Creative 100
Creative 100
Creative 100
Contents
This report analyses the world's most creative than just speak. In his article in important than the conversation the
Chapter Two, AMV BBDO’s Executive idea drives.
campaigns to uncover trends from the latest creative Creative Director, Alex Grieve, writes
of brands needing to be ‘radically 2. Casting customers
strategies, and brings together insights and opinion authentic’; about a brand knowing Directly involving customers
from the creators of award-winning ideas. Its basis its purpose and then ‘actually doing in campaigns, whether to drive
something to make it happen’. behavioural change, to generate
is the Creative 100, an annual ranking of campaigns In this year’s Creative 100, several PR coverage, or to drive brand
brands evolved their purposeful engagement, is another theme that
based on their performance in creative competitions messaging, from driving awareness comes through in this year’s Creative
from around the world. to encouraging consumers towards 100. This year’s most creative brand,
behavioural change. Palau Pledge is Burger King, had its customers
so interesting because it is a great dress up as clowns in a campaign
example of how small behavioural that trolled its competitor’s mascot,
nudges can change perceptions. Ronald the Clown. Skittles cast one
Looking across the campaign This approach to purpose is a superfan as the star of its Super Bowl
By Amy Rodgers, Research Editor, write-ups and guest essays in this significant progression from the campaign, and Marmite asked their
WARC report, three trends emerge that awareness-driving purpose work customers to take a DNA test.
are worthy of note seen in the creative ranking in recent For those that worked on Skittles,
years. it was the counterintuitive nature of
1. Purpose-led strategies evolve Combining purpose with an the campaign that they felt made
The use of purpose as a driver for element of participation has another it compelling, and this applies to a
marketing strategies continues result – it is arguably more likely to number of the top campaigns this
to be a regular feature of the top fuel PR coverage and conversation. year. Bringing customers into the ads
creative campaigns, and was central Martin Beverley, adam&eveDDB’s means they become more than just
to the number one campaign, Executive Strategy Director, ads; in the words of Martin Beverley,
Palau Pledge. Purpose is becoming writes in his piece in Chapter Two “many of the ideas on this list aren’t
commonplace – many brands have about this conversation: that the just ads, they’re acts – designed to
concluded that they need to make levels of actual participation in impact popular culture and make a
a meaningful change – to do rather these campaigns is arguably less dent in the real world”. Participation
3 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Executive Summary
4 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Introduction to the rankings
The WARC Creative 100 is the successor to The premise of the Creative 100 We invited three global creative
remains the same: to rank the 100 directors to each take a closer look
the Gunn Report, and is now part of WARC most awarded creative marketing at trends that run through the top
ideas, and the agencies and brands work in this year’s Creative 100. Our
Rankings, which tracks the winners’ lists from all associated with them. contributors are:
the most important advertising award contests, For the first time, we are releasing
the list of shows we track to compile Telling stories across the
globally. The results of creative competitions are the awards. This decision to be campaign experience –
transparent was made with the Kate Stanners, Chairwoman and
used to compile the Creative 100, which ranks continued independent status of Global Chief Creative Officer,
the best campaigns and companies in creativity the rankings in mind, and the show Saatchi & Saatchi
selection was made based on the
from the 2018 show year. results of a global industry poll. The Wonder of What The F*ck –
Shows included in the 2019 WARC Martin Beverly, Executive Strategy
Creative 100 are: Director, adam&eveDDB
5 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Customer experience? It's like getting married
David Lubars, Chief Creative Officer of BBDO How would you define creativity? Does “The Work. The Work. The
You know it when you see it and feel Work” translate into a particular
Worldwide, the top-ranked agency network in the it. It's really a visceral feeling you get, way of working with strategists,
as opposed to something you can and with other agencies on a brief?
2019 Creative 100, shares his thoughts on developing just tie down with your left brain. What you're describing sounds like
great work, the rise of customer experience, and the But it's what makes us unique – to process. We don't do that. I mean,
find an insight or something that we have rigour and discipline. We
new challenges facing clients. resonates with people, something make our deadlines. But the thing
they recognise even though they that makes this exciting and fun as
never articulated it to themselves. an industry is every day is a zero
It's almost like a neck-down feeling sum. You don't know what you're
before your brain registers it. And going to run into every day, and each
that's the magic of it. It’s magic. problem needs its own bespoke way
to approach it.
How does BBDO’s mantra of So, I don’t want to say that we have
“The Work. The Work. The Work” some kind of ‘way we do it’ and I
translate into everyday work? could write, ‘Here's ten bullet points;
David Lubars, Chief Creative We’re a big network. And I know this is what what you do’. I think you
Officer, BBDO Worldwide. this sounds jargony, but we think of need to have things a little more
ourselves as a global boutique. So open than that and let the solutions
when we say, ‘The Work. The Work. reveal themselves without any kind
The Work,’ that's all we think about. of preconceived process.
