Creative Works World Creative Rankings Marketing

World Creative Rankings: the 200 most-awarded ad campaigns of the last 12 months

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By Sam Bradley, Journalist

January 31, 2022 | 30 min read

The World Creative Rankings, in partnership with Twitch, is the definitive guide to advertising's most creative brands, agencies and people. In the first in a two-week series of dives into this year's data, here we reveal the 200 most awarded ad campaigns of 2021.

true name

Mastercard’s ‘True Name’ campaign was one of the most lauded of the last year

The top 200 campaigns of the year list is compiled by analyzing the combined results of 21 of the industry's biggest global awards shows. This year that meant our researchers pored over some 2,472 campaigns from 1,657 clients working with 1,220 agencies around the world. You can the full methodology in our World Creative Rankings launch article.

Over the next two weeks, our countdowns will continue as we also reveal which brands, agencies and people performed best across 2021's awards shows. Members of The Drum Plus will have complete instant access to all of our lists from the moment they go live.

Look out for more on the top campaigns, including interviews with the creative minds behind the work, on thedrum.com in the coming weeks.

The top 200 most awarded ad campaigns of the last 12 months

Rank Campaign Agency Brand
1 Donation Dollar Saatchi & Saatchi Melbourne Royal Australian Mint
2 Moldy Whopper David Miami/Ingo Stockholm/Publicis Bucharest Burger King
3 Eurythenes Plasticus BBDO Berlin WWF
4 True Name McCann New York Mastercard
5 The Uncensored Library DDB Germany Berlin Reporters Without Borders
6 #Wombstories AMV BBDO Essity
7 Stevenage Challenge David Madrid Burger King
8 Courage Is Beautiful Ogilvy Toronto/Ogilvy London Unilever
9= Francesca Publicis Italy Diesel
9= Boards of Change FCB Chicago The City of Chicago
11 The Bread Exam McCann Paris Spinneys and the Lebanese Breast Cancer Foundation
12 TheDoomsday Vault The Community Miami Oreo
13 Festive Riff Raff Films Burberry
14 Michelob Ultra Courtside FCB New York Michelob
15 Enjoy Before Returning Publicis Italy Diesel
16= Sick Beats Area 23 Woojer
16= The Unfinished Votes McCann Healthcare New York Change the Ref
18 You Love Me Translation New York Beats by Dr Dre
19 Stay Home Miles Exchange Wunderman Thompson Thailand Thai Airways
20 #StillSpeakingUp Publicis Mexico City Propuesta Civica
Rank Campaign Agency Brand
21 Life Needs Truth Droga5 New York The New York Times
22 Project Understood FCB Toronto Canadian Down Syndrome Society (CDSS)
23 Naming the invisible by Digital Birth Registration Ogilvy Pakistan Telenor
24 Contract for Change FCB Chicago/FCB New York ABInBev
25 Meltdown Flags Serviceplan Munich METER Group
26= Back to School Essentials BBDO New York Sandy Hook Promise
26= The Birth of Gaming Tourism McCann London Microsoft
28 Shutter Ads Publicis Italy Heineken
29= Crocodile Inside BETC Paris Lacoste
29= The Future Official Sponsors of the NWSL VaynerMedia New York ABInBev
31 The Hiring Chain Small NY Coordown
32 Tuna Scope Dentsu Tokyo Sojitz Corporation
33 Salla 2032 Africa Sao Paulo House of Lapland
34 Publicly Traded FCB/SIX LifeStyles
35 The New National Anthem Edition Impact BBDO Dubai An-Nahar
36= #Wombpainstories AMV BBDO Essity
36= The Punishing Signal FCB Interface Mumbai Mumbai Police India
