Stone Ward set a new record for the agency by capturing 39 Telly Awards, considered the premiere international awards competition in the broadcast production industry. Realizing its broadcast production work was of international caliber, the agency entered 45 pieces and their winning percentage was an amazing 87%. That, combined with the fact that the awards represented work for eight clients and all award-winning work was produced by Stone Ward and its affiliate, 360 Filmworks, has the staff at Stone Ward feeling proud.
Last year, Stone Ward brought home 20 national Telly Awards for six clients, which at the time was considered an Arkansas record.
Of this year’s 39 Tellys, 34 were judged by the Silver Telly Council comprised of top industry professionals that are past Telly winners. The other five Tellys were judged by the public in an online voting venue, the first year this has been offered.
Of Stone Ward’s eight clients, Sport Clips had nine; Energy Efficiency Arkansas, seven; Arkansas Economic Development Commission, six; Arkansas State University and Baptist Health, each recording five; U.S. Soccer Federation, three, and Arkansas Department of Higher Education and Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, each with two.
The National Telly Awards is one of advertising industry’s most sought-after awards. The awards program, which began in 1978, attracts entries from advertising firms, production companies, television stations, cable companies, interactive agencies and corporations in the world.
The Telly statue is widely known, in large measure because it appeared many times in the enormously successful 2000 movie about the advertising agency business, “What Women Want,” starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt.
Stone Ward CEO and Executive Creative Director Larry Stone said, “We are so appreciative of our clients for recognizing the power of moving pictures and allowing us to showcase their brands.”
Tommy Walker is Stone Ward Director of Broadcast Production and manages 360 Filmworks.
Walker said, “Stone Ward and 360 Filmworks are thrilled to share this large number of Tellys. This is a great testimony to collaboration and commitment to excellence that we share with our clients. We also appreciate the talented production partners throughout the industry that we used to help us create these award-winning productions,” Walker said.
Stone Ward is in its 26th year of business and has offices in downtown Little Rock and in Chicago.