WARC Awards

for Effectiveness 2024

Insights from the North America regional awards

© Copyright WARC 2024. All rights reserved.

 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America

In this report Contents

About the WARC Awards for Effectiveness 3

Introduction 4
This report features insights and themes from the Takeaways 5
winners of the WARC Awards for Effectiveness, What this means for 6
North America, an annual case study competition Meet the 2024 Jury 7
showcasing the best effectiveness thinking from
the region’s marketing industry. Theme 1: Brands find new routes to growth 10

Theme 2: Creativity beyond ads 18

The report showcases the winning case studies Theme 3: Solution-driven approaches pay off 25
across Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners. Theme 4: The winning case studies 37

Theme 5: Data analysis 41

There’s also data analysis that highlights different Contact WARC 48
models of successful strategies in the region.

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America

About the WARC Awards for

Effectiveness
Restructured for 2024 to include How it works
regional and global rounds, the The 2024 program runs across
WARC Awards shine a light on the five regions, each with the same
world’s most effective marketing, 12 categories. Bronze, Silver and
share the lessons from the work, Gold awards are given for each
and set a benchmark for the region. The Golds then
industry. They are delivered in automatically progress to a
association with LIONS, using second round of judging for the
world-class expertise in award Global Grands Prix. This report
management and judging. The does not include an analysis of the
entries for the 2024 WARC Awards Global Grand Prix winners, which
were evaluated and judged using were not yet awarded at the time
the consistent standards laid out of report writing.
in the Creative Effectiveness (and
the B2B Effectiveness) Ladders.
This ensures the awards are
judged against a consistent and
rigorous framework.

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America

Connection and context bring clarity to campaigns

Brands and agencies that Great example of marketing’s role in contributing to an organization’s goals
were this year’s winners of
Marketing leaders eagerly look people’s enthusiasm and invited addressing cheaper imitative
the WARC Awards for evidence of how their them to participate in an event, leggings, or mature brands like
efforts bring value to their extend a viral moment, or Campbell’s and Arm & Hammer
showcase how upstream
organizations. This group of promote inclusion with their growing share, the winning
business challenges can be winning campaigns has plenty participation. The thread here campaigns delivered.
of examples that demonstrate was an absence of cynicism, and
addressed with smart,
just that. what worked was a brand giving “In every single instance, the
effective campaigns. back in a meaningful way, rather ideas were so brilliant because
The most successful entries built than just lip service to a cause. they basically flipped their
campaigns on a deep, respectful category on its head,” said
understanding of human But the best examples were the Susan Irving, CMO, Kroger
behavior and cultural marketing campaigns that Product and WARC Awards
context. That consumer solved strategic business North America jury chair. “They
connection influenced problems. thought very differently about
behavioral changes that how they were going to solve the
delivered sales, or in several Whether it was Purdue Chicken problem. And all the cases had
Ann Marie Kerwin cases, societal shifts. figuring out how to get more very strong consumer insight.”
Americas Editor Many award winners tapped into chicken onto grills, or Lululemon
WARC

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America

Takeaways
Sparking participation, action,
01 Solving strategic business
problems 03 and building community
Tapping people’s enthusiasm for a
Clear objectives, elegant solutions
brand or a cause and inviting them to
and excellent execution were a
be part of an event that extends a
throughline for this year’s award
viral moment, and promotes inclusion
winners, with many campaigns laser-
through participation.
focused on how to deliver results.
Creating opportunity
and offering solutions
led to brands
02 Finding new routes to growth
04 Brands creating their own
moments of engagement
Finding new audiences to speak to or With the splintering of the media
launching efforts that a fresh way to re-engage customers landscape, brands increased mental
went well beyond a through salient cultural moments availability by offering integrated
leads to growth opportunities in both 360-degree approaches that
media campaign. awareness and revenue. combine participation, social creation
and media messaging.

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America

What this means for

Advertisers Agencies Media owners People and Planet

Marketers are going back to Understanding the business Brands and agencies are Purpose-driven campaigns
basics, uncovering deep challenges clients are looking eager to create events or that are winning are the ones
consumer insights that fuel to address can lead to moments that can work that tightly align to brand
emotion-driven campaigns breakthrough work that goes across multiple touchpoints, values and help meet
that demonstrate how your well beyond a media-based and need solutions that company objectives. Inclusive
brands can help solve big and campaign. Creating moments capture attention and amplify marketing is a business driver,
small problems, and how they of engagement that use a those moments beyond the and sustainable practices can
are relevant to consumers’ brand’s distinctive assets can initial event. be as well when they fit with
lives. then be spun into video, social the brand’s core activities.
and media assets.