The right insight, the right strategy,
the right, nimble fast solutions that How is creativity changing to
really get to somebody – and again, meet the interest in customer
the visceral magic and creative – experience?
that's all we care about. We don't Customer experience, or 'end to end',
care about 20 meetings, or politics, is the journey, and every step of the
or titles. We care about creativity to way, what a customer sees, feels,
move our clients. hears, at different points of the day
6 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Customer experience? It's like getting married
and in different places or mindsets each other throughout the day and turn them into Macy's assets. But it's trying to create something that
– all the way into a store, or with the throughout the years, as opposed to very heavily-branded [for] Macy's, doesn't exist. What we do is we just
product itself, or some other way of a one-way, ‘Here's this thing. Buy it.’ as part of the bigger idea of ‘The take their truth – their good soul and
interacting. For example, the Mars Hungerithm remarkable you.’ their good truth – and then have that
That's the new part of it. But it campaign from a couple of years So that is what we're fighting for on rise through the work.
needs a big idea more than ever. ago. That could've just been a behalf of our clients: that they don't Now, sometimes it's about
Because a big idea has to connect promotion with 7-Eleven. But get lost when there are only a few something [deeply meaningful], like
eight different things, as opposed because we have a big idea – a places to buy things. [when] we did The Talk for P&G. But
to a TV ad and a newspaper ad. You unifying idea – it became a ‘You’re that's because they actually had the
need a big idea to hold it all [together] not you when you're hungry’ epic. Which campaigns do you admire ‘My Black is Beautiful’ program, so it
and have it make sense. That's the kind of thing I'm talking from the WARC Creative 100? was a truth that already existed.
You see a lot of things on about. So what you’ll start to see now There were many that I admire. I think But to try to cram a truth
Instagram today where there are four is instead of just that one thing, you'll you made good choices. onto someone: that’s kind of
sweaters and you pick the orange see 30 things from Snickers during a I liked It’s a Tide ad from P&G disingenuous and reads as fake
one and you don’t even know who year that can touch you and help you because, first of all, it was a way to immediately.
you bought it from. So clients are get married to us. co-opt every other ad in the Super
going to start to ask, ‘Did people Bowl, but it was also a really clever What are your priorities for the
even know that it was from me? And Are marketers focusing too much use of media. That was a good one. next 12 months?
how do I establish a relationship?’ on short-term, targeted messaging But the campaign that I wish we So, we like to say that we never want
You need a big idea, but you've got to rather than building brands? did today is the US KFC work from the cement to harden. That's my job:
be in all of these places to have that If you buy stuff on Instagram, the Wieden + Kennedy with the different I keep stirring it so it doesn’t harden,
idea glow. brands know you like it, but you might Colonels (KFC Brand Integrated, it keeps things sloppy, and maybe
It feeds into a lot of things – sonic not know who you are buying it from. ranked 98th). It's so clever and messy. But it means you can flow
branding, visual identity, out of home You ask somebody, ‘Where did you brilliant and uses their legacy but the way the world wants you to go,
– that are now coming back in a big buy that?’ and they'll say ‘I bought it pushes it forward in a new way. instead of becoming stuck.
way. It's this journey through the day, from Instagram.’ So my thing is to just keep that
and the week, and through the life to So that's why we do all these How are you approaching brand thing liquid and flowing so that
create a relationship with somebody. interesting things with Macy's where purpose with your clients? whatever happens, we're ready to
It’s almost like you’re getting married you know it's Macy's. We even We don’t work on purpose-oriented jump on it. Every day is a zero sum.
to somebody and you do things for hacked some Instagram assets to briefs with clients, because that's Just wake up and be ready to go.
7 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Chapter one:
Insights into the top five campaigns
Palau Pledge: A behavioural
approach to purpose
The Palau Legacy Project, a sustainable travellers had never been outside
of their own countries and cultures,
tourism marketing body, created an so had little to no awareness of
how to sustainably interact with
immigration policy for the island of Palau Palau’s fragile coral reefs and unique
to protect the nation from environmental ecosystems.”
The surge of tourism was causing
damage. A new visa stamp, signed by tourists, damage to the country’s natural
environment, with travellers
changed immigration laws, customs processes breaking coral, littering beaches
and tourist behaviour, permanently. and disturbing the islands’ wildlife. The team approached Host/Havas
But tourism accounts for 85% of in Sydney who agreed to take on the
Palau’s GDP, so trying to restrict project pro bono. “Our pitch to them
access to the country’s holiday was simple,” says Clarke. “We have a
Challenge hotspots wasn’t an option. How whole country to save and no money
With its turquoise waters and white could the country’s tiny population to do it. Are you in?!”
sands, the Pacific island nation of – outnumbered by tourists by eight
Palau has become a popular travel to one – protect it from such a large Concept
destination. But its small population number of visitors? Host/Havas briefed their entire
of 20,000 was taken by surprise when Joining forces with fellow creative department who came
tourism numbers doubled between residents Nicolle Fagan, Koskelin- up with 47 different ideas to solve
2014 and 2015 to 160,000 visitors. Gibbons and Nanae Singeo, Clarke Palau’s problem. Clarke and her team
“This wasn’t the only issue,” founded the Palau Legacy Project to then presented their favourite three
says Laura Clarke, co-founder of help ignite positive change. “All four to the President of Palau, Tommy E.
the Palau Legacy Project. “Palau’s co-founders have a background in Remengesau Jr.
visitor demographic also changed high-level global communications,” “We approached Palau’s problem
dramatically from primarily eco- says Clarke. “We knew that in the same way we would help a
conscious, high-value diving harnessing the creative power of brand change customer behaviour,”
customers, to price-driven, package our industry could help solve Palau’s says Clarke. “We knew that roughly
tour visitors. Many of these new tourism challenges.” 80% of people wanted to do the
10 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
1. Palau Pledge: A behavioural
approach to purpose – continued
right thing in terms of protecting given. I shall not harm what does not
Palau, but we needed to give them harm me. The only footprints I shall
the information and tools they leave are those that will wash away.
required to make the right decisions. “President Remengesau is often
In this way, we could help Palau’s heard citing the ancient proverb,
enforcement resources focus on the ‘We do not inherit this world from
20% of people who were out to break our ancestors, we borrow it from
the rules. our children’,” Clarke explains. “He
We also wanted to encourage immediately saw how the Palau
people to ‘self-select’ Palau as a Pledge was a modern interpretation
destination – the thinking being of Palau’s culture of conservation
that if environmental and cultural and could see how effective it could
protection was something that be. He also saw how it could be
resonated with them, they were more adapted for other regions in need of
likely to be the kinds of visitors who similar solutions.”
