Photo: Pat Denton

180's winning streak with prizes from numerous international award shows over the past months was firmly underlined last week by 5 Cannes Lions but most of all by a top 3 agency ranking. In total the 180\TBWA alliance won 8 Cannes Lions for their global client Adidas with 1 Media Lion and 2 Gold Outdoor Lions for TBWA\Japan's Vertical Football campaign.

In the Press & Poster Ceremony the Adidas campaign 'Impact, the Art of Rugby' won a Gold Lion in the Print category as well as a Bronze Lion in the Outdoor category. The widely publicized campaign uses self-portraits of the world's best rugby players who were body-painted and then tackled canvas wrapped tackle bags. CD's: Peter McHugh and Andy Fackrell, AD: Stuart Brown, CW: Peter McHugh, Giles Montgomery, Brad Roseberry.

Photo: Outdoor acrylic self-portraits in London, 180 Amsterdam.

A Gold Film Lion was awarded to the film 'Wake-Up Call', which supports the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup Football, of which Adidas was an official sponsor. The film depicts the Chinese national women's soccer team as they perform a precise, martial arts form of tai-chi on the lawn of the hotel where the US women's team is staying. The commercial, was directed by acclaimed commercial director Lance Acord and ran simultaneously in the US and China, with a projected viewer audience of over 3.2 billion. CD: Peter McHugh, AD: Andy Fackrell, CW: Andy Fackrell, Producers: Peter Cline, Sid Daffarn.

A second Gold Film Lion - this time for a campaign - went to 180 Amsterdam (180\TBWA) for the spots 'Long Run' and 'Laila' which are part of Adidas' biggest ever brand campaign 'Impossible Is Nothing'. 'Laila' features three-time female boxing champion Laila Ali as she gets in the ring with her father Muhammad Ali at the height of his own boxing career. Clever post-production mixes new footage with original Muhammad Ali fights. The voice over is Laila Ali explaining: '..So when my father looks impossible in the eye and defeats it, again and again...what do you think I'm gonna do when they say women shouldn't box? Yeah, That's right. Rumble, young girl, rumble.' CD's: Peter McHugh (180) and Lee Clow (TBWA worldwide), CW: Richard Bullock, AD: Dean Maryon, Producers: Peter Cline, Cedric Gairard.

Photo: Women's soccer as martial arts form of tai-chi, 180 Amsterdam.

A Bronze Film Lion went to the Adidas campaign 'Kicking It', which features the world's best kickers, England's Rugby World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson and football star David Beckham. The quiet films depict the two top athletes as they try each other's sports and share their kicking techniques. CD: Peter McHugh, AD: Andy Fackrell, CW: Richard Bullock, Producers: Peter Cline, Sid Daffarn.

Congrats, 180 Amsterdam!