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America

Meet the North America jury

Yusuf Chuku Amy Zvovushe Bhomik Chandna Christopher Stanger Helen Galanis
EVP, Strategic Planning & Director, Mx Planning Director Audience CEO CEO
Commercial Impact, Havas Media Group Insights and Intelligence Hearts & Science Initiative
NBC Universal Mindshare

Jennifer Carli Mark Childs Natasha Baig

Global Head of Brand & Chief Marketing Officer Global Client Leader
Social Media Metrolinx Starcom, Publicis Groupe
BMO

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America

Meet the North America jury

Susan Irving Abbie Baehr Bryan Smith Corrie Mueller Crystal Vinisse Thomas
CMO Chief Strategy Officer Chief Strategy officer VP Marketing - Hygiene VP, Global Brands
Kruger Products VML 72andSunny Reckitt Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Doug Muir Jorge Becerra Kim Einan

Executive Creative Director, Senior Strategic Planning Director Chief Strategy Officer
Proof Experiences alma Starcom

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America

Meet the North America jury

Dara Treseder Abbey Klaassen Brent Nelson Jones Krahl Marc Wilson
CMO CEO Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer US Head of Creative EVP, Executive Director of
Autodesk Dentsu Creative Edelman Deloitte Digital Strategic Inclusion
Foote, Cone & Belding

Tahir Ahmad Traci Dinkins Tyrona Heath Ximena Nunez

Chief Strategy Officer President, Client Partner Director, The B2B Institute Director of
Leo Burnett EssenceMediacom LinkedIn Communications
The Children’s Trust

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Theme 1

Brands find new

routes to growth

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 1 – Brands find new routes to growth

All brands need to find opportunities for

Tapping
growth, especially in a challenging economic
new year. Several of the North American regional
audiences winners were able to deliver thanks to clear
and markets objectives and rethinking which audiences
to speak to.

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 1 – Brands find new routes to growth

Connecting with new audiences, and

finding new opportunities
Mature brands face the ongoing The use of social media influencers
challenge of finding growth to grow awareness of a brand is a
opportunities. Sometimes, these well-used tactic. Winners this year
opportunities can come from were savvy about identifying who
seizing the moment or jumping on and what would drive conversations
a cultural moment. But sometimes, on social channels, which influenced
they require a multipronged how they tapped into social
approach. conversations and harnessed
advocates.
Continuous innovation is one route
to capturing new markets. A brand Thanks to smartly deployed
can also present a new way to solve campaigns, winners were able to
a customer’s problem or find a way increase sales and increase
to appeal to a new demographic awareness of their brands with
group. Collaborating with other audiences that previously had not
brands, partners, or influencers can considered purchasing.
also open up routes to growth.

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 1 – Brands find new routes to growth

Case study Gold, Long-Term Growth

Arm & Hammer taps practical, can-do homeowners to

Revenue growth
win share of cart
Arm & Hammer is a 177-year-old
brand with a portfolio of household
goal was to grow revenue and market
share by launching a masterbrand
+36%
products spanning 33 categories campaign, More Power to You.
and 17 grocery aisles.
Through consumer research, Arm &
New DTC competitors and much Hammer discovered many found Basket share
bigger rivals were pouring ad dollars cleaning a stress-inducing challenge,
into the market, and in 2018, Arm &
Hammer sales were stalling and share
but consumers also took pride in their
practicality in tackling these
+22%
of basket was declining. Share of household jobs. The brand’s audience
spend had slid below share of market, was identified as “can-do people
which is a danger zone according to looking for simple solutions in a not-
Ehrenberg Bass Institute so-simple world.” Share of searches
recommendations.

