Dubai Lynx 2012 winner of Bronze in the Outdoor category .
Source: WOMEN
References: Cai Guo-Qiang And His Wolves and http://www.coloribus.com/adsarchive/prints/harvey-nichols-winter-sale-wolves-13748655/
Credits & Description:
Type of Entry: Newspaper and Magazine Type of Entry: Craft Category: Art Direction Title: WOLVES Advertiser/Client: HARVEY NICHOLS Product/Service: DEPARTMENT STORE Entrant Company: Y&R DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Advertising Agency: Y&R DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Chief Creative Officer: Shahir Zag Executive Creative Director: Komal Bedi Sohal Creative Director: Shahir Zag/Kalpesh Patankar/Parixit Bhattacharya Copywriter: Parixit Bhattacharya/Kalpesh Patankar Advertiser’s Supervisor: Vino El Khatib Planner: Nadine Ghossoub Account Supervisor: Nadine Ghossoub/Souha Khouri Art Director: Kalpesh Patankar/Parixit Bhattacharya Illustrator: Remix Studio Bangkok Photographer: Anuchai Secharunputong
The Print Ad titled WOLVES was done by Y&R Dubai advertising agency for product: Harvey Nichols Winter Sale (brand: Harvey Nichols) in United Arab Emirates. It was released in the Jun 2010.
Question: Are they mocking you?
Answer: Hell YES. A success story built on scam leads to Agency of the Year for two consecutive years, judging Cannes Lions, high ranking on the Gunn report, etc. should we put up with it or should we mimic them? I have reported this last year to Emma (Dubai Lynx) she promised to open an investigation into this matter and I never heard from her again.
Another award show concluded, another CCD (Copy-Cat Director) busted. I guess some lessons need to be repeated many times before they sink in so…Here we go again
The following is a copy of the e-mail that I got which I would like to share with you, our dear readers just as I shared it with the Dubai Lynx festival director, it is titled by its writer Y&R Dubai/Shahir Zag: The Biggest plagiarism scandal in the history of Cannes Lions and Lynx.
Harley Davidson Campaign was released on Feb 2008 and start collecting awards and appear in annuals and specialized magazines through out 2009- 2010. by CARMICHAEL LYNCH, USA
Harvey Nichols was released on Oct 2010 and start collecting awards and appear in annuals and specialized magazines in 2011. By Y&R, DUBAI
Y&R Dubai/Shahir Zag, have took the industry through the biggest Plagiarism Scandal in the history of advertising. Shahir Zag did not only CopyCat the harley Davidson Campaign word to word but he was also a member of cannes jury for first time presenting the Middle East and his campaign won Gold in Print while Tony Granger Y&R Global Chief Creative Officer heading the jury, plus other Gold in Outdoor. Shahir Zag did not take Cannes Lions, LYNX, Clio, NY Festival for a ride but his own network and global chief officer too.
It is sad that such caliper and awarded agency take such risk and put their respected client Harvey Nichols and the MENA region under the microscope in such Plagiarism scandal that is 100% copy of original literally except the only difference is that CARMIACHEL LYNCH did not have their CD in Cannes jury and did only 3 ads instead of 7 shot gun ads . How could the jury in cannes who celebrates originality and award fresh ideas, just give it away because Shair Zag was taking part of the jury and started lobbying the work. This is into the heart of the credibility and integrity of the Cannes Lions and Lynx as they both run under the same organizers and the same campaign did not win in OneShow or D&AD but won in cannes and lions, which force us to question the jury criteria and criteria of Cannes Lions and Lynx mishandling such an obvious Plagiarism wasting the efforts and money of many other entrants.
It seems Cannes lions and Lynx organizers will be under extreme pressure after a chain of lions withdrawn this year which seriously put them under the microscope and doubt their credibility and integrity. Cannes Lions and lynx state clearly that in act of Plagiarism the winning metals would be withdrawn. Would that be the case and could Cannes lions and Lynx once again standup to defend their integrity with all the media pressure in this special case of big win in both shows while Shair Zag in the Jury.
Released 12th Sep 2011
check attached
Please note that the same agency (Team Y&R) and same creative director (Shahir Zag) have a long record of “Coincidences” on several copycat watch-dogs which include www.joelapompe.net and www.admirror.com
here is a quick review just to make the point that “lightening does not strike twice in the same place” and “where there is smoke their would be fire”.
Shahir and Team Y&R have been getting away with plagiarism and copycat ads for far too long now and it is time they are stopped since it is getting ridicules.
