The results of Effective Use of Tech, the final category of Warc’s Media Awards, recognising communications planning that has made a positive impact on business results, are announced.
A 10-strong international panel chaired by Debbie Weinstein – Managing Director, Brand Solutions & Innovations, EMEA, Google, have so far awarded three Golds, three Silvers and four Bronzes in this category, which rewards communications that have effectively used or combined emerging platforms or technology in the media mix contributing to the overall business success of the campaign.
Procter & Gamble-owned personal care brand Old Spice, charity Cancer Research UK and Australian mental health foundation Headspace have won Golds.
Old Spice’s ‘Nature Adventure’ from Wieden + Kennedy was a gaming-led campaign in the US and Canada on live-streaming platform Twitch which helped the brand to build affinity with 18-34 year old men.
Tom Goodwin, EVP, Head of Innovation at Zenith and a Warc Media Awards judge in the Effective Use of Tech category observed: “As an industry, we ignore gaming but it’s such a big opportunity and no one’s doing it that well. This should be celebrated because it used custom integration. It was different, interesting and effective.”
Cancer Research UK’s ‘Tap to Beat Cancer’ campaign, by MediaCom, saw the charity trial digital screens with a contactless card payment facility in its shop windows.
Suzy Ryder, Managing Partner, Digital and Technology, OMD and a judge, described it as “a very easy and logical way to maintain and increase fundraising.”
Australian youth mental health foundation Headspace was the third Gold awarded by the judges for its Reword campaign. Through Leo Burnett Melbourne, the organisation helped to reduce instances of online bullying by young internet users through the introduction of an online tool that encourages people to reconsider what they have written before posting.
James Lewin, Head of Innovation, Mindshare APAC, and a judge for this category, said: “It is a brilliant piece of tech and the results speak for themselves.”
PHD India picked up a Silver and a Bronze in this category for its work for two Hindustan Unilever detergent brands. The agency’s Lo Kar Lo Baat initiative for Active Wheel won a Silver, while the Rin Career Ready Academy took a Bronze.
FP7/DXB also won a Silver and a Bronze. Its A/C Vests campaign for banking brand Emirates NBD took a Silver, while its Smart Buses work for Bahrain telecoms provider Batelco won a Bronze.
Zenith took a silver for its Artificial Intelligence: Data Storytelling campaign for insurance company Aviva; Starcom’s Serving What’s Trending campaign for food manufacturer Kraft Heinz took a Bronze; and a bronze was awarded to Fuse Sport & Entertainment for ‘Virtually Dead campaign for HTC VIVE.
The Grand Prix and three Special Awards in the Effective Use of Tech category – Best Real-Time, Early Adopter Award and Best Use of Programmatic – as well as in the three other Warc Media Awards categories, will be announced at a free-to-attend event at MEC in London on Thursday 9 February from 4:40pm. Warc Media Awards judges will reflect on this year’s entries and there will be two presentations from winners.