The category's 3.7% growth was

Shifting from product-centric to
audience-centric marketing proved
+40%
outpacing Arm & Hammer’s 2.8% essential.
share of market. The primary business

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 1 – Brands find new routes to growth

Evolving the Arm & Hammer’s masterbrand strategy reverses declines

campaign and Share of spend decreased while share of market and share of basket increased
tapping creators
The launch of 2018’s More Power to
You campaign led to Arm & Hammer The brand expanded basket share despite intensifying competive spend
surpassing each of its business and
marketing goals and allowed the
brand to continue expanding its
product portfolio.
-55% +7% +22%
10.4%
in 2022, it expanded the program to 9.9% 9.6%
9.3%
8.9% 8.9%
highlight inflationary pressures with 8.5%
“Give It the Hammer”, and
immediately saw results. Within the
first 48 hours, the “Give It the 4.9%
4.4%
Hammer” creator program 2018 2021 2023 2018 2021 2023 2018 2021 2023
generated over 1 billion
impressions, encouraging can-
doers everywhere to share their own Share of Spend Share of Market Share of Basket
ways to tackle the tasks at hand.
Source: Arm & Hammer

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 1 – Brands find new routes to growth

Case study Gold, Instant Impact

DoorDash finds a new audience and

creates a new reason to use its service
DoorDash, a US delivery service that gift since they're the most common
delivers from local community Mother's Day gift. Moms don't either,
businesses, needed to grow its Mother's considering 54% of mothers said they
Day flower delivery service audience. As usually buy their own gift on Mother's
a neighborhood champion, the Day. But there is one group of people
opportunity was to continue expanding that still think giving flowers is special: DoorDash launched a nationwide Mother's Day activation across
deliveries beyond food, such as Kids. social media to promote purchases of bouquets.
groceries, pharmacies, and more. The Kid Currency drove millions in gross merchandise volume over
goal was to grow business for both Kids would love to give their moms four days, creating DoorDash's largest non-restaurant delivery
DoorDash and a larger range of local bouquets, but they have no money. day in history.
businesses that consumers could reach
in the app and remind consumers that To give kids around the US buying Third-party fulfillment and grocery store flower sales gross
DoorDash delivers more than food. power for Mother's Day, DoorDash merchandise value reached millions, increasing 340% from the
created Kid Currency, where kids could same period in 2022.
However, Gen Z and Millennials, who offer anything they deemed valuable as
comprise the app's biggest audience, a bid in a social media auction for The campaign also reached 2x the earned media goal with 318m
don't consider flowers to be a special flowers from DoorDash. impressions.

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 1 – Brands find new routes to growth

Case study Silver, Instant Impact

Dove stands up against ageism with

Dove planned to reach Canadian women in
#KeepTheGrey campaign
their mid-late working years (30-50), in
Raising awareness around grey hair discrimination in
urban/financial centers, who could be
the workplace
facing grey hair discrimination. 50% of
Canada's renowned national news Four posters featuring grey-haired
anchor, Lisa LaFlamme, was abruptly women were deployed on all major
people have a significant amount of gray
dismissed from CTV News, after a 35- social channels and tagged hair by 50, and the average person starts to
year career in news. Soon after her #KeepTheGrey, encouraging others to go grey in their mid-30s.
dismissal, it was revealed that her grey share the message.
hair might have been the cause.
Brand Power increased from 16%
Within 48 hours of news breaking that below the market average to 29% over
her dismissal may have been due to her the market average, an increase of 45
grey hair, Dove launched the points, the highest by far in the
#KeepTheGrey campaign. For the first category. Brand Salience increased 16
time in history, the brand turned its points. Dove Canada launched a grey
iconic gold logo to grey. product hair line and the brand saw
increased sales across product lines.

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 1 – Brands find new routes to growth

The winning cases had clear

strategies, objectives and results.
And then the winning cases also had
creative thinking and were
innovative ideas to solve their
business problems to drive growth.
Susan Irving,
CMO, Kroger Products; WARC Awards North America jury chair

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Theme 2

Creativity beyond ads

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 2 – Creativity beyond ads

Grabbing attention across multiple

Brands touchpoints is easier with an event, or an
create installation, or an unusual product extension
that sparks interest and conversation. These
their own
winners each found a way to turn the
moment spotlight on their way.