would treat Palau with respect.” Sadly tourism’s changing pledge, stating that tourists could live TV interview at the UN. The
The winning idea ticked all the demographics and overcrowding be fined up to $1m if they violate campaign also engaged influencers
boxes. The Palau Pledge is a new visa is causing problems in countries the country’s strict environmental who encouraged their fans to
entry process that asks every visitor all over the world, even in mature laws. It then created an ecosystem take the pledge online, including
of Palau to make a formal promise to markets like Europe and the US. of ethical travel information to make Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio,
the country’s children. The following “The Palau Pledge was designed sure all visitors were educated about former US Secretary of State, John
is stamped onto a tourist’s passport with other markets in mind,” says correct behaviour, including an Kerry and the Rolling Stones.
upon arrival for them to sign in the Clarke. “We always wanted it to be in-flight film shown on all incoming To teach future generations of
presence of an immigration officer: an adaptable, scalable strategy that flights to Palau, a brochure inserted travellers to behave responsibly, the
Children of Palau, I take this could help other destinations deal into passports, airport posters, Palau Legacy Project worked with
pledge, as your guest, to preserve with specific tourism-related issues.” signage around the island and a primary schools in Australia. Using
and protect your beautiful and website containing an ethical the Palau Pledge as a case study, the
unique island home. I vow to tread Execution tour guide. schools are educating children about
lightly, act kindly and explore The Palau Legacy Project introduced To launch the new visa system, the importance of taking care of the
mindfully. I shall not take what is not a new immigration policy with the President Remengesau gave a natural world.
11 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
1. Palau Pledge: A behavioural
approach to purpose – continued
Results
The Palau Pledge is in place Lessons
permanently as the official passport
stamp of the country. The campaign Tap behaviours but it would have jarred with the tools and solutions that individuals
garnered more than 2bn media Signing something makes vibe of the islands. “It is not in line can use that do make a difference.
impressions and the Palau Legacy people more likely to stick to a with Palauan culture to 'correct' Our industry, more than any
Project has been approached promise, according to 2011 study a guest’s behaviour – even when other, can empower people to
by many other countries and the Signature Effect by Keri L. they are doing something harmful take action in their own way
organisations that want to administer Kettle and Gerald Häubl. That’s to the environment,” explains toward preserving our planet.
similar schemes. Hawaii and New because a signature acts as a Clarke. “The tone of the campaign Cumulatively these actions add
Zealand have already implemented “self-identity prime”, encouraging needed to reflect Palau’s warm, up to significant change and by
pledges inspired by Palau. people to personally identify with welcoming culture of hospitality communicating their impact back
“Most importantly, we have already whatever it is they are signing. and emotionally connect with to the audience, more people will
seen an uptick in peer-to-peer “The psychological significance people, engaging them towards be inspired to take action. That’s
enforcement of the Pledge principles of signing a Pledge in an official the cause”. how real change happens.”
in Palau and can actively see how it is document like your passport
helping protect Palau’s environment cannot be underestimated when Empower your audience
and culture,” says Clarke. it comes to changing behaviour,” The Palau Pledge gave tourists the
In 2018, Palau’s government took says Clarke. The signature awareness and tools they needed
the campaign a step further by helped instill a sense of personal to help rather than hinder the
passing the Responsible Tourism responsibility in Palau’s visitors. environment. “Most people admit
Education Act, which further to feeling completely overwhelmed
embedded the Palau Pledge into Be human when they contemplate a huge
Palauan law. It also introduced new While the campaign needed to global issue like climate change,”
initiatives such as banning single inform tourists about the strict says Clarke. “They think that they
use plastic, prohibiting the use of environmental laws, the Palau are powerless to make a difference
sunscreens that are not “reef safe” Legacy Project chose to avoid or that it’s the government or
and making businesses responsible using legislative language. Not private sector’s responsibility to
for educating their customers on the only would this turn people off, do something. But we can create
principles of the Palau Pledge.
12 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
#Bloodnormal: Reframing a taboo
Bodyform and Libresse launched a campaign should feel great,” says Margaux
Revol, Senior Strategist at AMV
centered on an online video that disrupted BBDO. “It’s not just about letting
people run the run - you should jump
taboos around periods in British culture by first, lead the way and create the
showing period blood in a positive light. change yourself.”
Then one day, British tennis
player Heather Watson spoke up
about her anxiety about getting her
period at Wimbledon. “It was one
of the first instances when we fully their parents about menstruation.
acknowledged the taboo and that we But rather than focusing on the
needed to do something about it,” symptoms, the team resolved to
says Revol. tackle the issue itself. “The root of
Challenge However, as a challenger brand – the taboo is representation,” says
In 2013, Bodyform started working Bodyform was number six globally Nicholas Hulley, Creative Partner
with AMV BBDO, London to create its and three in the UK – they couldn’t at AMV BBDO. “The traditional
Live Fearless positioning, aiming to compete with the market leaders in representation of periods in culture
help women and girls live confidently terms of spend, and so the initial brief is threefold: they are either not
without periods holding them back. was to be “outstandingly meaningful represented at all, shamed, or
However, the idea of “confidence” to women”. Revol explains, “We completely euphemised.”
