The 2006 EFFIE/THE BEST BRAND awards have been handed out.

In 2001, the highest Russian national award in the area of marketing and advertising, The Best Brand, joined the international system EFFIE - the most prominent award in the world honoring the most effective marketing communications practices worldwide. Since that time, a significant prefix has been added to the name of the Russian national award. The EFFIE/THE BEST BRAND award ceremony was held for the ninth time this year. In its solemn atmosphere, leading Russian businessmen received the prizes they deserved. It so happens that in business, as in sports, there are bronze, silver, and gold prizes. The strict jury chose winners in each of the 33 categories, selecting companies and brands, which proved to be the most prominent that year. The famous opera quartet Amici Forever, the favorites of the Queen of England, came to Moscow to perform at the award show's closing ceremony.

The hosts of the 2006 EFFIE/THE BEST BRAND ceremony, Yana Churikova and Anton Komolov, each could easily become spokespersons of any brand they were presenting. However, they performed the role of show hosts that night. Each award winner, of whom there were quite a few, was presented to the public in a special way, and Yana kept encouraging the dignified audience: "Dear friends, let's welcome the next award winner to the stage with a big round of applause!"

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In the Culture and Arts category, the EFFIE/THE BEST BRAND award went to the festival Muzikalnoye Serdtse Rossii ("The musical heart of Russia"). Receiving the prize was the festival's producer Natalya Gromushkina. This year, she gave theatergoers the chance to enjoy the best Russian-made musicals. The distinguished jury made up of business professionals considered her project to be the best.

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Euroset owner Yevgeny Chichvarkin was the only man at the ceremony wearing a smart suit. This was probably what drew everyone's attention. Yevgeny should also be given credit for his inventiveness - women's sights were especially attracted to the amusing accessory: a green handbag, which looked like a cat's face.

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Even after the Ne Rodis Krasivoy ("Better born lucky") soap opera closed, actress Nelly Uvarova has retained her guardianship of the Zimaletto company. This trademark was invented especially for the soap opera, and was later used in actual business. The Zimaletto brand, which came to the market not so long ago, received a bronze award in the Fashions, Footwear, and Accessories category. Naturally, Nelly Uvarova herself received an award, as well.

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"For the contenders for the gold, silver, and bronze prizes, the national competition in the area of brand building became a launching pad, giving them a start and helping them assert themselves on the global market. This is especially important today, as Russia is nearing its accession to the WTO," RBC General Director Yury Rovensky stressed (pictured next to Nikas Safronov on the photo).