THE Marketing Counsellors advertising agency yesterday copped the Observer’s Top Agency award for the highest volume of advertisements placed in the newspaper last year.

Second place in that category went to OGM Integrated Communications Limited, while in third place was Waterworks.

The presentations were made at the Observer’s 2010 Billing Awards Luncheon held at the newspaper’s head office on Beechwood Avenue in Kingston.

Among other awardees were Petrojam Jamaica Limited, which came out on top in the Direct Billing Customer category; National Housing Trust, which took second position in that category and Mayberry Investments in third place.

The first place for the Top Agency Client award was copped by Lime, while second place went to Digicel and third place to GraceKennedy.

The Most Efficient Agency award went to Prism Communications, while the award for Best Serviced Account went to Advertising and Marketing (Ja) Ltd.

Peter Lindo, director of client services at The Marketing Counsellors, and media director Eileen Lewis expressed great appreciation at receiving the top award.

Lewis said that they were extremely grateful to the Observer for the award but noted that the advertising agency could not have done it without the support of its clients.

“This award is a testimony of our clients’ faith in our ability to choose media appropriately on their behalf,” Lewis said.

Lindo, in expressing appreciation at being awarded the prestigious top prize, said he was very “pleased and happy at the gesture”.

“We have had the pleasure of winning this award more than once and this shows our commitment to client services,” he said of the agency which has been in operation for 25 years.

He added that they have already begun to work assiduously towards retaining the top award for 2011.

Observer chairman Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, who was unable to attend the luncheon, congratulated the winners via phone.

In applauding the awardees for their support, Stewart noted that “with the Observer everyone is a winner.”

“I want to congratulate all the winners and thank you for your business and the support you have been giving the Observer,” he said, as he reassured them of the newspaper’s commitment to giving advertisers value for money.

Chief executive officer of the Observer Edward Khoury, in thanking the awardees for their business, said the newspaper will always be responsive to the needs of clients and advertising agencies.

“We want to be the one to go above and beyond in fulfilling your needs… and we want to be cutting edge in everything we do,” he said.

He explained that the Observer has already put a lot into its Internet offerings which have already paid off with that service now being ahead of its competitor in reach and time spent on the site.

“We also intend to do that in our radio offering,” he said in reference to the Observer’s radio station which is scheduled to begin broadcasts soon. “We will also continue to put a lot into our print product,” he said.