was itself becoming commoditized, couldn’t just throw a lot of money at The agency came up with lots
making the positioning less media, we had to be so meaningful to of ideas about how they could
distinctive. women that we would get noticed”. represent periods positively. “One
The team decided that if they really of the early ideas was to show a US
wanted to make a difference to the Concept Open tennis player taking a pad
way women felt about themselves Research revealed many of the out of her bag and walking to the
and their periods, they’d need to lead symptoms of period taboos – such bathroom, nonplussed,” says Nadja
by example. “We realised that you as the fact that 56% of teenagers Lossgott, Creative Partner at AMV
should not just tell people that they would rather be bullied than talk to BBDO. “If you were to show that it
14 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
2. #Bloodnormal: Reframing a taboo – continued
would make everybody else feel like life activations designed to combat
periods were normal”. period taboos head-on and infiltrate
In being a mainstream brand, culture. These included:
it had a unique opportunity to
make a difference. “A mainstream An original poem by feminist
positioning can actually be your poet Dominique Christina
ally in normalising something,” A film bursary to fund
says Hulley. It decided to take three period positive films
positive representation of periods Limited edition, luxurious period
to its most extreme, and swap the pants designed by French
strange, blue liquid traditionally underwear brand Dessu
representing period blood on ads, Pop culture objects for sale,
for the actual colour of period blood. including a pad-shaped
“We wanted to harness the power inflatable lilo
of a mainstream brand saying, A graphic novel by Victo Ngai party. The #Bloodnormal film also social voice versus its competitors
‘what’s the big deal? Here it is’”, says where the hero has her period shows blood trickling down a girl’s and gained more than 4.5bn PR
Lossgott. “We knew that could shift Positive period gifs available on legs in the shower and being poured impressions.
the paradigm.” Giphy over a pad in a product demo. The success of the campaign gave
Period-related stand up comedy the team ammunition to go back
Execution by Saffron, a 12 year old comedian Results to the broadcasters months later.
Bodyform launched a series of real- Partnerships with influencers The film was banned from broadcast Seeing that attitudes were changing,
such as Swedish fashion blogger worldwide. “The battle to get the ad the French broadcasters changed
Julian Hernandez on online platforms was incredibly their mind and decided to put the ad
hard, with broadcasters it was a no- on air.
The various activations were go at the beginning,” says Revol. The film is continuing to open
housed together in a campaign film However, the controversy people’s minds across the world. “It’s
containing other scenes designed surrounding the campaign resulted an ever growing project,” says Revol.
to normalise periods, such as a man in it appearing on broadcast through “More markets are still taking it on.
buying a pack of sanitary towels and earned media anyway. Bodyform South Africa just launched it and
a woman asking for a pad at a dinner became the number one in share of Australia is about to run it too.”
15 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
2. #Bloodnormal: Reframing a taboo – continued
16 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Project Revoice: Recreating a voice through AI
18 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
3. Project Revoice: Recreating a
voice through AI – continued
they had it, they showed me, and I
said ‘yeah, that sounds like the Pat Lessons
that I remember’”.
Rethink data
Execution The campaign demonstrates that
The ALS Association gave Quinn data is not just about analytics
his voice back, which he used for or even colourful infographics,
the first time at an event in front of but is a real-world, creative tool
friends and family. The moment was that can change lives. “This takes
filmed and turned into an emotional speech tech to a whole new level
video explaining Quinn’s story and and means everything to how I
the need for ALS sufferers to bank communicate,” states Quinn in a
their voices for later use. press release. “I really didn't like
The association developed the to hear my old computer voice, so
first online platform dedicated to I often avoided getting involved in
educating people about the need conversations. This technology
for voice banking, including links gives me back a vital piece of
to Lyrebird’s online voice-cloning myself that was missing. After
offering and a guide about the other hearing my voice through this new about it or understand its value to disease but their friends and family.
services available elsewhere. technology, I was blown away! For the ALS community. By presenting According to social psychologist
patients to know that they can still the technology via Quinn’s story, Melanie Green’s concept of
Results speak in their own voice after ALS the ALS Association was able to ‘narrative transportation', when we
The video reached more than 1m takes it away will transform the way capture people’s attention and are immersed within a narrative,
views in the first week. The campaign people live with this disease." educate them about the need for the real world falls away and we
generated 700 articles, 1bn voice banking. Through telling a real become more open to new ideas.
impressions and now ALS sufferers Educate through story life story, the organisation was also In this respect, the campaign will
across the globe can sign up to the The basic technology behind able to demonstrate the impact help persuade sufferers to start
project to reclaim their voice. Project Revoice existed before the voice banking can have on not thinking about banking their voice
campaign, but people didn’t know just the person suffering from the and help get past their wall of denial.
19 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Exclusive the Rainbow: Breaking conventions
to grab attention
Challenge
The Super Bowl offers brands a game, it’s harder than ever for brands show its ad to one person. The
chance to get in front of a captive to stand out. “How do you get heard chosen Skittles fan was teenager
audience of more than 100 million when everyone is shouting?” he says. Marcos Menendez from Canoga
people. After three years of buying “We realised that in order to stand Park, California. With the same
30-second Super Bowl spots at $5m out we were going to have to break production values as a regular
a pop, Skittles wanted to find another things. But it’s not just about breaking Super Bowl ad, Skittles created a
way of driving engagement for the things for the sake of it. It’s about commercial that they knew would
2018 game. “The brief was simple,” being so considered, purposeful and blow Menendez away.
