World Creative Rankings 2023: explore the top 100 EMEA agencies
We explore which European, Middle Eastern and African agencies led this year’s World Creative Rankings, the definitive guide to advertising’s most creative companies and people.
A still from Serviceplan Munich’s Penny campaign / Serviceplan Munich
German agency Serviceplan was the industry’s favorite creative shop last year, according to an exacting study carried out by The Drum’s research team. The Bavarian agency beat out competition from continental rivals Publicis Italy, Gulf agency Impact BBDO Dubai and British flagship Ogilvy London to take the top spot.
The rankings are compiled by exhaustively analyzing the performance of thousands of pieces of creative work across 19 major industry awards programs, including The Drum Awards, throughout 2022. Though they measure critical performance across a range of campaigns, activation and work, the agency’s Covid-era messaging for retailer Penny achieved particular acclaim.
We’ve already revealed the agencies leading the pack in Asia and the United States, as well as which campaigns fared best. Below, you’ll find most-awarded agencies in Europe, the Middle East and Africa from the last 12 months.
| Rank | Agency |
|---|---|
| 1 | Serviceplan Munich |
| 2 | Publicis Italy |
| 3 | Impact BBDO Dubai |
| 4 | Ogilvy UK |
| 5 | BETC Paris |
| 6 | David Madrid |
| 7 | McCann Paris |
| 7 | AMV BBDO |
| 9 | Marcel Paris France |
| 10 | Havas Middle East |
| 11 | Adam&Eve/DDB |
| 12 | Scholz & Friends Berlin |
| 14 | Leo Burnett Frankfurt Germany |
| 15= | TBWA Paris |
| 15= | Jung Von Matt Hamburg |
| 18 | BBDO Belgium |
| 19 | Jung von Matt Donau |
| 20 | Publicis Conseil Paris |
Conseil Paris’s campaign for the Fondation de France saw it turn the influencer world on its head to boost a fundraising initiative to help save French bees.
| Rank | Agency |
|---|---|
| 21 | VMLY&R Italy |
| 22 | BBDO Berlin |
| 23 | Engine London |
| 24 | Joe Public United |
| 25 | Forsman & Bodenfors Gothenburg |
| 26= | SevenOne AdFactory |
| 26= | VMLY&R Commerce |
| 28 | &Co |
| 29 | R/GA London |
| 30 | Nord DDB |
| 31 | McCann Stockholm |
| 32 | Leo Burnett Riyadh |
| 33 | Havas Germany |
| 34 | Ogilvy Johannesburg |
| 35 | Uncommon Creative Studio |
| 36 | Horizon FCBDubai |
| 37= | DDB Germany Berlin |
| 37= | Edelman London |
| 39 | TBWA Raad Dubai |
| 40 | Voskhod Russia |
POL Oslo’s work for the Norwegian postal service aped romcom conventions to bring Christmas cheer to audiences.
| Rank | Agency |
|---|---|
| 41 | POL Oslo |
| 42= | Ogilvy Milan |
| 42= | Nomint |
| 44= | Herezie Paris |
| 44= | Oatly Department of Mind Control |
| 44= | Prime Weber Shandwick |
| 47 | McCann London |
| 48 | Don't Panic |
| 49= | Havas Paris |
| 49= | CYW |
| 52= | Innocean Worldwide Berlin |
| 52= | Oliver |
| 55 | Ingo Stockholm |
| 56= | McCann Barcelona |
| 56= | MullenLowe Dubai |
| 58 | Leo Burnett |
| 59 | Wunderman Thompson Riyadh |
| 60 | Serviceplan Middle East UAE Dubai |
Cheil Spain’s cancer awareness campaign sought to educate audiences about cancer using the medium of video game Doom.
| Rank | Agency |
|---|---|
| 61 | Cheil Worldwide Spain |
| 62= | Mother London |
| 62= | FCB Inferno |
| 64 | Keko FZ-LLC Dubai |
| 65= | Mortierbrigade Brussels |
| 65= | Hjaltelin Stahl |
| 65= | Division Paris |
| 68= | Hello Monday Aarhus |
| 68= | DDB Paris |
| 70= | Happiness Brussels |
| 70= | Uncle Grey Copenhagen |
| 72= | Serviceplan Austria |
| 72= | Change Serviceplan Warsaw |
| 72= | VMLY&R Johannesburg |
| 75= | Saatchi & Saatchi Dusseldorf |
| 75= | Ogilvy Cape Town & Ogilvy Africa |
| 75= | Leo Burnett Madrid Spain |
| 75= | Havas Istanbul Turkey |
| 79= | Havas Sports & Entertainment France |
| 79= | Grey Johannesburg |
| 79= | The Leith Agency |
| 82= | Philipp und Keuntje |
| 82= | Ogilvy Athens |
| 82= | TRY Norway |
| 82= | Stream and Tough Guy |
| 82= | LLYC |
| 82= | The Family |
| 82= | Grey London |
| 90= | TV 2 Creative |
| 90= | Serviceplan Hamburg |
| 90= | VMLY&R Warsaw |
| 93= | Leo Burnett Beirut |
| 93= | Saatchi & Saatchi Ukraine |
| 93= | Pentagram Design |
| 97= | M&C Saatchi Abu Dhabi |
| 97= | Superunion |
| 99= | TBWA\Paris |
| 99= | Ogilvy Germany |
| 99= | FCB Johannesburg |
| 99= | PS21 |
| 103= | Antoni |
| 103= | Wunderman Thompson London |
| 105= | FamousGrey |
| 105= | Altmann Pacreau |
World Creative Rankings:
Explore the best-performing campaigns, agencies and brands in this year’s World Creative Rankings.