NB. Leadership by example was expected from the former IAA World President elect, Mr. Joseph Ghosob who is also the chairman of Team Y&R, Asda PR, Mediaedge CIA, and MENA holding
The agency that copied these ads also copied
Grand Prix – Print
Four gold – Outdoor
Link: http://www.dubailynx.com/winners/2011/outdoor/index.cfm?award=2
Four gold- Print/outdoor craft
After wining the “agency of the year” at the 2011 Dubai lynx with a copycat that included the Grand Prix!!! they went on to be shortlisted in LIA. Accumulating the metal by cheating will get Y&R higher ranks in the Gun report, get the agency a lot of positive publicity by cheating, get the copycat “creative” a bigger pay cheque by cheating. what message is the business of creativity awards sending out? and it is really pathetic to see the wool pulled over so many different award show judges and panels. I wonder if Dubai Lynx will pull the title agency of the year from Team Y&R Dubai as they did with FP7 Doha
LIA awarded the copycat ads despite the communications that supported the incident. what does that tell you about the purpose of award shows? they are NOT interested in awarding creativity, they are just interested in getting as much money as possible from entries. I suggest a boycott of all award shows that do not withdraw trophies from proven cases of plagiarism and copy cat or spoof ads.
The following is the full correspondence between IAA Kuwait and LIA
Dear Barbara, Thank you for your prompt reply and sorry for the confusion caused by wordplay. The following are the Harley Davidson ads that are also featured outside my blog, just copy and past the address and you will verify for your self, they are featured on www.coloribus.com and www.advertolog.com as well as www.bloganubis.com
Released: February 2008 Advertiser: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Brand name: Harley-davidson Product: Harley-davidson Clothing Agency: Carmichael Lynch Country: United States Category: Small Scale
I have also taken the liberty to provide you with the contact details of the ad agency for cross-referencing
The following are the contact details of Carmichael Lynch
L INQUIRIES
612.334.6000
inquiry@clynch.com
NEW BUSINESS INQUIRIES
Erika Collins 612.334.6007
erika.collins@clynch.com
PUBLIC RELATIONS
http://www.carmichaellynchspong.com
Regards,
Louai Alasfahani IAA Kuwait Chapter – President www.iaaglobal.org
On Oct 7, 2011, at 9:54 PM, London International Awards wrote:
I am sorry I thought that you were talking about a Harley Campaign that Y&R copied for Harley. I did not realize that you were questioning Harvey Nichols. In your own email you wrote: Team Y&R Dubai Harvey Davidson. I thought the “V” in Harvey was mistyped and should have been an “L”Hence my response.I have not been able to find these Harley ads anywhere except in your article. I checked Carmichael Lynch’s site, Coloribus, AdForum, HarleyBefore I can take any action can you send me links to these ads outside of your article.Thank you. Barbara
Dear respondent, Is this the official response of LIA? I am not accusing Y&R of plagiarism i am actually proving their plagiarism with facts, dates and visual examples and if LIA has no intention to disqualify them then I will go ahead with publishing this story as I am sure the design community will be unhappy to participate in an award show that is careless about its reputation yet alone ethics. What message are you sending?!!!!!! NB the fact that Harley Davidson work has not been entered into LIA does not change the fact that Y&R Dubai plagiarized it and as such, should not be awarded.
Regards, Louai Alasfahani IAA Kuwait Chapter – President www.iaaglobal.org +968 94009977 +965 66009977
On Oct 7, 2011, at 12:21 PM, London International Awards wrote:
I am not quite sure what you are accusing Y&R of. Harley Davidson is not even entered.
Dear Festival director, Kindly view the following link before before awarding the shortlisted copycat work of Team Y&R Dubai Harvey Davidson – The agency that copied these ads also copied as this could jeopardize the reputation of LIA as once happened in the Dubai Lynx.
Related links:
Blog Anubis’ Louai Alasfahani Tells It How It Is
Dubai Lynx 2011 – How was it for you?
Heads will roll If you need further information or feel the need to discuss matters, I
can be reached on my mobile +968 94009977 or +965 66009977
Regards, Louai Alasfahani IAA Kuwait Chapter – President
Also a Silver at CLIO!!!!
http://www.clioawards.com/winners/winners.cfm?medium_id=2
And the New York Festival!!!
http://www.newyorkfestivals.com/worldsbest/index.php?page=1&keywordSearch=dubai&sAwardType=&sCompetitionType=&sCategoriesType=&sCountryType=#res