says Colin Selikow, Executive newsworthy that people have no
Creative Director, DDB Chicago. “Get choice but to pay attention.” Execution
Super Bowl-sized attention, without Three weeks before the Super
the traditional media of an in-game Concept Bowl, Skittles announced that
Super Bowl commercial.” Rather than trying to win the Menendez would be the only
However, with so many companies attention of millions of Super Bowl person in the world to ever see
vying for attention during the big viewers, Skittles decided to only this year’s commercial. One week
21 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
4. Exclusive the Rainbow: breaking conventions
to grab attention – continued
later, the brand released four
teaser videos starring Friends Lessons
actor David Schwimmer to keep
fans guessing what the mysterious Maintain integrity The team were proud of the Be open to collaboration
ad might be about. In one film, The counterintuitive nature of content they had created, but David Schwimmer brought many
Schwimmer feeds Skittles to his Exclusive the Rainbow is what Selikow knew that by sharing it of his own ideas to the scripts,
talking sandwich. “You’d probably makes it so compelling. So for they would be going against their which helped elevate the creative
like to know if this is a scene from the idea to come off, Skittles had word and would risk losing their and make his involvement feel
the upcoming Skittles Super Bowl to stick to its promise that the audience’s respect. “When you’re authentic. “Often there is no link
ad, but I can’t tell you, because ad would only ever be seen by truthful with consumers they between what a brand is trying
they’re only showing it to one single Menendez. “Our biggest challenge appreciate that,” he says. Proving to do and the celebrity they’ve
person,” says Schwimmer in the ad, was to stay true to the integrity its integrity to customers was more chosen to help them do it,” Selikow
before screaming at his sandwich of the idea,” says Selikow. “There powerful than any content Skittles explains. “It was really important to
to keep quiet. were lots of conversations about could have shown them. us to find someone who was really
Skittles revealed the ad to whether we could release the ad a into what we were doing.”
Menendez on Super Bowl Sunday year later or fake leak it somehow. Stand out with a simple idea Schwimmer fell in love with
and fans could livestream his It took a lot of discipline to say no.” Skittles managed to cut through the idea as soon as he was saw
reaction to the ad via on Facebook. the Super Bowl clutter by creating the scripts and for Selikow this
Menendez was interviewed an idea that was so simple you can enthusiasm confirmed that he
afterwards and explained that along explain it in one sentence. “We was the right person for Skittles
with Schwimmer, his home and even created a Super Bowl ad and only to work with. On set, Schwimmer
his mum made an appearance in the showed it to one teenager: it’s a engaged with the team as another
ad – though Schwimmer shot her very simple idea and for me that creative, enabling his talent to
with a laser, turning her into Skittles. was the key,” says Selikow. “Great shine through in the end result.
ideas in the environment that we “Actors are creative people and
Results live in today are all very simple. they like getting involved,” says
The campaign generated 1.5bn If people have to think too much Selikow. “Going in open broadens
earned impressions and resulted in about it, they’ll just go back to the types of people who are willing
a 7% sales lift for Skittles over a five- YouTube.” to engage with you.”
week period.
22 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
It’s a Tide Ad: innovation with traditional
media
5. IT’S A TIDE AD
We hacked advertising with advertising itself. We used
Brand: Tide
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi New York
traditional media in a different way that would expand
Country: USA our impact so far beyond what we could actually buy. We
treated it as an experience and not as an ad.
5. It’s a Tide Ad: innovation with traditional media
24 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
5. It's a Tide Ad: innovation with
traditional media – continued
focused, and centered the campaign segment showed actor David
on what people love about Tide. Harbour in parodies of advertising
“Then we added another layer,” he tropes, including a typical car,
said. “We’re going to own clean, but insurance and cola ad. “We were
every other ad is going to help.” saying, all of these things that you
The team realised they could take recognise, they’re really promoting
advantage of the fact that people Tide behind the scenes,” said Bichler.
in ads are always dressed in clean For the second quarter, the brand
clothes. They decided to give a long- partnered with Old Spice. The iconic
used tagline a trim. “If it’s got to be Isaiah Mustafa opened the ad before
clean, it’s got to be Tide”, became revealing that he too, was actually
“If it’s clean, it’s got to be Tide”. starring in a Tide ad. “This gave us a
Tide was able to justify this great canvas,” said Bichler, “showing
bold stance because of its size: people that another brand is in on
the brand accounts for almost half this now”.
of the market in the USA. But even At half time Tide showed that
with the concept in place, the team the NFL team themselves were in
needed to find a way of owning the on the joke. For the third quarter,
3.5 hour broadcast with a budget “We were going to need to a series of ads. Plus, after Tide partnered with Budweiser and
that could only buy them 100 orchestrate this in a way that we each segment aired, the brand Mr. Clean for two more spots. “We
seconds of airtime. were telling a 3.5 hour joke,” says encouraged conversation on social. needed to find brands that were
Bichler. “We needed to get the right A newsroom of people responded immediately recognisable and
comedic timing. How are we going to people’s posts in real time and iconic, because we weren’t allowed
to do this in a way that we don’t burn enlisted the help of influencers like have two logos in the ad,” Bichler
this thing out, but equally people Betty White, NFL Players and the star explained.
don’t forget us.” of the ads, David Harbour. To show that the network was in
To launch the idea, the brand had on the joke as well, Tide arranged
Execution to introduce the audience to the for the announcer to participate.