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 2 – Creativity beyond ads

Thinking outside the ad box

Installations, partnerships, product extensions and events
Experienced by few, seen by many. The
With a fractured media landscape in residual memory of an entire
which every consumer assembles experience. virality of a moment disseminated
their own media routines, it’s hard
through social channels can mean a
for a media campaign to break Creating truly memorable experiences
through with only its ad messages in or associations often requires a big small group all participating in the same
traditional ad spaces. moment nowadays. These winners
offline activity can reach online
used experiences, events and new,
However, peak product moments can unexpected product extensions to audiences.
be created through experiences. Peak ensure their brands were noticed by
moments are well-chosen aspects of consumers likely to buy or be
a product experience that can pierce persuaded to buy again.
the consciousness of the user.
Psychologists report that people tend
to remember the peak of an
experience, and how it ends – and that
the presence of a peak can lift the

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 2 – Creativity beyond ads

Case study Gold, Strategic Thinking Purdue brews a beer to sell chicken for grill season
Purdue was seeking a recipe to make Paid and organic social on platforms the grill
chicken a grilling priority. Between June audience frequented (Facebook, Instagram,
and July 2022, mentions of "beer can Pinterest) was posted, while influencers and
chicken" and similar terms on social media email blasts showed exactly how to make
rose 44%. Social interest in beer can beer can chicken with Beer Can Chicken
chicken was growing, and a debate grew up Beer. These tactics sent people directly to a
around which beer to use: the cheap yet custom microsite that people could visit to
classic domestic brew or a craft beer? order the beer for themselves and view an
animated video with directions for how to grill
Purdue decided to create the perfect beer for a perfect Perdue beer can chicken.
the job and partnered with NYT brewery
Torch & Crown. Purdue Beer Can Chicken Earned media, at its best, applies an
Beer, a summer ale brewed with Citra hops, interesting creative twist to a timely cultural
honey, rosemary, thyme, and pink trend. Earned media here didn't just generate
peppercorns, was created to complement impressions: it laid the groundwork for
the flavors of a grilled chicken and to be great consumers to further explore their interest in
to drink on its own. beer can chicken and make it for themselves.

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 2 – Creativity beyond ads

Case study Silver, Strategic Thinking

Lululemon takes aim at cheaper competitors with Dupe Swap Number of media stories
dedicated to Lululemon dupes
The fashion industry loses an take to social media to debunk
estimated $50bn a year to
knockoffs of its most popular
product claims and convince people
to stop buying overhyped products. 850
items. TikTok made it trendy to
buy #dupes, affordable It used to be that the coolest girl
alternatives to premium products, was the one who could spend the
and Lululemon was the perfect most. Today it's the one who can Views of #lululemondupe
victim. save the most. If influencers say it's

Lululemon’s Align Leggings, a

cooler to wear $25 knock-offs
rather than $98 originals, then it's 350m
redesign of yoga pants, sold at a cool.
premium price. In a single year,
there were 850 media stories about People began to believe that the
how to buy #dupes, with 350 million only difference between genuine % of Gen Z who intentionally
social media views of Lululemon and dupes was the price. bought dupes
#lululemondupes. Consumers were left with the wrong
brand attributes associated with 49%
This social trend is known as Lululemon and lots of reasons not
#deinfluencing, where influencers to purchase Align Leggings.

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 2 – Creativity beyond ads

Experienced by few, viewed by many

Dupe Swap was a disruptive try-on logo and the curves of women's bodies.
experience over one weekend at Century City
Mall, LA. Women could trade in their off-brand The heart of the experience was the fitting
dupes for legitimate Align Leggings. Dupe rooms. The well-lit room and distinct design
Swap incorporated both event-specific and made it the perfect content-creating studio
brand-led building-blocks. The event was a for guests to share their experience instantly.
catalyst to spark widespread coverage and The rooms were also equipped with a fish-
conversation and change the associations eye mirror that replicated the look of the
consumers had in mind for Lululemon. broader brand campaign, so guests could
snap a selfie that made them look like they
With the direct comparison to the cheaper were in the latest Lululemon ad.
#dupes, Lululemon chose a key product
experience to raise reasons for why to buy. Dupe Swap took an online conversation and
answered it with an offline experience. It
Most importantly, every element of the dupe created a real-world way to get its audience
swap was designed to be shared on social to experience and feel the difference for
with a cohesive brand look and feel. Guests themselves. In doing so, it changed the
entered the experience through a doorway conversation across social and earned
shaped like the Lululemon logo. The walls of media, and reestablished quality in the minds
the custom-made building echoed both the of consumers.

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 2 – Creativity beyond ads

Marketing has evolved to where you need to have

an integrated 360-degree approach. Brands are
starting from an audience-centric perspective.
Who's our audience? Where are they? How are
we going reach them? Often there are multiple
ways to get the message across. There's a
robustness to how that's going to be delivered.
Dara Treseder, CMO, Autodesk; WARC Awards North America jury chair

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Theme 3

Solution-driven
approaches pay off

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 3 – Solution-driven approaches pay off

This year’s work featured less polarization.

