It was that time of the year again, when the people whose job it is to vaunt the excellence of others took time out to give each other a pat on the back - the 1997 Advertising Agency of the Year award at the Conrad Hotel on Thursday evening. Ian Young, the managing director of Irish International, (above) scooped the trophy and also made it into award history. It is the first time any agency has taken the award twice and it is the third time for Ian to collect it, as he was director of Des O'Meara & Partners when they won in 1991.
Michael Cullen, editor of Market- ing magazine which runs the awards, also presented a framed cover of the current issue of the magazine to Kathy O'Meara of Carlton Screen Advertising, who graces the front cover. Howard Kent, marketing director of BFK Design Group was not among the winners, but had his own 40th birthday to celebrate with his wife, Shirley. Other guests included Eoghan Nolan of McCann-Erickson; Maxine Brady, a director of After Dark Films; 98FM's Jimmy Greeley and publicist Catriona Ward.