The result was a choreographed concept and brief them to look for “We went from Tide, to other brands,
brand experience, rather than Tide ads themselves. The opening to a whole national football league
25 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
5. It's a Tide Ad: innovation with
traditional media – continued
participating, to the network being
part of this joke as well,” said Bichler. Lessons
For the final quarter, Tide’s spot
featured Harbour playing tennis in a Trust your audience
parody of a pharma ad. “We left the For the campaign to come off, Tide
programme open. We didn’t want to had to trust that viewers would
have a ‘we’re done’ moment in this,” get the brief and start looking out
said Bichler. “The reason being is, for Tide ads. In this respect, the
it’s an ad that we feel can carry on campaign demanded a lot from
forever. We wanted to keep people the audience: as well as asking
guessing. We somehow felt that if we them to pay attention to Tide’s
closed the programme, we wouldn’t own commercials, it requested
be doing it justice.” that they scrutinise spots from
other companies too. “We broke
Results so many rules and had to trust
The campaign generated a 35% people all along the way to follow
sales growth as well as 3.6bn media us,” said Bichler. Own more time He believes that they changed
impressions and features in 680 It’s a Tide Ad proves that you can the way marketers think about
news outlets. Add to an experience still be innovative when using buying television spots. By thinking
Rather than take attention away traditional media. Tide used the through the communication
from the Super Bowl experience, traditional medium of Super Bowl architecture of a campaign, the
Tide’s brief to the audience actually advertising but used it in a different space you are buying is much more
added another layer of fun to the way. “We hacked advertising with than the seconds or airtime. If you
day. The ads created a guessing advertising itself,” said Bichler. plan an entire experience, you can
game that the audience could take “We used traditional media in a own the time in between and after
part in. “We like to think we changed different way that would expand your ads too. “We like to say, we
the viewing experience of the Super our impact so far beyond what we didn’t buy ads, we bought the Super
Bowl with advertising. I think we could actually buy. We treated it as Bowl,” said Bichler. “And that’s not
added to it,” said Bichler. an experience and not as an ad.” something that’s really for sale.”
26 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Chapter two:
Three lessons from the WARC Creative 100
Telling stories across the user experience
A lot of the standout campaigns this year were to create amazing visual pieces.
My personal favourites being the
not singular executions, they were ideas embroidered knickers and the giant
blow up sanitary pad with wings. It
that seamlessly wove through different was championing a cause and so
channels, with a sensitivity to the medium rightly played in the channels where
we could share and support it.
and context, writes Saatchi & Saatchi's Similarly, the wonderful ‘It's a
Tide Ad’ which took over the Super
Chairwoman & Global Chief Creative Officer, Bowl played on an advertising
Kate Stanners. conceit: namely that all clothes
worn in commercials are pristine,
making every ad, a Tide ad. The
idea was seeded at the start of the
The brilliant #Bloodnormal campaign Super Bowl broadcast in the first
for Bodyform, was at its heart a ad break establishing the premise
social idea. It was provocative, taking
Kate Stanners, Chairwoman an advertising trope as the tension.
& Global Chief Creative Officer In this case the fact that for years’
at Saatchi & Saatchi. commercials have demonstrated
effectiveness of sanitary pads by
using blue die instead of a blood
red. From here grew a fantastic
celebration, liberation and ultimately
normalisation of women’s periods.
The film was powerful, energetic,
witty and fun. It set the tone of the
campaign, which then naturally
popped up in social channels. It used
influencers, designers and stylists
28 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Telling stories across the user experience – continued
29 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
'The Wonder Of What The F*ck'
It’s when an idea feels jaw-droppingly All of the wondrous work on this list
has what Richard Brim and I like to
surprising or audacious enough to make call ‘The Wonder Of What The F*ck’.
Here are audacious ideas that got
you a little scared that you know you’re onto people talking because they hadn’t
something, writes adam&eveDDB’s Executive seen anything like it before. These
are ideas that in execution were
Strategy Director, Martin Beverley. taken beyond the realms of ordinary
campaigns. Many of them make you
think, ‘They did what?’
In fact, many of the ideas on this and, for our very own yeast-extract
list aren’t just ads, they’re acts – spread, Marmite, we got our target
designed to impact popular culture audience to take a DNA test.
and make a dent in the real world. However, these ideas should not
All of the wondrous work on this be mistaken as ‘deep engagement’
list is also strikingly simple. The campaigns in a traditional sense.
ideas are so ingenious that your Rather, the engagement bit is often
Martin Beverly, Executive Strategy brain is filled with both joy and centred around ‘The Wonder Of
Director, adam&eveDDB jealousy. Once you hear the idea, What The F*ck’. That’s what gets
it’s seared into your brain. In just people talking, makes the campaign
one sentence, you can immediately famous, and which in turn makes
imagine all of the places that the idea the campaign more effective. In
could play. reality, I suspect relatively few
A trend that WARC spotted this people participated in many of these
year is that many of the highest campaigns, compared with how
ranked campaigns involve customer many ended up hearing about them.
participation. Burger King got its I know that we only sold a handful
audience to dress up as clowns, for of Marmite Gene DNA test kits at
instance, while the Palau Project £89.99 – but we sold thousands
asked tourists to sign a pledge, more jars of the product itself, in
30 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
'The Wonder Of What The F*ck' – continued
31 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Purpose in action
The evolution of purpose towards changing Back in the days when our politicians
went into politics to serve, not
behaviour mirrors a broader trend in serve themselves, one of them,
I can’t remember who, probably
marketing: in asking people to affect change, William Gladstone or some other
brands have realised they too need to change, big-bearded Liberal said this: “I don’t
want to be something, I want to do
writes AMV BBDO's Executive Strategy something.”Nice, huh?.
The smartest brands are wising up
Director, Alex Grieve. to this and following suit. Because
it’s no longer enough to be seen
as a purposeful brand, you have to purpose. Yes, Kendall I’m talking
actually be one. You have to change about you. And you, Gillette. And
shit. Or as Gandhi (another great even you, Fearless Girl, launched
liberal; very poor on the beard front) by the company nobody can
more eloquently put it: “Be the ever remember as a statement
change you want to see in the world”. of their ennobled crusade for
Alex Grieve, Executive Creative What that means above all else female empowerment, which was
Director, AMV BBDO is a requirement to be radically subsequently accused of paying
authentic. It means thinking really, female employees less than their
really hard about what your purpose male counterparts.
is, why you’re doing it and then, you What’s interesting about the
know, actually doing something to evolution of purpose towards
make it happen. changing behaviour is that it mirrors
One of the few good things about a broader trend in marketing. In
social media is that the antenna of asking people to affect change,
the mob is finely tuned to name, brands have realised they too
shame and eviscerate what they need to change. Instead of looking
regard as the biggest brand FAIL! inwards, they need to look outwards.
of them all: The inauthentic use of It’s not about them, it’s about us.
