The Clio Awards are given to reward excellence in advertising and design. It is given in a number of fields, including: TV, Print, Outdoor, Radio, Integrated Campaign, Innovative Media, Design, Internet, Content & Contact, and Student work. The awards are named for the Greek muse Clio and were first given in 1959.

On 13 June 1991, the Clio awards ceremony disintegrated in spectacular fashion after an audience of 300 waited hours for that ceremony to start. Clio chairman Bill Evans, apparently embroiled in money and drug problems, was a no-show, and 11 of the staff had quit the previous month after going unpaid for several weeks. After the emcee attempted to start the show and pass out awards from an incomplete list, the show erupted into chaos as some exasperated attendees stormed the stage in formal wear, making off with the remaining statuettes by the fistful.

Several months later, a group of investors headed by Chicago publisher Ruth Ratny reorganized the awards program, which continues to this day.

External links

• Official website (http://www.clioawards.com/)
• The Most Bizarre Evening in Advertising History (http://www.follisinc.com/themost.htm) First-hand account of the 1991 Clio Awards.