The Clio Awards, esteemed international advertising, design and communications competition, today announced lifetime and honorary winners for the 57th annual show set for September 28 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City with hosts Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally. Combining the Clio Awards, Clio Fashion & Beauty and Clio Music, the night will bring together leading creatives, marketers, agency heads and high-level executives across advertising, media, music, beauty and fashion to celebrate the year’s most innovative work.
Accepting the Clio Awards Lifetime Achievement Award is Linda Kaplan Thaler, the former chairman of Publicis Kaplan Thaler, now Publicis New York. Thaler will receive the award from her former business partner Robin Koval, CEO of Truth Initiative. Koval and Thaler are also co-authors of “The Power of Nice” and “Grit to Great”. Thaler will become the first woman to receive the honor and will be recognized for a lifetime of work that includes Herbal Essences’ “Yes, Yes, Yes” ads and the creation of the AFLAC duck. She was inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame in 2015.
Mario Testino, legendary photographer, will receive the Clio Fashion & Beauty Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Graydon Carter, editor of Vanity Fair magazine. Testino’s impressive body of work with brands, including Burberry, Michael Kors, Gucci, Stuart Weitzman and Chanel will be showcased in a special introductory video written, directed and shot by Sophie Edelstein and premiered at the awards ceremony.
Clio Music, sponsored for the second year by Citi, will feature an Honorary Clio Music Award presentation to Hugh Evans, CEO of Global Citizen and co-founder of the Global Citizen Festival. The Global Citizen Festival is a free-ticketed event in New York’s Central Park that marries music and advocacy to affect change for the world’s poorest people. Since Evans founded the organization in 2012, Global Citizens have taken over 6 million actions in the fight against extreme poverty.
“We are honored to have Linda, Mario and Hugh joining the Clio Awards family this year,” said Clio President Nicole Purcell. “Their creative contributions have made an impact across industries and on a global stage. The caliber of work they represent will be a true inspiration to us all as we gather to celebrate creativity in all its forms on September 28.”
Clio Music partners with Billboard and Shazam annually to measure the power of commercial synchs on breakthrough, classic and debut songs. This year, Empire of the Sun tops the Breakthrough chart and Jim Croce leads the Classic chart. Andra Day, the Collaborative Debut chart topper for 2016, will perform at the ceremony.
“We believe in the power of music and its role in enabling brands to connect with customers on an emotional level,” says Jennifer Breithaupt, managing director, Media, Advertising and Global Entertainment for Citi. “We are proud to be the presenting sponsor of Clio Music to celebrate the tremendous brand collaborations that continue to propel marketers and musicians to new levels.”
Gold, Silver and Bronze winners across Clio, Clio Fashion & Beauty and Clio Music will be announced on September 12 on the new Clio digital platform clios.com and Ads of the World. Grand and “Of the Year” Winners will be announced live at the 2016 Clio Awards.