OGM is No 1 - Decade-old ad agency crowned advertising champion for 2008
Published: Tuesday | February 10, 2009
Oral McCook (second right), managing director of OGM Integrated Communications Limited, and Everton Patterson (left), chief operating officer of OGM, hold aloft the champion's trophy after being crowned top-billing agency for 2008 by The Gleaner Company at its annual Advertisers' Appreciation and Agency Awards luncheon held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston. Oliver Clarke, The Gleaner's managing director, and Tina Matalon (second left) share in the moment. OGM won the award because it placed the most advertisements in the company's various publications last year. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
The decade-old advertising agency, OGM Integrated Communications, was crowned advertising kingpins for 2008 by the 175-year-old Gleaner Company, yesterday.
The prestigious accolade for placing the highest volume of advertisements in the company's various publications was bestowed upon the relatively young company by the 'Grand Old Lady of North Street' during its annual Advertisers' Appreciation and Agency Awards Luncheon at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.
In his acceptance speech, Oral McCook, managing director of OGM, said he was honoured and humbled to receive the 2008 top-billing award.
Sense of joy
"I receive this with a special sense of joy shared with all the dedicated and creative men and women of OGM in this, our tenth anniversary as an agency."
He dedicated the award to the agency's "valued clients who are among the leaders in entrepreneurship and innovation in Jamaica".
McCook, a past president of the Advertising Agencies Association of Jamaica (AAAJ), said advertising was about vision, hope and creativity. "We are, by definition, optimists. We cannot be caught up in the gloom and despair," he said, in reference to the global economic downturn that has the world in a stifling headlock.
"If we do, where will the messages that drive commerce be found? Who will tell the stories that help consumers find the best value and producers realise their commercial goals?"
Top five
OGM's triumph shattered Marketing Counsellors Limited's bid to make it five in a row. Marketing Counsellors had to settle for second place, while WaterWorks Limited, last year's second-place finisher, took homethe third-place prize. Prism Communica-tions left the building with the award formost-improved agency or best growth performance.
In the online category, the Capital and Credit Financial Group was awarded for being the direct client that placed the highest volume of advertisements. OGM completed its sweep of the top prizes by also bagging the award presented to the agency that placed the highest volume of advertisements online.
Christopher Barnes, The Gleaner Company's deputy managing director, said online advertising opportunities are under-utilised. He also said the newspaper would seek to shape content based on requests from readers.
Guests at the lavish ceremony were treated to spot prizes and surprises courtesy of Palace Amusement Company Limited, Jambiz Limited, Digicel, Courts, Singer, Point Village Resorts and Investor's Choice magazine.