38 Raising Profiles FCB Inferno The Big Issue
39= Nobody Is Normal The Gate London Childline
39= You Can't Stop Us Wieden+Kennedy Portland Nike
Rank Campaign Agency Brand
41= Superb Owl R/GA Los Angeles Reddit
41= Alone With Me Spotify Spotify
43 Please Arrest Me Ogilvy Singapore RIT Foundation
44 We will become better Voskhod Creative LGBT Network Russia
45= Let Her Run Africa Sao Paulo SporTV
45= Upstream Saatchi & Saatchi Los Angeles Toyota
45= Black Plaque Project Havas London UK Nubian Jak Community Trust
48 The 8-Bit Journo Dentsu Webchutney India Vice Media
49= The Gift Dentsu Tokyo Ezaki Glico (Pocky)
49= Buy with your time Memac Ogilvy Dubai Ikea
51= Play NZ TBWA Sydney Tourism New Zealand
51= A New Jingle For A New Era Edelman New York Unilever
53 Degree Inclusive Wunderman Thompson Buenos Aires Unilever
54 Village Electrique Publicis Conseil Paris Renault
55 Swipe Night 72andSunny Los Angeles Tinder
56 The Met Unframed 140 Agency US Verizon
57= Up The Vote R/GA San Francisco Reddit
57= Whatever It Takes AMV BBDO Macmillan Cancer Support
59 VAR Discount Nord DDB Elkjop
60 The Isolated Cinema Stendahls Goteborg International Film Festival
Rank Campaign Agency Brand
61 Saylists Rothco|Accenture Interactive Warner Music
62= The Look Saturday Morning LA Procter & Gamble (P&G)
62= Shop Unfriend Wolf BKK Central Department Store
64 The Eventful Life Of Rosemarie CRK Curaviva
65= Shot on iPhone-Vertical Cinema TBWA\Media Arts Lab LA Apple
65= Chicken Wars GSD&M Austin Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
65= Drowned Requiem FischerAppelt Germany United4Rescue
68= Super Wendy's World VMLY&R Kansas City Wendy's
68= Now, Words Aren't Just Heard, But Felt. Cheil India Samsung
68= Two Monsters in my Story Publicis Conseil Paris Face a l'Inceste
68= ABC's Of Survival The Bloc NBCDI
68= #EndViolence BBDO Berlin Unicef
73= The Call The Bloc EmpowHer NY
73= Tallk Cheil Spain Madrid Samsung
75= Mother Blanket Ogilvy Colombia Asociacion Vivir
75= Tienda Cerca Draftline Tienda cerca
75= Confusing Times David Madrid Burger King
78= Uni-form Ogilvy Taiwan Vogue Fashion
78= Heinz Ketchup Puzzle Rethink Kraft Heinz
80= Purple hive Project Thinkerbell Bega Foods
Rank Campaign Agency Brand
80= Printed by Parkinson's Innocean Worldwide Berlin Charite University Hospital
80= Your Plastic Diet Grey Malaysia WWF
83= Playlist Timer Publicis Italy Barilla
83= Pedestal Project BBDO New York Color of Change
83= SickKids Airbnb No Fixed Address Toronto SickKids Foundation
86= Anticorruption Hackathon by Znamkamarada WMC Grey Prague Znamkamarada
86= The Prescription Paper Pill Bottle Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness Tikkun Olam Makers
86= We Deliver Leo Burnett London McDonald's
86= The Parents Forsman & Bodenfors Gothenburg Volvo
90 Minimalism Serviceplan Munich Mini
91= That Look From Popeyes Gut Agency Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
91= H&M Looop AKQA Sweden H&M
93= UndercoverAvatar Havas Sports & Entertainment France Enfant Bleu
93= McDo Nord DDB McDonald's
93= Secret Menu Ogilvy Sydney KFC
96= Bonds out now Leo Burnett Melbourne Bonds
96= Double Moon Mullenlowe Dubai The UAE Government Media Office
96= Sperm Positive DDB Group New Zealand New Zealand AIDS Foundation
96= Your Way, Way Better Jones Knowles Ritchie New York Burger King
100= Hell-P Kolle Rebbe Hamburg Warner Music

(101-120)

