McCann takes crowning glory at the Hong Kong Kam Fan Awards 2011

The mobile app allowed viewers to swing (an action colloquially known as "chok" by Hong Kong teens) their phones in front of a TV screen to capture tumbling bottle caps from the Coke TVC. The campaign was by far the most successful consumer activation in Hong Kong: in a single month, the app was downloaded over 380,000 times and the interactive element of the TVC was engaged on more than nine million occasions.

By the end of the campaign in August 2011, Coca-Cola's sales volume recorded 12.5 per cent growth. Coca-Cola was also named Client of the Year at the ceremony.

The third major prize - the Cyber Kam Fan - went to KFC's "Indescribable Taste" campaign, by Ogilvy & Mather Hong Kong, who created a hook for the KFC Umadare chicken by arousing curiosity in the flavour of the product rather than explaining it.

The O&M team revealed to Campaign their conceptualisation was based on an idiosyncratic B-side project tapping on the all-things-Japanese fever among Hong Kongers. That idea met with resistance initially as it differed from usual hard-sell tactics used in food advertising, but managed to convince a "sensible and open-minded client" for acceptance and finally achieved the highest same-store sales increase in a four-week period.

In addition, five gold, 17 silver and 22 bronze awards were also presented. Judges, who hail from Japan, China, Taiwan, Sweden and Singapore, were generally surprised by the level of creativity associated with big-name brands, since they are usually known to be timid and take no chances. Most were impressed by the smart use of media channels and quality of art direction in Hong Kong campaigns. 

The Kam Fan Awards is an annual event organised by the HK4As, an association of 53 major advertising agencies in Hong Kong, to recognise the best works in advertising. The "pain is glory" theme this year is meant to encourage ad men and women not to give up easily, as true glory can only be born of painful and tough times.