Euro RSCG Worldwide Announces Winners of Tenth Annual Creative Business Idea Awards

NEW YORK, May 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Global youth forum One Young World (www.oneyoungworld.com) has been awarded the gold at Euro RSCG Worldwide's tenth annual Creative Business Idea® Awards. The initiative was voted the year's best by a panel made up of 29 search consultants from around the globe.

One Young World is the premier global forum for up-and-coming leaders and has been cited in the media as the "young Davos." Each year, it brings together motivated youth from more than 100 countries for two days of leadership forums, discussion, and learning. The inaugural summit was held in London in 2010, drawing 823 delegates from 112 countries. Kofi Annan, Sir Bob Geldof, Muhammad Yunus, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and other counselor-facilitators worked with the delegates to develop a half dozen resolutions addressing what they identified as the most pressing issues the world faces. The young participants returned home energized and empowered to make a difference in their local communities and internationally. One Young World is the brainchild of David Jones, global CEO of Havas and Euro RSCG Worldwide, and Kate Robertson, U.K. group chairman of Euro RSCG. The second summit will be held in Zurich, Switzerland in September 2011.

"One Young World is more than a social initiative; it's actually driving profitable growth for major corporations that understand the reputational, financial, and other returns that come from being socially responsible," said panelist Bernard Petit, former president/CEO, VT SCAN.

Bringing in the silver at this year's CBI Awards is Dulux's "Let's Color" project, by Euro RSCG London. As part of the campaign, groups of volunteers work with local communities on public painting projects aimed at lifting spirits and reinvigorating neighborhoods. In 2010, the project brought color to communities in need in Brazil, France, the United Kingdom, and India.

"With One Young World and Dulux 'Let's Color,' Euro RSCG has leveraged its marketing expertise to begin to address some of the world's most pressing challenges," said panelist Peter Cowie, founding partner, Oystercatchers. "In doing so it has raised the bar for the rest of the advertising sector, setting a new standard for investment in social responsibility and the future."

BETC Euro RSCG in Paris earned a bronze award for their innovative campaign for cable television network 13eme Rue: "Unleash the Criminal Mind in You." The online campaign immersed site visitors in the world of crime investigation, allowing them to simulate "assassinations" on friends, who were then given an opportunity to use investigative techniques to unmask their killers. In just six months after launch, 1 million assassinations were ordered and audience interest among viewers aged 20 to 35 jumped 25 percent.

"It's no coincidence that each one of these winning campaigns included a strong social component," said Euro RSCG's David Jones. "Social media is beyond question the most powerful tool of persuasion available to us, and it is changing everything about how people communicate and how brands engage with their various stakeholders. Years ago, Euro RSCG made the decision to put digital at the core of all we do; that decision has been paying off, both creatively — as these awards attest — and in terms of business growth for our agency and our clients."

Jones added, "The two top prizes at this year's CBI Awards went to work that contained not just a social component but also a purpose beyond profit. In fact, Marketing Week has dubbed One Young World 'the most forward-thinking piece of corporate social responsibility ever.' As consumers increasingly look to business leaders for help in solving some of the biggest issues facing our world, companies — and agencies — are channeling their capabilities toward projects that foster social change. At Euro RSCG, we take enormous pride in applying our creative thinking to these efforts, and we are keen on finding even more creative ways for our client brands to grow their businesses while contributing to the greater good."

"In some ways, the Creative Business Idea Awards are a microcosm of the business world, offering a sense of what is gaining in importance," said panelist Cesar Vacchiano, president, Grupo Consultores. "This year, we see the continued emphasis on social media and social responsibility — a clear indicator of the direction in which the industry, and business in general, is moving."

Visit the 2010 Creative Business Idea Awards microsite at http://www3.eurorscg.com/cbi_microsite_2010/ to view video case studies of the 2010 winners.  Related materials are available for download here:

http://bitly.com/lhgDUY

About Creative Business Ideas and the CBI Awards

For the past decade, Creative Business Ideas (CBIs) have been the mantra, mission, and mark of distinction for Euro RSCG Worldwide. They are our obsession—and the promise we make to clients across the globe. What exactly are CBIs? They are brilliant ideas that transform brands, transcend media, and drive profitable growth for our clients. They are ideas that very often do not change simply how consumers view a company but how a company views itself, removing internal constraints and offering the business new spaces in which to explore and grow.

In 2000, Euro RSCG Worldwide launched an agencywide contest to foster and reward exemplary high-level creative thinking: the Creative Business Idea Awards. Each year, the jury is composed of top strategic, media, and creative thinkers from within and beyond the agency network. Past outside jurors have included Andrew Jaffe, executive director of the Clio Awards; Bill Taylor, co-founder of Fast Company magazine; Professor Douglas Holt of the Harvard Business School; and Tom Kelley, general manager of IDEO. The contest is open to all 233 Euro RSCG agencies in 75 countries, and the winning teams walk away with substantial cash prizes.

About Euro RSCG Worldwide

Euro RSCG Worldwide is a leading integrated marketing communications agency and was the first agency to be named Global Agency of the Year by both Advertising Age and Campaign in the same year. Euro RSCG is made up of 233 offices in 75 countries and provides advertising, marketing, corporate communications and digital and social media solutions to clients including Air France, BNP Paribas, Charles Schwab, Citigroup, Danone Group, Heineken USA, IBM, Kraft Foods, Lacoste, L'Oreal, Merck, PSA Peugeot, Reckitt Benckiser, sanofi-aventis and Volvo. Euro RSCG Worldwide is the largest unit of Havas, a world leader in communications (Euronext: HAV.PA) (Paris: HAV.PA).

Contact:
Lisa Gruber
Global Communications Manager
Euro RSCG Worldwide
T +1 212.886.2018
[email protected]

SOURCE Euro RSCG Worldwide