Rank Campaign Agency Brand
100= Skindeep The Bloc EmpowHer NY
100= The Match of Ages We Believers New York ABInBev
100= Tipping Point DDB Paris Ubisoft
100= Unbreakable Area 23 Insmed
100= Migrants on Amazon BETC Paris Auberge des Migrants
100= The CO2 Inhaler McCann Health New York AstraZeneca
100= Run. For. Life. (Zimbabwe/Vietnam) Arnold Worldwide Boston Brazilian Red Cross
108= Microcodes Che Proximity Melbourne Samsung
108= Instant Doctor The Bloc Tribute
108= Laundry Night Saatchi & Saatchi NY Procter & Gamble (P&G)
111= Waterlight Wunderman Thompson Bogota Edina Energy
111= Pooja Didi Taproot Dentsu Meta
111= The Tampon Book Scholz & Friends Berlin The Female Company
114= The Last Older Person To Die In Loneliness LLYC BBK Foundation
114= The Most Valuable News Africa Sao Paulo Folha De Sao Paulo
114= Play Connected Adam&Eve/DDB Adidas
117 Water Index Havas Istanbul Turkey Reckitt Benckiser
118= Victoria 1.8 Ogilvy Mexico City ABInBev
118= Now That You Mention Us VMLY&R Kansas City Wendy's
118= Parkscapes BBDO Canada Regent Park School of Music
Rank Campaign Agency Brand
118= Radio Recliner Luckie Atlanta Bridge Senior Living
118= Fantastic Voyage 72andSunny Los Angeles Adobe
123= The 2030 Calculator Farm Stockholm Doconomy
123= Cold Tracker Promise Johannesburg ABInBev
125= Unscripted Wunderman Thompson London BT
125= The Illegal Blood Bank Elvis LadBible Group
125= Good Morning World Special Group Auckland Tourism New Zealand
125= Day 28/32/33/35 David Miami/Ingo Stockholm/Publicis Bucharest Burger King
129= Sloways Che Proximity Melbourne NRMA Insurance
129= Shift+K+F+C TBWA\Raad Dubai KFC
129= Invisible Petitions TBWA\Istanbul We Will Stop Femicide
129= Michelin Impossible Ogilvy Sydney KFC
133= Hershe 2021 BETC Sao Paulo Hershey's
133= Code of Conscience AKQA Sao Paulo Raoni Institute
133= Just a Wall Rosapark Paris Innocence en Danger
133= #LaborDayOn Droga5 New York Red Wing Shoes
133= Liquid Billboard Havas Middle East Adidas
133= SickKids VS: This Is Why Cossette SickKids Foundation
133= Let’s Talk The Joy of Later Life Sex Ogilvy London Relate
140= I Am VMLY&R Brazil Starbucks
Rank Campaign Agency Brand
140= A Future Without Change VMLY&R Melbourne Monash University
140= Lolli: The Exhibit Nobody Wants to Talk About No Fixed Address Toronto Canadian Centre for Child Protection
140= Through your eyes Wunderman Thompson Buenos Aires Sony Music
140= The Most CO2-Friendly Route Hasan & Partners Helsinki Neste Oyj
140= Out and Proud Classified FCBUlka Mumbai The Times of India News Paper
146= Blood Unity FP7 McCann Dubai Donner Sang Compter
146= Take Care DocMorris Inhouse DocMorris Apotheke
146= Smile always find a way VMLY&R Paris Colgate
146= A Dad's Job FP7 McCann Dubai Home Centre
146= Cites Herezie Paris Amazon Prime Video
151 Flavor of Home Hakuhodo Jakarta Indonesia Sushi Sei
152= Starr Park Wieden+Kennedy New York Brawl Stars
152= Stray Sheep Code Six Tokyo Sony Music
152= Blame No more TBWA\Hunt Lascaris Johannesburg Hype Magazine & Tears Foundation
152= The Small Escape Jung Von Matt Hamburg BMW
152= Signal for Help Juniper Park \ TBWA Canadian Women's Foundation
152= #Stopthebeautytest Ogilvy Mumbai Unilever (Dove)
152= Bee_Influencer Publicis Conseil Paris Fondation De France
152= Terms Against Bullying White Rabbit Budapest Hungary Terms Against Bullying