Fostering Many messages focused on how people and
a sense of communities can come together. This could
be a reflection of a weariness with division
unity
and a longing to move beyond the cultural
discord of the pandemic years.

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 3 – Solution-driven approaches pay off

Helping consumers take action to

address daunting problems
Purpose-driven advertising has been marketer’s arsenal, but winners from
under scrutiny as of late. But a thread North America this year used true and
through this year’s winning work for relevant human insights to earn that
North America is marketers giving emotional reaction.
consumers tools that they need to
solve a problem. By deploying empathy and cultural
context, the winning campaigns
A successful approach to deploying successfully drove outcomes for their
purpose is for a marketer’s actions to businesses, and strengthened
contribute more to the community connections with their audience.
closest to the issue rather than only use The causes being addressed not only
members of that community to signal align with the marketer’s and brand’s
alliance with a cause. Being part of the values, but the participation and
solution, even in a small way, is a solution offered underscore a
smarter way to build connection and marketer’s commitment to changing
credibility. the status quo. Coalitions and
partnerships broadened the reach of
Evoking emotion is a reliable tool in a the initial effort.

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 3 – Solution-driven approaches pay off

Case study Gold, Cultural Impact Northwell starts a conversation about

gun safety
This campaign started with a Many of these deaths are
radical question: is there preventable: 4.6 million US children
something simple, practical, and live in homes with access to an
empowering, that ordinary people unlocked gun. A 2021 study found
could do to help reduce gun that 33% of gun-owning parents who
deaths? thought their child could not access
a household firearm had a child who
In 2020, guns became the leading reported they could.
cause of death for kids, outstripping
car accidents for the first time in US Gun ownership is highly politicized in
history. The shocking stat provides the US, meaning many parents are
fresh urgency and a clear "healthcare reluctant to broach the subject with
lane" for Northwell to step into. acquaintances.
Northwell aimed to call out the
societal ills that underlie many
healthcare issues, and a focus has
been gun violence.

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 3 – Solution-driven approaches pay off

Giving parents permission to ask

about access to guns
Local effort grew into a national conversation
through partnerships
Much previous work on gun violence has been shocking,
frightening, and even devastating, but little has changed.
The audience may feel moved or enraged, but mostly they
are left with no idea what to do to address the issue. It often
feels too big, too political, virtually unsolvable.

To break the taboo around guns, the campaign needed to Shifting the conversation
motivate people to change one conversation at a time. A TV ad
featured a surprising "drop-off" conversation about a pet tiger,
and modelled "asking" in a memorable, relatable way. The GUN GUN
closing thought – "Doesn't Kill to Ask" – adds urgency to the OWNERSHIP ACCESS
message: asking may be awkward, but it just might save a life. Polarizing Neutral
Threatening Factual
Political Safety-focused

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 3 – Solution-driven approaches pay off

A website offered other practical "ways in" for starting this Have you ever asked someone if there is an unlocked gun
conversation, such as, "Our pediatrician mentioned that guns in their home?
are now the leading cause of death for kids, and urged us to
ask others if there are any unlocked guns in the house.” Campaign measurement October 2022 – February 2023

Partnering with 176 other health systems in 48 states, the

Total Gun Non-gun
Parents Democrats Republicans
campaign assembled a toolkit of white-labeled creative assets NY DMA owners owners
that others could adapt for use in their markets with their own
branding. Those exposed to the campaign were 2.5 times more
likely to ask if there's an unlocked gun in the house compared
to those unexposed.
Likeability 64% 74% 66% 64% 74% 55%

. 5x
2 33%
Likelihood
to Ask If
49% 67% 54% 48% 60% 40%
Unlocked
Gun in Home
13%

Non exposed Exposed

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 3 - Solution-driven approaches pay off

Case study Gold, Strategic Thinking

Changing attitudes toward employees without higher degrees

Non-profit Opportunity@Work
(OAW) wanted to rewire a broken
The unquestioned practice of
"requiring" a four-year degree, 70m
and biased US labor market. Here, regardless of experience, had US workers lack a bachelor’s degree
the campaign named the problem become so normalized that it's
and pointed to a solution. rarely been questioned, even as it's
contributed to widening inequality
Nearly half the workforce lacks a and labor shortages.
bachelor's degree, which locks
them out of most job opportunities, The strategic thinking behind Tear
61%
even with in-demand skills. the Paper Ceiling was to make this of US Black workers are STARS
strongly felt yet still invisible barrier
These workers, known as STARs: extremely visible to the public and
Workers Skilled through Alternative use public awareness to rally
Routes, face “degree support for new hiring practices
discrimination,” being screened out
by people and algorithms that
that could abolish it.
55%
automatically dismiss resumés of US Hispanic workers are STARS
without a bachelor's degree.

