Two Indian entries shortlisted at 2009 4A’s Jay Chiat Awards

JWT Mumbai has been shortlisted in the category of social strategy: best strategic thinking for social impact for Teach India’s ‘When Over 2 Million Unlettered Indian Kids Said "Jai Ho"’ (pictured) at the Jay Chiat Awards For Strategic Excellence 2009.  Bates 141 is nominated for its Virgin Mobile’s case study ‘Building a Youth brand in a Youthful country’.

Commenting on this achievement, Dheeraj Sinha, chief strategy officer, Bates 141 India said, “Nomination at this level is encouraging as it tells you that there are other people out there who believe in the idea just as you did. The Virgin Mobile campaign allowed us an opportunity to build a real youth brand in India. The brand cleverly exhorted the Indian youth to bypass sanctions. The idea was to be their partner in crime, rather than give them any kind of empowerment or liberation.”

Dhunji S. Wadia, managing partner, JWT said, "For me, Teach India has no equal in Indian advertising history - there have been campaigns on education in the past, accompanied by jingles though.  Teach India is a programme about transforming the lives of disadvantaged Indian children.  It is perhaps the largest such programme in Indian history." JWT Mumbai won the Grand Prix last year for its case study "Diamond Bride".

The Jay Chiat Awards for Strategic Excellence are global advertising awards that recognize brilliant strategic thinking which resulted in path-breaking creative execution. The awards will be presented during Advertising Week, September 22, 2009, in New York. 46 finalists have been selected from 187 entries.