WORDS clinches EFFIE Gold for ‘Trail’
Last night, at the EFFIE Awards 2012, WORDS Advertising struck Gold. WORDS was recognized with Sri Lanka’s first and only EFFIE Gold by the distinguished panel of judges for their work on “Trail”.
A pro bono effort on the part of the Agency to work in partnership with the Colours of Courage Trust to achieve a dream of walking from the South to the North of the island to bring a wounded nation together; to build a much needed pediatric cancer ward at the Jaffna Hospital.
Trail was an initiative of two men Sarinda and Nathan. Sarinda to walk from one end to the other of the island he loved, if ever the war ended and the other to make the walk an effort to raise funds for a cause close to his heart – a pediatric cancer ward at the Jaffna Hospital. An imposing and intimidating goal of U$ 2 million needed to be collected from sponsors and individual contributors.
The Agency’s insight was that essentially the majority of Sri Lankans were not racially biased and that if the cause was right they would all support it, with all their heart. The campaign line “A journey by the Living. For Life.” was a resounding “call to alms”, strikingly different to the 30-year “call to arms”. And the nation responded.
The Effie Awards was founded in 1968 by the American Marketing Association’s New York Chapter, to recognize the most effective advertising efforts across the globe each year. Since its launch in Sri Lanka in 2008, the local EFFIE Awards have witnessed, Silver and Bronze being awarded but no entry merited a Gold Award till this year’s award was made for the Trail communication campaign. Managing Director WORDS Advertising, Rohan Rajaratnam said they are thankful to the Colours of Courage Trust for giving the opportunity to work on this soul satisfying campaign that helped them win Gold at the EFFIES.