Chillies 2009 'Brief to a Grand Prix'

Sri Lanka's most talked about awards show, the Sri Lanka Advertising Awards, the Chillies 2009, will be launched next week with a series of once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunities comprising Chillies Week 2009, a magical and dynamic week of exploring one's creative potential through contact with the best and brightest international creatives.

First on offer, and only for those passionate about learning from the best, will be a rare opportunity to be enlightened by the only Indian to ever win a Cannes Lion Grand Prix, former JWT India star creative Agnello Dias, as his workshop starts the Chillies 2009 education series with only the first of several programs on Monday.

Featuring an in-depth case study of how this almost herculean feat at Cannes was achieved in 2008, Agnello's half-day workshop, entitled "Brief to a Grand Prix", will be held on April 20, at 9.00 a.m. at the Taj Samudra Colombo.

Responsible for JWT India's ranking as India's No. 1 creative agency in the Campaign Brief rankings for Asia in 2006, Agnello made history in 2008 by winning India's first every Grand Prix at Cannes and the first ever Titanium-Integrated Lion with JWT India not only being the network's top performer but also returning the best ever performance by an Indian advertising agency at the festival.

In a career spanning more than 18 years, he has worked with a number of Indian and multinational clients and his name features in almost every award book from the One Show, Clio and Cannes to the British D&AD, Asia Pacific Ad fest, Media Magazine, New York Fest, the Times Asia-Pacific awards and the local shows where he has been Jury Chairman several times.

In January 2009, Agnello partnered Santosh Padhi to set up Taproot India where he holds a position as Founder and Chief Creative officer.

Chillies Week 2009, which starts with a "Brief to a Grand Prix", a workshop conducted by Cannes Lion Grand Prix winner Agnello Dias, on April 20, from 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m., at the Longdon Room, continues with "Creativity in Two Worlds", a seminar conducted jointly by creative powerhouses, Dentsu Japan's Masaka Okamura and JWT India's Senthil Kumar, on April 21 from 6.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m., at the Upper Crystal Room. The ever-popular Judges Forum - Print and TV will be held on April 22 from 7.00 p.m. and the Judges Forum - Radio and Non Traditional Media on April 23 from 7.00 p.m. at the Upper Crystal Room.

Final learning opportunities include "It doesn't have to be an Ad", a workshop conducted by former ECD TBWA/ Tequila Singapore and Chief Integrator for Asia, Graham Kelly, on April 24 from 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m., at the Regency Room, and a seminar on "Creativity in tough times", also by Graham Kelly, on April 24 from 6.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m., at the Upper Crystal Room.