In July of 1991, the Clio Awards were set to be presented in Manhattan. The Clio is the advertising industries version of the "Oscar" with awards going to the best and brightest in bronze, silver and gold. The best and brightest in advertising were there on that Balmy Thursday, in 86 degree heat to see if they had won. Many of the guests were from other countries, and all were dressed as one would expect for such an event. There was one problem, no one from the Clio awards was there.
As they would later find out, Bill Evans the owner of the Clio, was in serious financial difficulty and his staff had left after missing one too many paychecks in the month of May. Evans was not there either. After an hour of waiting outside the doors were opened and everyone finally found their seat only to see an unfamiliar face at the podium, that of the head caterer. While he did quite a good job, considering the circumstances, he never had a script and when clips were played, often out of focus or upside down, he had to ask people in the audience who made each clip. Not to mention that no one had the winners list so no Clios were handed out. Eventually he was booed off the stage. Then things got worse.
A PR representative decided to take to the stage and continue the presentation, after one too many trips to the bar. His lackluster performance turned the event into more of a circus, especially when he unexpectedly broke out in song when the band played a familiar Irish tune. Then, as suddenly as it started, it stopped. The PR man mumbled something about being out of script and wondered off the stage. The helpless band played Hello Dolly, for the fourth time that night.
The audience sat in stunned silence, the stage empty except for the microphone and the Clio awards. Soon the audience, disgusted with the display, began to make their way toward the door when one man in a tuxedo broke away from the crowd and walked on stage and grabbed a Clio waving it in the air. Some in the crowd gasped, others cheered, and more still ran up to get one for themselves. In less than a minute the Clios were gone.
The Clio was purchased by an investment firm and sold to a Dutch firm now called the Nielsen Company which still puts on the ceremony every year. But none so far have been as memorable as the one in 1991.
-Professor Walter
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