160= The HY Project The Electric Factory Toyota
Rank Campaign Agency Brand
160= BK Cows Menu Music Video We Believers New York Burger King
160= Pour Perfectly Rethink Kraft Heinz
160= The Artist Ogilvy Mumbai ITC Savlon
160= Unboxing FCB&FiRe Madrid Netflix
160= Coca-Cola - Open Like Never Before 72andSunny Amsterdam Coca-Cola
160= For Your Consideration Saatchi & Saatchi NY Women in Film
167= The Lost Class Leo Burnett Chicago Change the Ref
167= Roadsisde Market McCann Bucharest Mastercard
167= Braun x Formosa Chang Uni-Surf Digital Marketing Taipei Braun
167= Chief & NWHM Glass Ceiling Breaker BBH New York Chief
167= Maurice & The Black Bear School Droga5 New York Diageo
167= Creativity is Essential AMV BBDO Bombay Sapphire Gin
167= Uber Heetch Marcel Paris Heetch
174= Tough Turban Zulu Alpha Kilo Harley-Davidson
174= Pizza Hut x Ikea Sava Ogilvy Hong Kong Pizza Hut
174= Happy birthday, Twitter No Fixed Address Toronto Canadian Centre for Child Protection
174= A Hard Pill To Swallow Akestam Holst Apotek Hjartat
178= Protectset Mullenlowe Dubai Mobily
178= The Inevitable News Area 23 Columbia Journalism Review
178= Addresspollution.org AMV BBDO Central Office for Public Interest
Rank Campaign Agency Brand
178= The Clean Jersey Swap Saatchi & Saatchi NY Procter & Gamble (P&G)
178= If You're Outdoors, You Need To Protect Yourself McCann Lima League Against Cancer
178= The Beer Cap Project MullenLowe SSP3 Bogota ABInBev
178= The Man Who Couldn't Handle His Handle Wunderman Thompson Riyadh Saudi Telecom Company
178= San Francisco Symphony Collins New York San Francisco Symphony
178= #Stealourstaff TBWA\London Beco
178= Meddle in the New Zealand Election Special Group Auckland Every Kiwi Vote Counts
178= AirPods - Bounce TBWA\Media Arts Lab LA Apple
178= Messi 644 Deutsch New York ABInBev
190= Dante's Heartbeats Abby Priest Stockholm Hjartebarnsfonden (The Swedish Heartchild Foundation)
190= Volvo - Lifesaver Ogilvy Amsterdam Volvo
190= Lost Roads Commonwealth//McCann Bogota Chevrolet
190= Second Life Geometry Ogilvy Japan IBM
190= Warning Spots Ogilvy Melbourne AAMI Melbourne
190= A Career Limiting Campaign Saatchi & Saatchi Auckland NZ Global Women
190= Boring Heroes McCann New York Reckitt Benckiser
197= The World's Tallest Donation Box Mullenlowe Dubai The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives
197= Daddy! Daddy! Look at me! Boys + Girls Swim Ireland
197= The Long Goodbye Somesuch London Riz Ahmed
197= #FreeCuthbert McCann Manchester Aldi

Methodology

The Drum’s World Creative Rankings measure on the performance of campaigns, agencies and individuals in industry awards shows around the world as a proxy for critical reception.

Though our sample is based on a snapshot of the last twelve months, some of the campaigns included will have already ran prior to those twelve months – and because some awards schemes postponed ceremonies and announcements by several months during the pandemic, some of the winning work included in our sample ran in 2020 or 2019, but won recognition in 2021 – which is why campaigns such as ‘Wombstories’ and ‘Moldy Whopper’ charted high in both this year’s and last year’s rankings.

Creative Works World Creative Rankings Marketing

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