Hot Tomali took the title of International Small Agency of the Year at an Advertising Age award show last week.

The Vancouver-based agency won for its work for the Telecommunications Workers Union, which drove a national unemployment clock across Canada, snagging $1 million in public relations exposure for the client.

"What's really inspiring about the small shops is what they are able to do with a small staff and often for smaller clients," said Abbey Klaassen, executive editor of Ad Age. "So we are looking for things like what are you able to accomplish on a shoe string, and that's what stood out about Hot Tomali."

Most of the entrants for the International Small Agency of the Year award came from Canada and Europe, said Klaassen. Hot Tomali was the only Canadian agency that got a nod.

Hot Tomali was also named a runner-up for Agency of the Year in the one to 10 employee category that was topped by Sub Rosa of New York.

Pereira & O'Dell of San Francisco was named Small Agency of the Year; while Definition 6 of New York won the Campaign of the Year for its work on Coca-Cola's Happiness Machine. Best Small Agency Culture went to Squeaky Wheel Media of New York.

It's the second year that Ad Age has run the award show honouring small agencies. This year's competition garnered more than 250 entries.

"A lot of the creative innovation comes from small shops," says Klaassen. "Because small agencies don't always have the resources of a big shop, they have to push the boundaries and there's value in acknowledging that."

Hot Tomali has 12 staffers and a client list that includes Electronic Arts and 7-Eleven's Slurpee brand.