BBDO Wins Grand EFFIE With Snickers Campaign; Burnett Leads With Four Gold EFFIEs.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 3, 1998--BBDO's "Hungry? Why Wait?" campaign for M&M/Mars Snickers won this year's Grand EFFIE (R) Award, representative of best in show, while Leo Burnett, earned four Gold EFFIEs, at the 30th annual EFFIE Awards ceremony.

Young & Rubicam/New York followed the Chicago agency with three Gold EFFIEs, as did J. Walter Thompson, with its offices in New York, Chicago and Atlanta capturing one each. Other multiple winners, with two apiece, were BBDO, New York; Fallon McElligott, Minneapolis; Foote, Cone & Belding, New York; Martin/Williams Advertising, Minneapolis; and McCann-Erickson in New York and Seattle.

EFFIE, which has been presented annually by the New York American Marketing Association since 1968, recognizes advertising effectiveness. Approximately 200 marketing and market research professionals judged entries on creativity and bottom line results in a two-stage judging process.

"The EFFIE winners - Gold, Silver and Bronze - are examples of advertising that not only has a creative flair, but works in the marketplace," said Aaron Grossman, President of the New York American Marketing Association. "They show the best of what can occur when all the disciplines are successfully combined - creative, account management, market research and media planning."

BBDO's humorous Snickers campaign features spots like the football field painter who upon completing the painstaking and intricate lettering for the Kansas City Chiefs end zone is told by the lumbering lineman, "Hey, that's great, but who are the Chefs?" The campaign helped the brand maintain volume growth ahead of the competition and established the basis for an enduring emotional bond with consumers. BBDO also won a second Gold EFFIE with Visa Check Card's "Works Like a Check" (for Financial Services/Cards).

Burnett received Gold EFFIEs for the following campaigns: Maytag Appliances, "Keeping Your Cool" (Household Furnishings and Appliances); Surge, "Feed the Rush" (Beverages/Carbonated); the 25th Birthday of Walt Disney World, "Remember the Magic" (Travel/Tourism/Destination); and Luvs "Live and Learn Hispanic" (Non-English Language).

Y&R received Gold EFFIEs for its humorous Pella campaign "Viewed to be the Best" (Agricultural/Industrial/Building); "It's All Within Your Reach" brand campaign for AT&T (Corporate Reputation/Image/ Identity), which included the heart-warming TV spot where a young daughter's question of "when can I be the client?" finally hits home with a fast-track mother/executive; and Sears HomeCentral's "Umpteen Appliances" (Household Supplies and Services).

Thompson's New York office captured gold with its "Heroin" campaign for the Partnership for a Drug-Free America (Non-profit/Pro-Bono/Public Service, with an assist from D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, Ground Zero and Hill, Holiday, Connors, Cosmopulos), which targeted young people who may be attracted to the "glamorization" of heroin in music, movies and fashion. The Atlanta office won for MarinesXtreme for the U.S. Marine Corps (Recruitment Advertising) and Chicago for Miracle Whip's "Don't Skip the Zip" (Package Food/Regular).

Fallon McElligott won for "Gopher Talk," its humorous campaign for the University of Minnesota's football team (Sporting Events); and "Rising" for United Airlines (Transportation). The agency's Minneapolis neighbor, Martin/Williams, garnered Gold EFFIEs for Target Stores's "Take Charge of Education" campaign (Retail) and "Dramatic Demonstration" for 3M Active Strips (Health Aids).

Foote, Cone & Belding successfully reached children with the United States Postal Service's message on stamp collecting in "Stampers Launch" (Children's Products) and supported the Postal Service's Priority Mail campaign with "What's Your Priority?" (Delivery Systems and Products).

McCann Erickson, which won a grand total of 14 EFFIEs, struck gold with the work of its New York office for Preference, in "Because I'm Worth It" (Beauty Aids) and its Seattle office for the launch of Coca-Cola's POWERaDE in "YOU aRE NOT DONE."

Gold, Silver and Bronze winners were selected in each of the 45 categories, with a total of 46 Gold Effies presented (as a result of a tie). On a city-by-city basis, agencies in New York City won 20 Gold EFFIEs, followed by Chicago and Minneapolis with six; San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, Atlanta and Dallas with two each; and Los Angeles, St. Louis, Washington D.C., Austin, Texas and Gastonbury, Conn. with one each.

The show was hosted by comedienne Rita Rudner. A list of all 1998 EFFIE Award winners are available at www.effie.org.

A complete list of EFFIE Award winners is available upon request.

    CONTACT: Steven Clark, 212/268-6317