MS&L Italia won First Absolute Prize and First Prize for Corporate Communications for its work on the Philips “Simplicity Christmas” campaign in the tenth annual National Assorel Awards.  The “Living Simplicity, Simplicity Festival” also received a special mention in the corporate area. Both initiatives were part of Philips’ “Simplicity Makes Sense” campaign, which supports Philips’ institutional positioning. ASSOREL, the Italian Public Relations Agency Association, organized the event in partnership with Espansione magazine and the www.ilsole24ore.com Web site. 

“Simplicity Christmas”took place during the 2006 Christmas season with the aim to simplify the lives of Milan citizens and encourage people to focus on what they enjoy the most about the holiday. The program was based on Philips’ “Sense and Simplicity” positioning, and was carried out under the aegis of Milan Municipality and in joint effort with Traders Association. Key elements of the program included free parking, shopping maps, gazebos where presents were packaged for free, and a Santa Claus team to help carry presents.

As part of “Simplicity Christmas,” MS&L created the “Living Simplicity, Simplicity Festival,” which was organized in November with the participation of more than 50 academics, designers, musicians, authors, personal trainers, chefs, anchormen and young talent. Each of these opinion leaders proposed simple and concrete solutions to solve every day life difficulties. This initiative was awarded with an Honorable Mention in the corporate communication category.

MS&L Italia is the longest standing operational PR consultancy company in Italy. The combined experience of Mavellia MS&L and Chiappe Bellodi, which merged in 2001 to give birth to the present agency, add up to 70 years of activity in the region. Today’s staff is composed of more than 50 professionals covering all areas of activity in PR, including media relations, financial communications, crisis management, brand repositioning, viral campaigns and stakeholder relations. Our clients include international companies, Italian multinationals and medium-sized Italian enterprises.

About Manning Selvage & Lee
MS&L is one of the world's leading global public relations firms. Headquartered in New York, MS&L has 60 offices throughout North America, Latin America, EMEA and Asia-Pacific, as well as an extensive global affiliate network.  The agency meets the needs of global and local clients by providing best-in-class services in consumer marketing PR, healthcare PR, corporate communications and technology communications, as well as industry-leading work in digital communications.  MS&L won PRWeek's Best Use of Internet/New Media Award in both 2006 and 2007.

MS&L is a member of the Publicis Groupe(Euronext Paris: FR0000130577 and NYSE: PUB), the world’s fourth largest communications group, and a global leader in digital and online advertising, media consulting, and healthcare communications. With some 42,000 professionals in 104 countries, the Groupe's activities cover advertising through three global advertising networks:  Leo Burnett, Publicis, Saatchi & Saatchi, as well as through its two multi-hub networks Fallon Worldwide and 49%-owned Bartle Bogle Hegarty; media agencies with two worldwide networks ZenithOptimedia and Starcom MediaVest Group; and marketing services, including digital and interactive communications through Digitas, relationship and direct marketing, public and media relations, corporate and financial communications, multicultural communications, and event communications. The Groupe is also the world leader in healthcare communications. Web site: www.publicisgroupe.com.