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Australia bags intl award for new campaign in Singapore
MUMBAI: Australia has received the Golden Hall of Fame award for ‘The Most Effective Media Campaign Plan of the Year’ for the new Brand Australia campaign in Singapore’s premier advertising awards.
The award was presented to Tourism Australia for the “Australia. A Different Light” brand advertising campaign launched in Singapore in May this year. The award, from Singapore’s Institute of Advertising, was judged on strategic thinking, creativity and campaign results.
Tourism Australia acting managing director Ken Boundy said it was a great honour to receive international recognition for the recently developed Brand Australia advertising campaign.
“Australia enjoys a high level of awareness amongst Singaporean travellers so we need to provide new and compelling reasons for them to want to experience the country,” Boundy said. “In developing the new campaign it was vital to expand Singaporean travellers’ knowledge of the country and the different experiences it offers.”
“In a highly competitive marketplace a new approach was needed that would help Australia to break through the clutter of traditional advertising and it is great to receive recognition from the industry in Singapore that we have created a campaign which hits the mark,” he further added.
The newly created campaigns are distinctly Australian and also capture the emotion of how the country might make you feel when you experience it first hand.
The Tourism Australia brand advertising campaign finished ahead of finalists with strong global brands including McDonalds, Nike and HSBC.
Tourism Australia marketing manager (Asia) San Chan added, “Tourism Australia really dared to break new ground with the brand campaign in Singapore. The campaign goes beyond traditional destination marketing and appeals to the emotional consumer triggers rather than standard scenery-based advertising and positioning – so it’s very rewarding to receive recognition for this bold move. We are also very pleased to hear we have been awarded the Travel Weekly China Travel Industry Awards 2004 for our overall marketing in China throughout 2004.”
The Travel Weekly China Travel Industry Awards recognise the best of the travel industry in China. Tourism Australia won the Best Destination Promotion – International and was the only National Tourism Board to receive an award.
Some of the other international awards include: Travel Trade Gazette Awards 2004, Chartered Institute of Marketing Travel Industry Group (CIMTIG) Travel Advertising Awards and Conde Nast Readers’ Travel Awards (2004).
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
