• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, February 10, 2022

I remember watching the cartoon show "The Flintstones" when I was a kid. One of the commercials showed Fred Flintstone himself kicking back and lighting up a Winston cigarette. 

It wasn’t too long after that I tried one myself. Fortunately, I had the good sense to quit when I was still young. 

By now you’re probably saying to yourself, “okay, boomer, get to the point.” 

So here it is: The New York Festivals International Advertising Awards has just unveiled “Hell’s Kitchen,” a new category group designed to shine a spotlight on creative work produced on behalf of legalized vice brands, like alcohol, gambling, cannabis and tobacco-related products. See more about the new awards here.

The new “Hell’s Kitchen” awards will be sponsored by E-Z Wider rolling papers and will be judged by a jury of creatives presided over by former North American CEO of Havas Creative, and current president & CMO of Republic Brands, Paul Marobella.  Republic owns E-Z Wider and other roll-your-own products.

“The level of creativity required for brand breakthrough in regulated categories is often elevated based on where and how these brands can advertise,” said Marobella. “For brands that win in these categories, the cleverness of media coupled with a powerful insight and creative idea will take the day.”

Other Hell’s Kitchen jurors include:

• · Luis Casamayor, Founder/Chief Creative Officer, Republic Havas
• · Tyler DeAngelo, Chief Creative Officer, Strawberry Frog
• · Icaro Doria, Chief Operating Officer, Hill Holiday
• · Philip Khosid, partner & Chief Creative Officer Battery
• · Adriana Nova, SVP, Creative Director, Twelvenote

The final deadline for the 2022 New York Festivals Advertising Awards is April 1.