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 3 – Solution-driven approaches pay off

Naming and visualizing the problem:

The Paper Ceiling
The aim was to create a positive workers without a bachelor's degree run
behavior change, not just increase up against. This modern twist on the
public awareness. Stakeholders who concept of the "glass ceiling" gave
would have the most influence in people a shortcut to understanding and
changing behavior, like HR adopting the idea.
professionals and small business
owners, were targeted. The campaign included a nationwide
PSA campaign, including films, OOH,
It was important to frame the issue in a print and digital/social assets, and a giant
way that didn't call out or shame installation at the Consumer Electronics
employers, or just engage in Show. The installation featured 30,000
performative empathy on behalf of resumés, allowing people to physically
STARs. The idea needed to both make experience the Paper Ceiling.
the problem clear and empower people
to do something about it. Giving the Thirteen states have since passed
problem a name was the critical first step executive orders removing degree
in establishing it in culture. The Paper requirements for hundreds of thousands
Ceiling represents the barrier that of state government jobs.

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 3 - Solution-driven approaches pay off

Case study Silver, Cultural Impact

Ensuring employees diagnosed with cancer can keep their jobs

Of cancer patients are afraid to tell
In the US, a patchwork of who were cancer patients were their employer their diagnosis

50%
policies to protect cancer often fearful of losing their jobs
patients exist, but companies after getting a cancer diagnosis.
are not compelled to provide
support beyond what is legally The aim of the Working with
required. Cancer Pledge campaign was to
raise greater awareness of Of people will be diagnosed with
In many cases, employers also cancer stigma at work and create cancer in their lifetime

are the provider of health a program that would drive action

insurance, meaning if an
employee loses their job, they
to end it. 50%
risk losing critical insurance The targeting approach reflected
coverage. the need to ensure as many
people as possible were made Say support at work positively
When Publicis Global CEO aware of the sobering reality of impacts their health
revealed his cancer diagnosis, facing a cancer diagnosis at work:
messages of support from others
led to the revelation that those
top-down (business leaders) and
ground-up (mass culture).
92%
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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 3 - Solution-driven approaches pay off

Building collaboration with business leaders and raising awareness

The first step Publicis took was to campaign to build awareness rolled
secure jobs, salaries and benefits out timed to World Cancer Day via
for a year and provide career one of America's largest advertising
support to patients and stages: the Super Bowl. The
caregivers, and then it asked campaign also used donated media
others in the global business across cinema, print, video, social,
community to do the same. digital, audio, and OOH.

The recruitment effort began in Cancer influencers were invited to

Davos, at the World Economic make an appearance on the iconic
Forum, where the world's most billboard at One Times Square, More than 1,300 companies companies with major US
powerful and influential companies where each was featured in the worldwide have signed the Pledge presences like L'Oréal, Toyota,
were asked to commit to the Pledge "Half" OOH creative. A film crew to end workplace cancer stigma. and Unilever.
and building more open and captured the emotional moment as Signees include major US-based
supportive work cultures for each survivor saw themselves companies like Walmart Altogether, 38 million employees
employees with cancer. featured in the campaign. The clips (America's largest employer), worldwide are now covered by the
went viral on social media, driving 63 Pfizer, Adobe, McDonald's, Pledge, with a significant portion
Following the launch targeting million organic views and more than Google, Meta, and Bank of of those in the US.
business leaders, a mass consumer a million likes on TikTok. America, as well as global

© Copyright WARC 2024. All rights reserved. 34

 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 3 - Solution-driven approaches pay off

