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RED Hot: 2007 Advertising Person of the Year Bobby Shriver for (PRODUCT)RED

The ADVERTISING Club was proud to honor Bobby Shriver for (PRODUCT) RED as its 2007 Advertising Person of the Year on Monday, September 24^th at a special luncheon that opened Advertising Week at the prestigious Metropolitan Club.

(PRODUCT) RED is one of the most recognized, socially important and applauded marketing initiatives that has brought together business, philanthropic and entertainment communities to tap into consumer buying power to have an impact on the health and financial emergencies in Africa.

The toast/roast featured some of Bobby’s closest friends and colleagues:
Mark Dowley, Endeavor
David Maddocks, Converse
Richard Plepler, HBO
Russell Simmons, RUSH Communications

Caroline Kennedy, Vice Chairman, The Fund for Public Schools was on the dais to congratulate Bobby and present The Bobby Shriver Scholarship to Annie Chiu, a New York Cityundergrad student aspiring to a career in advertising. Each executive roasted Bobby a bit differently: some with humor and irreverence, others with thoughtful personal anecdotes, others focusing on the importance of RED and how brands must support such efforts to be socially responsible in today’s world.  And a surprise visit by Bobby’s sister Maria Shriver and her husband Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger made everyone almost feel they were inside a private soirée of the Kennedy/Shriver family!

The event was honored by the presence of other eminent and stellar figures. Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former finance minister of Nigeria (the first women to hold this position) and one of the 2006 Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women, said a few words about commerce, brands and social engagement from the podium.

Veronica Webb, former model and now Bravo TV host; Susie Buffet, daughter of Warren and founder of the Sherwood Foundation; senior management from RED; and many top level advertising agencies including Modernista! (which does superb work for RED) mingled in the crowd of  250 guests.

Wenda Harris Millard, President, Media, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and last year’s Advertising Person of the Year, did a rousing job as Master of Ceremonies. Ian Parmiter, AD Club President and head of Ad Sales Marketing for Discovery Networks (and in a celebratory red tie) said “not only were we recognizing today an accomplished, passionate man who has done a superb job of rallying many factions to help those in need, but the event was enjoyable and entertaining for everyone on the dais and in the audience. We were proud to host this very special celebration.” The program attracted a great deal of press interest, yielding coverage in The New York Times, The New York Post, The Santa Monica Daily Times (where Shriver is on the City Council), Adweek, Mediaweek, Media Industry News, and others.