JWT Awarded Cannes Lions Grand Prix

NEW YORK -

- “Kit Kat Mail” Campaign Takes Home Top International Advertising Honor

JWT Tokyo has been awarded the Media Grand Prix at this year’s Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, the world’s premiere showcase for excellence in advertising. The prestigious honor recognizes JWT Tokyo for “Kit Kat Mail,” a campaign developed for the Nestle Kit Kat brand.

“To be awarded a Grand Prix at Cannes is the ultimate honor and recognition within the industry,” says Michael Maedel, President, JWT. “With ‘Kit Kat Mail,’ we’re showing the strength of our capabilities in Japan. It is an affirmation that our strategic focus on building our client’s business can lead to success for both our clients and JWT.”

JWT Tokyo partnered with the newly privatized Japan Post to co-develop an entirely new postal product-a special Kit Kat package anyone could write a message on and mail, the first time in history for such a collaboration.

The innovative “Kit Kat Mail” campaign was a huge success, with the product becoming available overnight in 20,000 new and competition-free locations. Ultimately, the campaign received PR coverage totaling more than US$11 million in free media. Due to its initial success, “Kit Kat Mail” is now the first and only outside product to become a permanent offering in Japan Post outlets. And by making the post office part of the experience, the popularity of the campaign has spread, with “Kit Kat Mail” being delivered for all occasions, across all demographics and to every corner of the globe.

“This award for Kit Kat marks JWT’s ability to exploit brand ideas to the fullest,” says Jun Fukawa, Executive Creative Director, JWT Tokyo. “To realize this new distribution channel is the killer combination of brand building and immediate sales growth.”

Creative Credits for “Kit Kat Mail” Senior Creative Director: Eisaku Sekihashi Senior Account Planning Director: Kiyoshi Usami Art Director: Shizu Yamada Copywriter: Midori Usui Account Director: Yasuhiko Yuasa Account Executive: Yuki Nakamura Account Supervisor: Daisuke Tsutsui Chief Producer: Naoya Takahashi Producer: Maemi Kobayashi

About the Cannes Lions Festival

The Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival is the world’s only truly global meeting place for professionals in the communications industry who want to keep ahead of the curve. During seven days in June, thousands of delegates from 90 countries gather in Cannes to listen to speakers whilst around 250 jury members judge over 22,000 pieces of the most creative advertising from across the world.

About JWT

JWT is the world’s best-known marketing communications brand. Headquartered in New York, JWT is a true global network with more than 200 offices in over 90 countries employing nearly 10,000 marketing professionals.

JWT consistently ranks among the top agency networks in the world and continues its dominant presence in the industry by staying on the leading edge — from producing the first-ever TV commercial in 1939 to developing award-winning branded content for brands such as Freixenet, Ford and HSBC.

JWT’s pioneering spirit enables the agency to forge deep relationships with clients including Bayer, Cadbury, Diageo, DTC, Ford, HSBC, Johnson & Johnson, Kellogg’s, Kimberly-Clark, Kraft, Nestle, Nokia, Rolex, Schick, Shell, Unilever, Vodafone and many others. JWT’s parent company is WPP (Nasdaq: WPPGY).

Contacts: Erin Johnson| Chief Communications Officer |+1-212-210-7243 Alyson Valpone| Global Network Supervisor |+1-212-210-7825

Source: JWT

Erin Johnson, Chief Communications Officer, +1-212-210-7243, or Alyson Valpone, Global Network Supervisor, +1-212-210-7825, both for JWT