Finalists Announced for the Fourth Annual Sunset Strip Billboard Awards on Thursday, July 10, 2003

The Sunset Strip Billboard Awards recognize and encourage outdoor advertising quality and creativity. This years finalists were selected based on artistic merit, ingenuity and execution.

WEST HOLLYWOOD-Narrowing down the competition to a selection of 30 artistic, engaging and eclectic billboards, the 2003 Sunset Strip Billboard Awards Judging Committee recently announced the finalists for the Fourth Annual Sunset Strip Billboard Awards. Winning billboards will be named at the event, taking place Thursday, July 10, 2003 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the House of Blues, 8430 Sunset Boulevard, in West Hollywood. This year, awards will also be presented to the stunning billboards in Times Square, New York.

The Sunset Strip Billboard Awards recognize and encourage quality and creativity in places where billboard presence is a positive and exciting part of the landscape, as they are on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood and Times Square in New York. More than 100 of the advertising industrys most elaborate, eye-catching and eccentric billboards are strategically located along these prestigious and famed areas.

This years finalists were selected based on artistic merit, ingenuity and execution. The 2003 finalists for the following categories are:

SUNSET STRIP BILLBOARD
Consumer Goods & Services: Nissan" by Outdoor Vision for Nissan on Clear Channel Outdoor; Yahoo!" by Outdoor Vision for Yahoo! on Regency Outdoor; 215-Horsepower PT Tubor" by Outdoor Services for PT Chrysler on Regency.

Beverages: Budweiser" by Busch Media Group for Budweiser for Clear Channel; Mojitos" by MacDonald Media for Bacardi on Clear Channel; Frappuccino" by Starbucks on Viacom Outdoor.

Fashion: Roberto Cavalli" by Neiman Marcus on Clear Channel; DKNY-Eyes" by Mediacom for DKNY on Regency; Woman In White Nightgown" by Louis Vuitton on Regency.

Entertainment & Leisure: ELVIS" by Time & Space Media for RCA Records on Regency; MIIB Men In Black 2" by McCann Erickson for Sony Pictures on Regency; XXX" by McCann Erickson for Sony Pictures on Regency.

Television: Oz" by Iconisus for HBO on Viacom; Egypt" by Horizon Media for The History Channel on Regency; Audrey Hepburn & Julia Roberts" by JL Media for American Movie Classics on Regency.

Public Service: Ford Scarf" by Ford Motor Media for Ford on Clear Channel; End the Silence" by the City of West Hollywood on Viacom; Healing Hands" by Direct for Whispering Winds Therapeutic on Regency.

SUNSET STRIP TALL WALL Consumer Goods & Services: Cowgirl" by Hawthorne Media for Target on Clear Channel; Surfer" by Hawthorne Media for Target on Clear Channel, Salma" by GAP on Viacom.

SUNSET STRIP TALL WALL Entertainment & Leisure: Goldmember" by Outdoor Vision for New Line Cinema on Clear Channel; Treasure Planet" by Disney on SkyTag Outdoor; Dinner for Five" by Communication Trends for Independent Film Festival on Viacom.

TIMES SQUARE BILLBOARD: Were Back" by Wiedan & Kennedy for University of Oregon Football on Clear Channel; Mamma Mia" by Serino Coyne for Mamma Mia on New York Outdoor; Hairspray" by Serino Coyne for Hairspray on New York Outdoor.

Additional awards will be given for Billboard, Tall Wall and Spectacular of the Year.

This years panel of seven judges include Dover Abrams, curator for Lankershim Art Gallery; Bill Farley, Director of PR for Playboy; Jack Feuer, National News Editor for Ad Week, Abraham Tetenbaum, Executive Director for Enrichment Works; Peggie Ledlie, Production Director of Mc Call Erickson agency; Tim Tompkins, President of Times Square BID and Andrew Ratzky, Advertising for The Golf Channel.

The general public can view images of the awesome billboards and vote for their favorite one-the Peoples Choice Award" winner-by logging on to www.sunsetstripawards.com. This years Peoples Choice nominees are billboards featuring Target, Bacardi, Neiman Marcus, Banana Republic, Lifetime, Starbucks, Gucci, Disney, Yahoo and Dior.

More than 200 advertising and business leaders are expected to attend the Billboard Awards gala, which honors advertising companies for their artistic achievement in various categories of billboard advertisements. The evenings keynote speaker will be Jim Campbell, president and CEO of Metro Media Technologies. Dave Widow and the Lineup, a Blues, Jazz, R&B and Funk band will provide entertainment.

The West Hollywood Sunset Strip Billboard Awards is presented by the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and is sponsored by many local businesses. For more information, call the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce at (323) 650-2688 or log on to www.sunsetstripawards.com.