Yasmin’s ad bags top prize

Sunday November 1, 2009

PETALING JAYA: A TV commercial entitled Funeral, directed by the late Yasmin Ahmad, won one of the two highest awards at the 2009 Kancil Awards.

The three-minute film, commissioned by Singapore’s Community Development, Youth and Sports Ministry to promote marriage, clinched the Golden Kancil prize in the film category at Malaysia’s premier advertising awards show on Friday night.

It shows a woman addressing the people at her husband’s funeral, saying that she hoped her three children would also find life partners who were as “beautifully imperfect” as her husband.

“Somehow, Leo Burnett Advertising (the agency in which Yasmin was executive creative director) got the right strategy using a funeral to promote marriage.

“It inspired a lot of people around the world,” said the ministry’s communications and international relations division director Richard Tan Kok Tong.

Leo Burnett/Arc Worldwide Malaysia chief executive officer Tan Kien Eng said viewership of the advertisement on YouTube was 2.5 million so far.

He said Yasmin crafted the script and directed the commercial.

“I would say that Yasmin’s style created a benchmark for the industry, even as far back as 15 years ago. It is about humanity, not about winning an award.

“It is about touching and engaging people,” he added.

Leo Burnett also grabbed the Agency of the Year award. Besides the Golden Kancil, it racked up a gold, two silvers and seven bronze at the ceremony organised by the Association of Accredited Adverti-sing Agents Malaysia.

The other Golden Kancil winner of the night was IF Interactive Sdn Bhd for its digital installation at the National Art Gallery entitled Seconds Away, done for the Kuala Lumpur Design Week 2009.