The One Club's Mary Warlick and Kevin Swanepoel to Speak at the 13th Annual China Advertising Festival

Addressing Resurgence of Animation in Advertising and Its Power to Shape Brand Image

Kunming, Yunnan Province, China (October 27, 2006) -- Mary Warlick, Executive Director of The One Club, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and recognition of creative excellence in advertising, will travel to The People's Republic of China with Kevin Swanepoel, The One Club's Interactive Director, as special guests at the 13th annual China Advertising Festival. Warlick, who frequently lectures on advertising trends at schools and industry organizations, has been invited to speak along with Swanepoel at this premier event taking place in Kunming, the political, economical and cultural center of the Yunnan Province.

The China Advertising Festival, taking place from October 27th-29th, is hosted by the China Advertising Association and draws up to 30,000 participants every year from Japan, Korea, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Warlick and Swanepoel will address the audience on the recent trend of using animation in the advertising industry, citing the growing revival of animation in the work of globally-recognized and respected brands such as Apple, Guinness, Honda and MTV. "Animation is much more sophisticated and separates the product or brand from others in their category," says Warlick. "The use of enhanced computer graphics as well as the more traditional illustrational style of animation provides a wider range of story-telling possibilities, allowing consumers to visually participate in the ads."

Since assuming the role of Executive Director in 1989, Warlick has shaped The One Club into an organization with global reach, warranted this prestigious invitation. The One Club's international influence was further solidified with the hiring of Swanepoel who has been instrumental in extending a worldwide presence with the One Show Interactive.

The One Club is no stranger to China. Warlick has expanded The One Club's roster of annual awards programs to include The One Show China, which has been fostering indigenous creative talent since 2001. Over the last five years, The One Club has sponsored and organized teams of visiting experts to conduct workshops and competitions for students of advertising in China. In 2005, The One Club inaugurated a satellite office in Beijing. In November 2006, The One Club will continue its initiatives with their first-ever education summit in Beijing followed by, what have now become annual, workshops and award ceremonies in both Beijing and Shanghai.

To arrange an interview with Mary Warlick, please contact Rachel Levy Konik or Diane Stefani at 212/255-8455 or RachelK@rosengrouppr.com / diane@rosengrouppr.com