The National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s (NTRA) radio advertising
campaign won a Gold Lion Award at this week’s 56th International Advertising
Festival in Cannes, France. The award is one of the highest honors handed out at
the radio industry’s most prestigious international awards competition. The NTRA
radio campaign also won a Gold Lion Award at Cannes in 2005.
The 2009 NTRA campaign, produced by the New York advertising agency DeVito/Verdi,
defeated hundreds of entries from around the world including major marketers and
brands like Kraft, General Mills, Proctor & Gamble, Anheuser-Busch, Pepsi,
Toyota and McDonald’s. The NTRA campaign, entitled “And They’re Off,” features a
race announcer calling the proceedings of everyday leisure events with the same
brio as he would a horse race.
“It’s very gratifying to again be recognized with one of the most prestigious
awards in the field of advertising,” said Keith Chamblin, NTRA senior vice
president of communications and industry relations. “It’s also gratifying to
know that the campaign is being utilized by member race tracks in major media
markets across the country and that it continues to resonate with horse racing’s
target customers.”
Over the years, the NTRA commercials have been some of the most critically
acclaimed radio spots in recent history. Since its debut in 2004, the annually
refreshed campaign has also won a National Addy Best of Show (defeating more
than 60,000 radio and television commercial submissions), three Gold Addys, the
$100,000 grand prize at the Radio Mercury Awards honoring the nation’s top radio
advertisement, three One Show Gold Pencils, a Gold medal from the Art Director’s
Club, and the Grand Award for Best Radio Campaign at the New York Festivals. The
campaign was also named “Best of the Best” by the National Retail Federation’s
Retail Advertising Conference (RAC) and was honored by the Sports Marketing
Association as the top sports broadcast advertisement in 2004.
The individual radio spots that comprise this year’s campaign include
“Puppies,” “Dance Club,” “Oktoberfest,” and “Son.” For a complete list of
entries and winners, go to http://www.canneslions.com.