NEW YORK, Oct. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- MS&L Worldwide (MS&L) and Egami Consulting Group (Egami) have been named winners of the 2009 ADCOLOR® Most Valuable Partnership Award.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091006/NY88023 )

The Most Valuable Partnership Award celebrates agencies, marketers and media companies that partner to provide innovative diversity solutions to their respective organizations, industries and communities.

"MS&L is proud of our partnership with Egami and honored to receive a prestigious ADCOLOR® award," said Jim Tsokanos, MS&L President, North America. "Together we have collaborated on numerous programs by bringing our collective strengths to the table to deliver meaningful diverse campaigns for our clients, such as Hennessy and Heineken."

"Receiving ADCOLOR®'s Most Valuable Partnership Award is an incredible validation of our work with MS&L, and a distinct honor," said Teneshia Jackson Warner, Chief Creative Officer, Egami. "Our partnership is a true testament of how two companies -- large and small -- can work together to bring innovative solutions to clients -- especially from a diversity standpoint."

Strategic partnerships, such as MS&L and Egami's, have been recognized by industry leading organizations, such as the National Minority Supplier Development Council (www.nmsdc.org), and the Billion Dollar Roundtable (www.bdrusa.org), as a best practice in the development of diverse businesses staged for growth.

MS&L is a true leader in this space as the first major public relations firm to embrace this type of mentor relationship with a smaller multicultural firm. "The best client solutions will always come from an authentic voice that mirrors the consumers we are trying to reach," said Phillip Sontag, Senior Vice President who leads the diversity practice at MS&L. "We stand behind our commitment to diversity as demonstrated by our partnership with Egami and the award winning diverse solutions we've been able to deliver for our clients together. Embracing diversity is good business, for everyone!"

The partnership received their award during the ADCOLOR® Awards Gala on Sunday, October 4th at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix. CNN anchor and special correspondent Soledad O'Brien hosted the award show, which kicked-off the 11th Annual Association of National Advertisers' Multicultural Marketing & Diversity Conference.

The ADCOLOR® Industry Coalition is a program of the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), and supported by the ADVERTISING Club of New York, the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As), Arnold Worldwide and Omnicom Group. As the first cross-industry initiative of its kind, ADCOLOR® is meant to serve as a catalyst for the next generation of diversity programs by combining the energy of the marketing, advertising and media industries to identify current issues and opportunities around diversity. For more information regarding the ADCOLOR® Awards visit www.adcolor.org

About MS&L

MS&L is a leading global communications firm and part of MS&L Worldwide, a network of communications brands and consultancies with 54 offices in North America, Latin America, EMEA and Asia, as well as an extensive affiliate network. The agency specializes in using research, insights and technology to create and execute powerful communications strategies that are critical to client success. With a unique combination of advice, advocacy and action, MS&L delivers measurable business results for many of the world's largest companies and most successful brands.

MS&L Worldwide (mslworldwide.com) is a member of the Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris: FR0000130577), the world's fourth largest communications group, and a global leader in digital and online advertising, media consulting, and healthcare communications. With some 45,000 professionals in 104 countries, the Groupe's activities cover advertising through three global advertising networks: Leo Burnett, Publicis, Saatchi & Saatchi, as well as through its two multi-hub networks Fallon Worldwide and 49%-owned Bartle Bogle Hegarty; media agencies with two worldwide networks ZenithOptimedia and Starcom MediaVest Group; and marketing services, including digital and interactive communications through Digitas, relationship and direct marketing, public and media relations, corporate and financial communications, multicultural communications, and event communications. The Groupe is also the world leader in healthcare communications. Web site: www.publicisgroupe.com.

About Egami

Egami Consulting Group is a New York-based minority-owned marketing firm with expertise in linking brands to urban and diverse consumers via innovative brand experiences. For more information about Egami, visit www.egamiconsulting.com.

SOURCE MS&L Worldwide