OGM snags top ad award

Oral McCook, managing director of OGM Integrated Communications, has acknowledged the secondary effect that the advertising industry has on maintaining Jamaica's democracy through its support for the media.

"It is good to know that we are part of that tradition which maintains the integrity in journalism, but it has to be within the context of cost effective media placement," he said.

McCook was speaking after his company secured back-to-back honours for placing the highest volume of ads with The Gleaner Company.

OGM, which also had a record year, was given top billing at The Gleaner's Annual Advertisers' Appreciation and Agency Awards Luncheon for their performance in 2009.

Each year, The Gleaner Company fêtes its advertising partners at a luncheon, giving out awards to the best agencies. This year's luncheon was held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

McCook's outfit beat out stiff competition from second-place Advertising and Marketing Jamaica Limited, which had a record showing for the year. Following on their heels was Waterworks, which placed third for the second year in a row. The best growth performance award went to CGR Limited which expanded its portfolio throughout the year.

McCook thanked The Gleaner for the recognition and promised to deliver more for his clients in 2010, a year which promises to be a challenging one.

An inspiration to all

"Today's award from The Gleaner ... is an inspiration to all of us in our agencies. We humbly accept it as a recognition of our outstanding work in 2009 and more important we see it as a challenge to lift the bar," he said.

Deputy managing director of The Gleaner Company, Christopher Barnes, who thanked the agencies, also touched on the theme of companies exercising corporate responsibility by contributing in keeping tabs on government and public-service activities to preserve democracy.

Barnes reminded the agencies to tell their clients that when they advertise, they are investing in a purpose larger than just marketing their goods as they are helping to sustain the media's efforts in this regard.

He said this was demonstrated in the efforts of media houses to lobby for the modernisation of the libel laws in the island.

OGM wins again!