32 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Purpose in action – continued
33 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Chapter three:
Results and commentaries
Top campaigns
1 Palau Pledge Palau Legacy Project Host/Havas Sydney Non-profit, public sector & education Australia 250.3
3 Project Revoice The ALS Association BWM Dentsu Sydney Non-profit, public sector & education Australia 189.5
5 It’s a Tide Ad Tide Saatchi & Saatchi New York Household & domestic USA 154.8
6 Scary Clown Night Burger King LOLA MullenLowe Madrid Retail Spain 154.4
8 The Talk Procter & Gamble BBDO New York Non-profit, public sector & education USA 133.1
9 No Conditions Apply – Sindoor Khela The Times of India FCB Ulka Mumbai Media & publishing India 128.9
10 Go With The Fake Diesel Publicis New York / Publicis Milan Retail USA 125.9
35 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Top agencies for creativity
36 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Agencies commentary
The top 50 agencies came from a total of for the highly successful highest ranked independent
21 different countries vs. 20 last year. The USA #Bloodnormal campaign, and one agency this year was Jung von
other campaign in the Top 100: Trash Matt Hamburg, in 13th place.
was the most represented with 13 agencies in Isles in 22nd. Work for Guinness also
contributed to its total.
the table, followed by Brazil, Spain and the UK, Climbing one spot into third was
all with four agencies. four-time winner of the agencies
ranking, adam&eveDDB. It had two
campaigns in the top 100: The Gene
Project for Marmite in 7th, and More
Than a Game for Fifa in 30th. Further
There are only six agencies in the for the third time, having been the work for Calm, Cybersmile, Red
world that have demonstrated the top agency twice in the Gunn Report. Cross, John Lewis & Partners and
highest level of consistency and It created a number of award John Smiths added to its tally.
excellence in creativity, and have winning campaigns but the most
been ranked in the top 50 agencies successful was for Procter & Other points of note
for the last 15 years in a row, with Gamble: The Talk. This P&G branding
three of them in the top three ranks of campaign was 8th in the top 100
The UK and US dominate the
this year’s table. campaigns, and further campaigns agency ranking with six of the top
Those six agencies are: by the agency for Downtown 10 agencies shared between the
AlmapBBDO São Paulo, AMV Records (Live Looper) and Bacardi two countries.
BBDO London, BBDO New York, (Music Liberates Music) joined it in
There were two newcomers to
adam&eveDDB London, Dentsu 14th and 73rd. Campaigns for AT&T, the top 50 that landed straight
Tokyo and Wieden+Kennedy Foot Locker, Lowe’s, Macy’s Sandy into the top 10: LOLA MullenLowe
Portland. Hook Promise and Snickers added to Madrid and new agency Host/
BBDO New York’s points. Havas Sydney ranked in 4th and
The top three in detail 2nd place was taken by AMV BBDO 6th respectively.
In first place, BBDO New York was in a successful year which saw it
There were no independent
the most awarded agency of the year climb from 20th. It was responsible agencies in the top 10. The
37 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Top agency networks and holding companies
Top agency networks in the WARC Creative 100 Top 10 holding companies in the WARC Creative 100
Rank Agency Holding company Points Rank Holding company Points
38 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Agency networks / holding companies commentary
39 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Top advertisers and brands
Top 10 advertisers in the WARC Creative 100 Top 10 brands in the WARC Creative 100
Rank Advertiser Location Points Rank Brand Sector Points
2 Restaurant Brands International USA 391.6 2 Nike Clothing & accessories 208.2
3 Procter & Gamble USA 306.9 3 Pedigree Household & domestic 200.1
4 Nike USA 232.3 4 Palau Legacy Project Non-profit, public sector and education 200.0
7 Unilever Netherlands / UK 213.0 7 The ALS Association Non-profit, public sector and education 189.5
40 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Advertisers and brands commentary
Of the top 50 advertisers, 24 have their In the advertiser rankings, Procter campaign, and Palau Legacy
& Gamble took 3rd place. With two Project, driven into 9th through
headquarters in the USA, 5 in Germany, campaigns in the top 10, for Tide their winning campaign, Palau
3 in Australia, 2 from India, Netherlands/UK, and Procter & Gamble itself, the Pledge.
advertiser accumulated points from
14 different industry sectors
Sweden and the UK and 1 each from Belgium, a further three campaigns outside were represented in the top 50
the top 100 to push its ranking up brands table - 8 in non-profit/
Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, one place on last year’s 4th. public sector/education, 7 in
France, Guatemala, Italy and Romania. retail, and 6 in technology and
Other points of note electronics.
