JUAN WINS! In the Race for ‘Favorite Icon.

In a hotly contested race that pitted a mustached man and his mule against a trio of animated elves, a battery-operated bunny and a handful of dancing raisins, to name a few, America’s coffee lovers voted with their taste buds, choosing substance over style and authenticity over snap, crackle and pop, to elect Juan Valdez, the front man for the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia, as their Favorite Advertising Icon in the 2005 Advertising Week poll. Juan Valdez received the most votes of the 26 icons up for election, making the win the icing on a sweet week for the Federation as it also celebrates the first anniversary of the first Juan Valdez Cafi in the United States (at 140 East 57th Street in
New York City) and unveils a giant billboard of Juan and his trusty mule Conchita in Times Square.

Thanks to a campaign waged by legions of loyal coffee lovers from around the world to elect Juan Valdez “Favorite Icon,” he will be honored with a spot on Madison Avenue’s Walk of Fame, which currently features last year’s inaugural winners, the M&M’s characters.

“This nomination is a wonderful honor because it confirms Juan Valdez is a true icon…a symbol of authenticity of the Richest Coffee in the World. He proudly represents the more than 560,000 coffee growers and their families, who grow the best coffee with their hands and their hard work,” explained Gabriel Silva, CEO of The National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia in Bogota.

“Being named ‘favorite advertising icon,’ is a testament to the transcendent power of Juan Valdez from generation to generation, a symbol we are proud to feature on our packaging because it represents authenticity and quality,” notes Doug McGraw of Folgers Coffee, a member of the 100% Colombian Coffee Program.