Thailand secured three of the seven top advertising awards, in the  film (television ad), print and outdoor categories, at the 9th Asia Pacific Advertising Festival (AP Ad Fest).

The Jeh United agency won Best of Film with its The Love Story (Series) created for Smooth E Baby Face Foam, BBDO Bangkok won Best of Print with its Campaign I/II/III for Maglite flashlights, and Dentsu won Best of Outdoor with Fill the City With Questions for Japan's broadband Internet firm NTT Resonant.

Sense of humour and fresh communicative ideas were key factors in their success, said Y&R Thailand creative director Trong Tantivejakul, though Vinit Suraphongchai, chairman of the AP AdFest working committee, warned that too much humour could be a two-edged sword.

Thai agencies that won awards were Ogilvy & Mather (Thailand) and Creative Juice\G1 with 11, followed by BBDO Bangkok with eight, TBWA Thailand with four, JWT Bangkok with three, Jeh United and Leo Burnett (Thailand) with two each, and SC Matchbox and Idea Avenue with one each.

Agencies from Thailand, Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong were commended.

There were 4,738 entries from 400 Asia-Pacific agencies, 17 per cent more than last year.

Thailand was the second-biggest participant with 766 entries, followed by Singapore with 672.

The number of entries in the film and print categories were the same as last year, those in the outdoor, direct-marketing and interactive categories higher.

Most of the 1,400-odd participants, 20 per cent more than last year, were from Japan.

Nitida Asawanipont

The Nation

Pattaya