" A Hungarian campaign has won recognition at the world's most prestigious ad awards ceremony, the 55th Cannes Lions Advertising Festival. Nine Hungarian agencies sent entries to Cannes, with only Leo Burnett Budapest’s SMS Bandi campaign recognized with a bronze Lion in Cyber category, one of the most competitive. The category had attracted 2,757 entries from well established and important digital markets like the US and the UK.The last time a Hungarian agency was awarded at Cannes was eight years ago.
Ágnes Molnár, managing director of Leo Burnett Budapest, said, “SMS Bandi’s Bronze Lion is a message for our ad sector that we should believe in ourselves, because Hungarian creativity can be competitive in the global market.
“Moreover, this is not only about the ad industry. For a country with a size and economic situation like ours, it is the talent-based industries that provide opportunities to excel and stand out.
“As the product is mostly a big idea, which has to be brought into life in a very interesting and engaging way, however, the essence remains all about the intellectual work.”
Péter Tordai, executive creative director at Leo Burnett Budapest, added, “We have been elected Agency of the Year in Hungary twice in a row, but winning in Cannes is like finishing in the first three positions in Formula 1.
“In Cannes, only those materials draw the jury’s attention which come from a brilliant idea, are very progressive and play the pioneer role in advertising.
“SMS Bandi was chosen to be superior in these areas. The award is even more special as this campaign, with all its local cultural nuances, developed specifically for the Hungarian market, was recognized by an international jury.”
Zsolt Simon, president of MAKSz (the Association of Hungarian Communication Agencies) said, “Although Hungary sent in the least amount of entries from the region, it was more than double compared to last year, which shows that our confidence is on the rise.
Creative freedom
“I do believe that three shortlists and Leo Burnett’s bronze are positive feedback for the industry, and we could prove that creative freedom and the Hungarian intellectual capital are competitive on the international field.
“Leo Burnett’s recognition is, at the same time, the pride of the whole Hungarian ad industry on the biggest celebration of the world’s creativity.”
Source: Budapest Sun
15.07.2008