There were an unusual number
of new entrants to the top 50
brands this year. Palau Legacy
Nike lost its first place to Burger King put it into 4th this year – one place Project entered in 4th place, and a
this year after a very strong showing down on last year, with 14 campaigns second non-profit brand, The ALS
from the food retailer. The fast food contributing points to its total. Association, entered in 7th.
chain had three campaigns in the top Third place in the brand rankings
Skittles entered the top 50 for the
100, with a further 11 contributing went to Pedigree, with its owner, first time since 2012, in 9th, and
to their total. Restaurant Brands Mars, taking the top rank on the Diesel for the first time ever, in
International, Burger King’s owner, advertiser table. Pedigree had two 8th.
was 2nd in the top advertiser ranking campaigns in the top 100, both by
A weaker than usual performance
through Burger King’s performance Colenso BBDO Auckland, and a by Volkswagen meant the
alone. further three campaigns contributed automotive advertiser fell from
Last year’s top brand, Nike, moved to its total, including the 4th ranked 1st to 6th this year.
down to 2nd place this year. The campaign, Exclusive the Rainbow, for
There were two new entrants to
brand had two campaigns in the top Skittles. Mars’ advertiser points were the top 10 this year: Essity, owner
100, and Nike’s advertiser points (the added to by three other brands: 5 of Bodyform/Libresse and creator
sum of all the Nike-owned brands) Gum, Snickers and Whiskas. of the 2nd placed #Bloodnormal
41 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Top countries in creativity
1 USA 2988.6
2 UK 1241.8
3 Australia 971.7
4 Brazil 698.4
5 Spain 687.6
6 Germany 633.5
7 India 405.3
8 France 380.8
42 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Countries commentary
15 countries continue to have made the Seven of the creative top ten 10 of the top 100 campaigns
countries were also in the top ten for including 2nd placed #Bloodnormal
top countries ranking for all 20 years of the ad market size, according to WARC by AMV BBDO. Twenty-four agencies
adspend data: from the UK registered points, with
ranking: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, four of them making the top 50 table
France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, South 1. USA (also 1st in market size) and three in the top 10.
2. UK (4th in market size) Australia continues to punch
Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Netherlands, 4. Brazil (8th) above its weight in award shows
6. Germany (6th) versus its adspend. It retained
UK and USA. 7. India (5th) its third place with 29 agencies
8. France (10th) registering points and three of
10. Japan (3rd) those in the top 50 table. The top
ranked campaign idea originated in
Not present in the top 10 were two Australia; Host/Havas Sydney’s work
of the biggest ad spend markets; for the Palau Legacy Project was the
China (2nd for adspend) and Russia most awarded creative work of the
(7th), which came 28th and 21st year in the Creative 100.
respectively in the rankings.
The US continues to be the top
country for creativity by a big
margin. 80 US agencies registered
points with 13 agencies in the top
50 table, and 23 agencies working
on campaigns in the top 100.
With almost a third of the top 100
campaigns originating in the USA, it
was the most represented country in
the creative rankings.
Retaining its second place in the
country rankings, the UK produced
43 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
WARC Creative 100: 2019 winners’ quotes
What makes me most proud of topping the first WARC Creative 100 is
that it’s not just one agency or campaign. It’s multiple agencies delivering
work for multiple clients across multiple forms and platforms.
David Lubars, Chief Creative Officer, BBDO Worldwide
The fact that such a human solution, created with the absolute dedication and
passion to improve the world that our children will inherit has been ranked
the number one campaign in the world, says something really good about
what our industry values and has the power to achieve. I’m infinitely grateful
to the incredible team, clients and country who made this happen.
Seamus Higgins, Executive Creative Director, Host/Havas Sydney
44 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
Methodology
The WARC Creative 100 is the successor to the Gunn than competitions that limit the on the client and agency side. This
size of the pool. So, for example, a allows WARC Rankings to build
Report, and is now part of WARC Rankings, which global competition will usually be rankings of individual agencies,
harder to win than a single-market agency networks, agency holding
tracks the winners’ lists from all the most important competition. Or a category that companies, brands and advertisers.
advertising award contests, globally. The results of is open to all types of marketing These rankings reflect the points
activity will be harder to win than a generated from all campaigns in
creative competitions are used to compile the Creative category that is only open to, say, the database, not just the top 100
digital marketing campaigns. campaigns in the Creative 100. As
100, which is built on a rigorous methodology, used To reflect this, WARC Rankings with campaign scores, there is a
consistently across the competitions we track. takes into account how much of cap of 20 Award Points that a brand
the global advertising market or agency can win from a single
each competition represents. It campaign in a single competition.
is able to do this using WARC's Grand Prix wins are exempt from
How we built the rankings The global survey of industry comprehensive adspend data this cap. As with campaign scores,
We ran a global survey of executives. The survey used to resources, which include analysis by all Award Points are multiplied by
industry executives, asking which select the competitions included channel and by geography. the relevant competition category
competitions they prioritise, was also used to gauge which of For each competition category weighting to produce the scores
based on their perception of the the competitions selected are in which a campaign wins, its for agencies and brands. There is
competition’s rigour and prestige. viewed as the most prestigious Award Points are multiplied by the a cap of 200 points that a brand
This poll was used to compile the or rigorous. Winners at the competition category weighting or agency can win from a single
list of shows tracked for the ranking. most-cited awards schemes are to produce a score. For example, campaign across all competitions.
Campaigns that won awards in those given extra weighting in the final if a campaign wins a Silver in We have also collated information on
competitions were awarded points rankings. a competition category with a the agencies behind the campaigns
based on the level of award they weighting of 3, it will score 12 (4 (including, where they have been
won (Gold, Silver, Bronze etc.). Those The level of ‘potential’ Award Points x 3 weighting). listed, contributing agencies).
points are then weighted according competition. In theory, Once the scores for campaigns
to the standing of each competition competitions or categories have been calculated, it is
in the global marketing industry. The that are open to a wider 'pool' of possible to assign points to the
calculation includes data from: campaigns will be harder to win organisations behind them – both
45 WARC Creative 100 2019: Lessons from the world’s best creative campaigns © Copyright WARC 2019. All rights reserved.
More from WARC Rankings