The Superbowl is THE advertising event of the year in the U.S.A..
America is watching. And at half time in the match yesterday, America got a pep talk on behalf of Chrysler. The talk was delivered by Clint Eastwood.

Awesome work from Wieden + Kennedy Portland.

Here are some of the inital responses:

"Chrysler is king of the Superbowl spots", said CNN.

“2011’s best Super Bowl commercial was Eminem for Chrysler. It's only halftime, of course, but the greatest of 2012 so far has been Clint Eastwood for Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler in another all-American “Imported from Detroit” spot.” – PopWatch, Entertainment Weekly
 
“For the second year in a row, the car maker has won over audiences during Super Bowl XLVI with an emotional commercial. This time it featured a gritty Mr. Eastwood trying to rally Americans.” – Wall Street Journal
 
"Powerful and one of the best Super Bowl ads ever.” – Allen Adamson, managing director of Landor New York, as quoted by Wall Street Journal
 
“The message of unity apparently moved Chevrolet, which sent out a tweet thanking its competitor minutes after the ad aired: "Thank you for your trust in America. From the heart of Detroit to your homes, we feel the same way." – As reported by MLive.com
 
“Once again, Chrysler's Super Bowl ad won the hearts and minds of football fans, this time with a little help from Clint Eastwood and, of course, Detroit.” – CNNMoney.com
 
“Clint Eastwood brings the first goosebumps of the night. Can't beat that voice. Can't beat the message about bringing America back in the "second half."”– MSNBC.com
 
“Chrysler's post-halftime "Motor City is fighting back." Political ad? Clint Eastwood ad? Polar bear ad? Who cares! A great director and actor pulls off the most interesting — and compelling — ad of the entire Super Bowl.” – Newsday
 
“For the second consecutive year, Chrysler made viewers fall silent with a gritty, gut-level ad celebrating Detroit — and built around an icon not known for shilling for products.” – The Wrap
 
“Jokes about Eastwood running for president quickly became ubiquitous on Twitter.” – The Wrap
 
“The commercial talks about recovery, hope for the future and recognition of thehardships we currently face — in a way that no political candidate or sitting President has yet done. The combination of America, nostalgia and hope willalmost bring tears to your eyes…In a word, it was perfect.” – Jalopnik

So, the leathery old lags and hopeful young turks of the world's advertising industry have finished drowning themselves in a vat of overpriced rose wine and, as they nurse their hangovers, the results of the Cannes Advertising Festival are in. We did OK, maybe slightly better than we did last year.

Cannes independent agency of the year, for most awards accumulated across all categories – Wieden + Kennedy Portland.

And for the trainspotters, stat freaks and mothers of those who work at W+K, here are the individual awards for Wieden + Kennedy work. (I think I've got the full list here, but I may have missed one or two.)

FILM

Grand Prix – Nike ‘Write the Future’

Gold – Heineken ‘The Entrance’, Chrysler ‘Born of Fire’

Silver – Old Spice ‘Questions’, Nike ‘Rise’

Bronze – Cravendale ‘Cats with Thumbs’, Heineken ‘Date’, Heineken ‘The Entrance’, Nike ‘Throwdown’

CYBER (DIGITAL)

Grand Prix – Old Spice ‘Response’

Gold – Nike ‘Write the Future’, Old Spice x2 (for writing and for viral)

Bronze – Nike ‘Black Mamba’, Nokia ‘Dot’, Nokia ‘Own Voice’

EFFECTIVENESS

Gold – Old Spice ‘The man your man could smell like’

INTEGRATED

Gold – Old Spice ‘The man your man could smell like’

Silver – Nike ‘Write the Future’,  Levi’s ‘Ready to Work’ 

FILM CRAFT

Gold – Chrysler ‘Born of Fire’ (x3, for direction, script and music), Nike ‘Write the Future’ (x2, for editing and script), Heineken ‘The Entrance’ (direction)

Silver – Nike ‘Write the Future’ (x2, for production design and sound design), Lurpak – ‘Kitchen Odyssey’ (cinematography), Levi’s ‘Ready to Work’ (x2 for script and cinematography), Heineken ‘The Entrance’ (Music)

Bronze – Levi’s ‘Ready to Work’ (direction), Nokia ‘Dot’ (production design), Chrysler – ‘Born of Fire’ (editing), Nike ‘Black Mamba’ (editing), Nike ‘Write the Future’ (special effects).

TOTAL

Grand Prix – 2

Gold – 13

Silver -10

Bronze – 12

Big congrats to all the winners and their mums.