Pepsi Ads Top Radio and TV Society Awards List

Television commercials for Pepsi Cola products shared top honors in the International Broadcasting Awards announced Wednesday.

An ad for Diet Pepsi called “Missing Link” was named the world’s best TV commercial of 1989, while one for Pepsi Cola that had been similarly honored in 1987, “Apt. 10-G,” was selected as the best TV commercial of the past 30 years. Both were products of the BBDO ad agency in New York.

The awards were given by the Hollywood Radio and Television Society, which celebrated its 30th anniversary with a dinner at the Century Plaza.

The organization said that it had received about 5,000 entries this year from 60 nations. Among the winners in 12 TV categories and 9 radio categories were ads from Japan, Brazil, England and Australia.

Named the best radio commercial of 1989 was one called “What’s This,” produced by Dick Orkin for Carr Stores/Brach’s Candy. The award for best radio ad of the past 30 years was a 1967 series of three commercials for Excedrin that featured Dick Cavett, Louise Lasser, Charles Nelson Reilly and Bob Marcado.

Besides its awards for the Pepsi commercials, BBDO also won for the best series of TV commercials of 1989, called “Change/Burned/New Teacher,” on behalf of Apple/MacIntosh.

The Cliff Freeman and Associates agency in New York was responsible for two TV winners: the best 30-second commercial, on behalf of Philips Lighting, and the best combination spot, on behalf of Little Caesar Enterprises.

Chiat Day/Mojo of New York won for the best public-service TV spot, “Lifestyles of the Homeless,” on behalf of the Coalition for the Homeless. The public-service radio award went to Cashman & Associates of Los Angeles for “Boy in the Classroom,” on behalf of the Adam Walsh Center.

While the top honors went to Pepsi, its chief rival wasn’t ignored. A Coca-Cola commercial featuring Linda Ronstadt was named best 60-second musical spot for radio. It came from the Lintas: New York agency.