• by Joe Mandese , April 21, 2010

Havas' MPG Mexico unit was named Media Agency of the Year during the closing of the 2010 Festival of Media Awards in Valencia, Spain. MPG earlier this year was named Media magazine's Agency of the Year.

Havas also was awarded a special "Service Award" for in recognition of the, "consistent quality of the work submitted for the Festival of Media Awards and its agencies' commitment to providing innovation and service across a wide range of countries and marketing challenges," the organizers said.

The festival, which has gained steam among the global media services community in recent years, was challenged by, but persevered amid air travel problems caused by the volcanic plume in Western Europe. Many of the delegates were forced to take trains, extended bus or car rides, but the festival's organizers said attendance was "much higher than anyone would have anticipated under the circumstances," and that social media platforms - especially YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Flip Video and WebEx - were utilized to allow some executives to participate "virtually" and remotely despite their inability to attend.

Other top awards went to WPP's MediaCom for "network of the year," and Publicis' Jack Klues, managing partner of VivaKi, who was named "Media Professional of the Year."