- Kamau High

NEW YORK Marcello Serpa, partner and general creative director of AlmapBBDO, Sao Paulo, Brazil, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 49th annual Clio Awards Festival, the organization said.
 
"We've chosen him because of his leadership, integrity, passion and vision," said Tony Gulisano, managing director, Clio Awards, New York. "He's an educator and a mentor as well." The Clios, like Adweek, are part of the Nielsen Co.
 
Serpa, 45, is a force in Latin American advertising. While working at DM9DDB in 1993, he was the first Latin American to win a Grand Prix at Cannes in the Print and Outdoor categories for the soft-drink Antarctica.
 
Following his win, Serpa, along with Jose Luiz Madeira, a senior account manager and strategic planner, left DM9DDB to join AlmapBBDO. The agency counts clients such as Volkswagen, Pepsi, Inbev, Bayer, Audi, Mars, Gatorade, Havaianas and Greenpeace.
 
In his 15 years at the shop, AlmapBBDO has been named Agency of the Year twice at Cannes and won 45 Clios among its many awards.
 
"I was nicely surprised and deeply happy to learn that Clio feels my work and professional life are deserving of such a definitive award," Serpa said in a statement.
 
Serpa is the eighth person to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Previous winners include Bob Isherwood, worldwide creative director, Saatchi & Saatchi; Bob Greenberg, chairman, CEO, chief creative director, R/GA; and John Hegarty, chairman, worldwide creative director, Bartle Bogle Hegarty.
 
Serpa will receive his award at the festival, which will take place May 14-17 at the Gansevoort South Hotel, Miami Beach, Fla.