Case study Silver, Brand Purpose

Indeed demonstrates how inclusive hiring

Each film’s production team
leads to diverse teams
reported on their hiring, and
Rising Voices campaign funded young directors
together they created over 1,600
This campaign took a very direct approach 10 BIPOC directors to create short films.
to solving a problem by creating Now in its third year, the program aims to jobs – a number that will continue
opportunity for a group of people that help launch careers for BIPOC filmmakers in
to grow as Rising Voices alumni
have faced cultural hurdles to starting a an industry. The campaign’s aim was to
film career. change the industry from the inside, showing move into the next stage of their
studio execs, distributors, and agents what
Indeed exists to help people get jobs. Talent they were missing.
careers.
may be universal, but opportunity, especially
for people in the film industry, is not. Data Each of the three seasons of Rising Voices
shows that black, indigenous and people of has produced 10 films for a total of 30 films
color remain critically underrepresented as so far. The Season 3 films premiered at The
directors. Tribeca Festival in NYC in June 2023. The
filmmakers launched their work on stage with
Rising Voices took the production budget for a panel led by Lena Waithe, an event that was
a national TV spot and instead invested it in written about by more than 40 publications.

© Copyright WARC 2024. All rights reserved. 35

 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 3 - Solution-driven approaches pay off

Several years ago, brands recognized that

consumers were a little bit more cynical about
brands, and some of the work was knowingly
self-aware … But a lot of that's gone away now,
and you sensed more optimism or an absence
of cynicism. It felt like more joy, and that
humanity piece is one I felt more this year
than I have in previous years.
Yusuf Chuku, NBC Universal; WARC Awards North America jury chair

© Copyright WARC 2024. All rights reserved. 36

Theme 4

The winning
case studies

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 4 – The winning case studies, North America

Gold Silver Bronze

Cultural Impact Instant Impact Long-term Growth

Northwell DoorDash Arm &

Health Hammer
Kid Currency
More Power to You
Doesn’t Kill to Ask View the case study View the case study View the case study

Strategic Thinking Strategic Thinking Partnerships & Sponsorships

Purdue Opportunity@ Campbell’s

Beer Can Chicken Work Soup
Beer Tear the Paper Ceiling
Joy Nights In
View the case study View the case study View the case study

Brand Purpose Brand Purpose Business to Business

Indeed Dove MDY Mid Cap

Rising Voices #KeeptheGrey Mid Cap Cup
View the case study View the case study View the case study

© Copyright WARC 2024. All rights reserved. 38

 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 4 – The winning case studies, North America

Gold Silver Bronze

Channel Pioneer Channel Pioneer Path to Purchase

Ajinomoto Toronto Star Premiere

Nutrition
Cancel Pizza Truth Boxes
Winning Prime Day
View the case study View the case study View the case study

Cultural impact Customer Experience Strategic Thinking

Memorial Sloan Philadelphia Lululemon

Kettering Cancer
Cream Cheese
Center Dupe Swap
Working with Cancer Pledge Tax-Free Bagel
View the case study View the case study View the case study

Instant Impact Long-term Growth Use of Data

Dunkin’ Samsung Voila

Iced Coffee Shake Unfold Your World Trending 2 Table
View the case study View the case study View the case study

© Copyright WARC 2024. All rights reserved. 39

 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 4 – The winning case studies, North America

Gold Silver Bronze

Business to Business Instant Impact Long-term Growth

Procell
Campbell’s Klondike
Batteries
Meet your battery changer
View the case study
It’s the Sides View the case study
What Would you do? View the case study

Partnerships & Sponsorships Strategic Thinking Strategic Thinking

Mucinex Fast
Ford Bronco Android
Max
Bronco x Sydney Sweeney View the case study Come Back Season View the case study
iPager Get the Message View the case study

© Copyright WARC 2024. All rights reserved. 40

Theme 5

Data analysis and key

observations

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 5 – Data analysis

Brand building Campaign objectives

takes the lead 2024 vs. 2023 entrant campaigns (selected objectives)
Campaign objectives in North
2024 2023
America appear mostly similar
between 2023 and 2024.
65%
Brand building: Build brand equity 51%

Building brand equity increased 14 Awareness

58%
61%
percentage points year over year, 37%
Sales growth: Gain new customers 31%
while awareness slipped to second
33%
place. Sales growth to increase Sales growth: Increase value/volume 38%

value/volume was less prominent Word of mouth 22%

27%

this year as an objective, while web 20%

Traffic & footfall: Web traffic 17%
traffic and in-store traffic both
15%
grew. Sales growth: Increase market share 13%
8%
Brand building: Refresh brand identity 4%
8%
Brand reputation: Reputation 3%
8%
Traffic & footfall: In-store traffic 5%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Source: WARC AWARDS EFFECTIVENESS 2024 and 2023, NORTH AMERICA

