Lopez Negrete Communications garners Top Honors at Art Directors Club of Houston Awards Show.

Lopez Negrete Communications earned the Gold for its “El Santa Holiday Card” at the 54th Annual Art Directors Club of Houston (ADCh) Awards Show. The agency was also recognized with two Silvers and two Bronzes in the Advertising category for esteemed clients Bank of America, Dr Pepper Snapple Group and Wal-Mart Stores.

“Houston has always had a world-class design community that has been recognized far and wide. As such, the ADCh Awards Show has never been easy to win in – but when you do, it’s a source of great pride and a sense of accomplishment,” said Alex López Negrete, president, CEO and chief creative officer of Lopez Negrete Communications.

The piece which won the ADCh Gold is the agency’s 2008 holiday card. On the cover it depicts Santa Claus with his flowing white beard, red suit and beaming eyes, but with a luchador (a Mexican wrestling suit) mask and cape, posed in a stance ready to take on those on his “naughty” list. The cover of the card reads like a throwback comic book: bright reds and blues, punchy catchphrases in 3-D text, and the kitschy use of apostrophes and exclamation marks. The inside re-imagines the old Christmas jingle “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” with wrestling slang, while wishing the recipient a happy holiday.

“It’s extraordinarily meaningful to us that the piece that won the Gold was one of the last pieces written by our esteemed friend and colleague, Brett Elliott. This piece has the impish wit that was his mark. It’s a sweet win. I know he’s smiling,” expressed López Negrete.

Along with the aforementioned Gold, the agency also brought home two Silvers and two Bronzes in the Advertising category. “The Sum,” winner of the Silver in Television (non-English) and “Step Up,” “Tango,” “Pickup,” and “School Dance” were Silver award winners for Television Series. All were created for long-time Lopez Negrete client Bank of America. The Bronzes went to Wal-Mart and to Dr Pepper Snapple Group, for the television ads “Wishful Thinking” and “Sevenísima,” respectively.

All winning work was overseen creatively by López Negrete as CCO with the creative department, as a whole, led by Vice President/Creative Director Javier Gonzalez-Herba. The “El Santa Holiday Card” team is comprised of Luis Gonzalez, executive creative director; Joshua Patron, associate creative director; Jorge Leza and Mimi Boneta, art directors; Brett Elliott, copywriter; and Miguel Rios, illustrator. The agency’s Bank of America team consists of Gonzalez; Patron; Art Director Gwendolyne Echenagucia; Copywriter Alonso Nuñez; Directory of Broadcast Production Marlo Baker; and Executive Group Account Director Marisol Cruz. The group responsible for Wal-Mart’s Vision Center Bronze award winner is Creative Director Miguel Moreno; Associate Creative Director Olga Reyes; Art Director Karen Kain; Copywriter Pablo Carpintero; Broadcast Producer Claudio Milczewski; and Executive Group Account Director Frank Sendra. And the “Sevenisima” Bronze honor can be credited to Gonzalez, Echenagucia, and Baker.

The ADCh Gold rounds off a successful award season for Lopez Negrete. In 2009 the agency was honored with 45 ADDY® Awards from the American Advertising Federation Houston, including its sixth consecutive Best of Show, later in the year, the agency was also awarded a coveted ARF David Ogilvy Award – the first multicultural trophy awarded in the history of these awards.

The Art Directors Club of Houston is a nonprofit organization for those involved in all aspects of advertising and graphic design. The ADCh was founded in 1955, and members include art directors, graphic designers, production artists, copywriters, photographers, stylists, illustrators, media producers, and others in related fields, including students and teachers.