Eight agencies Wednesday night received a total of $50,000 from MSN for developing innovative advertising in four online ad categories, but the online ad giant inexplicably withheld awarding a 2005
"best-in-show" prize. Paul Lavoie, chairman and chief creative officer of TAXI, and chair of the MSN Creative Awards, said the panel of agency judges withheld the top $25,000 prize because they
believed, "no one piece submitted this year set a new standard." That prize money, they said, would be rolled over, bringing the 2006 best-in-show pot to $50,000. The gold award and a $10,000 prize in
the newly added "video" category went to the Hill Holliday agency in New York for its ad on behalf of The American Red Cross. Critical Mass received a $5,000 silver award in the video category for its
ad campaign on behalf of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority via a partnership with R&R Partners. Silver awards of $5,000 also went to the following agencies and campaigns (in
parentheses):
* Direct Response. Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco (Subway); Real Pie Media, Beverly Hills, Calif. (Fox Searchlight Pictures' film
"Sideways")
* Branding. Carat Interactive, San Francisco (adidas a3 Megaride shoe); OMD Digital and Fallon Worldwide (United Airlines); Goodby, Silverstein &
Partners (HP PhotoSmart 8450 printer and HP Vivera inks)
* Rich Media. MECi-The Digital Edge, Los Angeles and Dare, London (Sony Ericsson P910 smartphone); Media 8
Digital Marketing (in partnership with The Cartel Group), Miami (U.S. Army
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