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 5 – Data analysis

The rise of Creative strategy

partnerships 2024 vs. 2023 entrant campaigns (selected strategies)
The use of partnerships as a
2024 2023
creative strategy increased
significantly in 2024 compared to
46%
2023, while the use of celebrities Partnerships 26%

declined. Celebrity
31%
36%
29%
Informative, educational 45%
Emotion also saw significantly
21%
more use this year, although fewer Emotion 10%

campaigns leaned on humor or Consumer generated content, participation 17%

28%
music. 14%
Branded utility, product 6%
13%
The use of information/education Advocacy 11%

as a creative strategy also Corporate responsibility 6%

13%

decreased in the past year. 10%

Humour 16%
9%
Music 13%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Source: WARC AWARDS EFFECTIVENESS 2024 and 2023, NORTH AMERICA

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 5 – Data analysis

Television and Media mix

connected TV hold 2024 vs. 2023 entrant campaigns (selected media)
on as lead media
Media used Lead media
Television & connected TV remains
the most common lead media 2024 2023 2024 2023

among North American campaigns, 70% Television & 29%

Social media 76%
but social media is only a few connected TV 30%
59%
percentage points behind. Online video 24%
64% Social media
15%
Word of mouth, 46%
influencers, KOLs 36% 10%
Social media was used by fewer Online video
11%
42%
campaigns this year, but a higher Online display
31% Events & 6%
percentage this year used it as Outdoor, 38% experiential 1%
out-of-home 36%
their lead media. Online video 5%
Integrated
27% 6%
remains an important channel in the Radio & audio
22%
media mix in 2024, being used by Competitions & 4%
Websites & 27%
contests
microsites 30%
more than half of all regional
Television & 22% Outdoor, 4%
campaigns. Connected TV 24% out-of-home 6%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 0% 10% 20% 30%

Source: WARC AWARDS EFFECTIVENESS 2024 and 2023, NORTH AMERICA

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 5 – Data analysis

Sales leads hard Hard and soft metrics

metrics, but brand- 2024 vs. 2023 entrant campaigns (selected media)
specific measures
gain ground Hard metrics Soft metrics
2024 2023 2024 2023
Sales remains the most commonly
67% 50%
reported hard metric by campaigns Sales 55% Awareness
64%
in North America. 35%
Brand health/ 43%
ROI 22%
equity measures 50%
Market penetration/ 29%
Almost one third of all campaigns customer gain 45% Brand-specific 34%
measures 6%
also reported ROI and market Market share
15%
16% Consumer 12%
penetration gains. 15% participation 18%
Revenue 12%
34%
PR value
8% 39%
The most commonly reported soft Efficiency gain 5%
Search 10%
metric continues to be awareness, 6% performance 17%
Behavioural change 11%
being reported by half of all 29%
6% Social media, buzz
campaigns, but brand-specific Customer loyalty 38%

measures surged as a metric this Attitude change 2% Web traffic

38%
(non-profit) 4% 32%
year.
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Source: WARC AWARDS EFFECTIVENESS 2024 and 2023, NORTH AMERICA

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America | Theme 5 – Data analysis

More entries run Budgets and durations

3-6 month-long 2024 vs. 2023 entrant campaigns
campaigns
Similar to 2023, the majority of Media budgets Campaign duration
campaigns in North America have 2024 2023 2024 2023
media budgets of up to 500k. 13%
Over 20 million 5%
15% Over 3 years
3%
The most common time frame for 10 - 20 million
11%
5% 15%
campaigns in North America 1-3 years
9%
13%
5 - 10 million
remains at up to 3 months, but 1-3 11%
16%
years for a campaign duration 3 - 5 million
13% 6-12 months
18%
2%
gained ground.
14% 24%
1 - 3 million 3 - 6 months
18%
21%
8%
500k - 1 million
14% 34%
Up to 3 months
28% 43%
Up to 500k
28%
5%
Real-time
No budget 7% 6%

0% 10% 20% 30% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Source: WARC AWARDS EFFECTIVENESS 2024 and 2023, NORTH AMERICA

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America

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 WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, North America

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