promotion created good impact this year. The judge’s panel for all different categories reflected on the home work organizers had done for the awards. Every category had experts from the same field as judges, which ensured better judgment. Some lapses in the setting up of criteria for marking was a concern for all the judges but according to one of the judge it gave them better platform to add in their own marking criteria to make the judgment more transparent. Most judges commented that AAAN should organize pre event meetings with the judges to set up the final marking criteria.

The advertisement business is estimated to have crossed Rs. 2 billion mark, according to the calculation of AAAN. Some 85% of this is channelised through 56 ad agencies affiliated to AAAN. The country has about 200 ad agencies registered. However, only about 70 agencies registered are actually doing business, though this number comes further down to only 25 if one considers only those that are active in the market.

Of the total ad spend, 30% is accounted for by the print media, radio 15% and TV 25% with the rest going for outdoor media. Across product categories, the services account for 20% ad spend in the country while the rest 80% goes for the advertisements of tangible goods. About 75% of the expenditure on advertisements comes from the private sector while only 25% comes from the government sector.

 The winners

Best Jingle Maker: Jems Pradhan for 'Ghar Ho Jiwan' - Jagadamba Cement

Best Jingle Producer: Ad Avenues for 'Ghar Ho Jiwan', - Jagadamba Cement

Best Copy Writer: Abhay Pandey (Ad Avenues) for 'Moving People for 25 Years', Yamaha Motorbikes

Best TVC: Business Advantage for 'Saka Laka Boom' noodles

Best Campaign: ME Nepal for Civil Homes

Best Press Ad: Prisma for 'Hamro Kantipur' (Kantipur daily)

Best TVC Maker:  Prisma for 'Jindagi Chha Yesma', Campino Candy

Best Art Director: Prisma (Subin Manandhar for 'Think Clean, Think Samsung' – Samsung washing machines) and Welcome Advertising (Jitendra Shah for 'Amilo, piro candy' – Wild Candy)

Best Outdoor Creativity: Prisma for 'Sadhai Taja', Samsung

Best Ad Agency: Prisma

Jagadamba Steels' Campaign

Jagadamba Steels (P) Ltd. has started a new method in promoting its product - iron bars. It is providing clients free consultancy from expert on preparing construction designs.

The company says that this campaign is aimed at encouraging people to take preventive measures against the perils of inevitable earthquakes.

Nepal is highly prone to earthquakes and many people are quite indifferent to this fact. Therefore, a campaign like this can be very useful.

Soaltee's new menu

Garden Terrace, a restaurant and coffee shop at Soaltee Crowne Plaza has introduced a new menu comprising unconventional preparations to address the changing taste of the customers. The restaurant is offering complimentary soup or dessert for every main course ordered during the first and second week of August.

The new menu comprises of unconventional preparations like Grilled Prawn Wasabi, Funghi Di Sherry Alpino, Tex Mex Burger, Focaccia Melt, Grilled Salmon - Livornese, Chicken Amaretto, Design your own pasta and plenty of Nepali/Indian selection.

The starting prices are Prawns for Rs. 400, sandwiches Rs. 325, Nepali Indian Item Rs. 400, soups Rs. 150