John Lewis scoops IPA effectiveness Grand Prix just days before it unwraps its Christmas ad

Over the last few years, John Lewis’ creative, including a snowman, a penguin, a man on the moon and a hare, helped cultivate an average increase in sales equal to 16%, producing £8 of profit for every £1 spent, bringing its annual market share to 29.6%.

The IPA attributed John Lewis’ success to the quality of its ads in the ten following fields: "Make stuff people want to watch, listen to and talk about; Nothing sells quite as hard as emotion; Tell a great story, create a world; Create characters that have a life of their own; Creativity is not a luxury; Scale matters too; TV is still indispensable; Online makes TV work harder; Fame is a virtuous circle; and dedication to effectiveness and evaluation."

Chairman of judges, Dame Dianne Thompson, former chief executive of Camelot, said: “This is the most high-profile marketing campaign in the UK, at the most commercially important time of year. Each new John Lewis Christmas campaign is anticipated and talked about by pretty much everyone. But it isn’t just ‘nice to watch’, it isn’t just hot air; it halts the nation, it has become part of our culture, and most importantly, it drives business success.

“Congratulations to adam&eveDDB and Manning Gottlieb OMD for creating a masterclass on how to build brands in the 21st Century.”

The Drum earlier this week interviewed top creatives, asking them to pitch their ideal John Lewis ads for the 2016 season. The news comes just days before the company is set to unveil its Christmas creative to the world.

John Lewis head of marketing, Rachel Swift, hinted that the company was to go in a different direction this year despite the old formula clearly achieving industry success.

In total, 11 gold, 13 silver and 15 bronze prizes, along with nine special prizes were awarded. See the full list below.

Special Prizes:

Grand Prix – sponsored by Thinkbox

John Lewis, The gift that keeps on giving: John Lewis Christmas advertising, 2012 – 2015 by adam&eveDDB and Manning Gottlieb OMD

Best Commercial Effectiveness for Good (President’s Prize) – sponsored by Outsmart

Dove, Beautifully Effective: How Dove turned cultural resonance into ROI by Ogilvy

Effectiveness Network of the Year

BBDO

Effectiveness Company of the Year

adam&eveDDB

Best Dedication to Effectiveness (The Simon Broadbent Prize) – sponsored by Radiocentre

Unilever

Best Multi-Market – sponsored by Ipsos Connect

Snickers, Thinking like a Hollywood blockbuster by AMV BBDO

Best Small Budget – sponsored by MARSH

Narellan Pools, Diving into big data for Narellan Pools by AFFINITY

Best International (The Tim Broadbent Prize) – sponsored by Warc

Speeding (New Zealand Transport Authority), Mistakes by Clemenger BBDO Wellington

The Channon Prize for Best New Learning – sponsored by Newsworks

The Economist, Raising eyebrows and subscriptions by Proximity BBDO London and UM London

Gold winners:

Art Fund, The art of framing by 101 London

Direct Line, Direct Line: We Solve Problems by Direct Line Group

Guinness, An effectiveness story Made of More by AMV BBDO

John Lewis, The gift that keeps on giving: John Lewis Christmas advertising, 2012 – 2015 by adam&eveDDB and Manning Gottlieb OMD

Macmillan, Macmillan Cancer Support: Making sure no one faces cancer alone, today or tomorrow by VCCP

Narellan Pools, Diving into big data for Narellan Pools by AFFINITY

Save the Children, Making embarrassing knitwear into something to be proud of by adam&eveDDB

Snickers, Thinking like a Hollywood blockbuster by AMV BBDO

Speeding (New Zealand Transport Agency), Mistakes by Clemenger BBDO Wellington

Stoptober, Stoptober: a radical new way to get England to quit smoking by 23red and MEC London

The Economist, Raising eyebrows and subscriptions by Proximity BBDO London and UM London

Silver winners:

Dove, Beautifully Effective: How Dove turned cultural resonance into ROI by Ogilvy

John Lewis Insurance, The power of true brand extension marketing by adam&eveDDB and Manning Gottlieb OMD

Lidl, How Lidl found itself atop the grocer's Christmas tree by TBWA\London

L'Oreal Age Perfect, How L’Oreal Paris Age Perfect transformed its fortunes by showing older women they’re still ‘worth it’ by McCann London

Pepsi Max, Unbelievable by AMV BBDO

Plusnet, The pride of Yorkshire: how Plusnet's adverts transformed its fortunes, against ever-increasing odds by Karmarama and Maxus

Sainsbury's, Christmas is for Sharing by AMV BBDO

Sensodyne, Solving Problems, Not Selling Benefits by Grey London

Sixt, How Sixt challenged car hire culture, and changed its fortunes by Grey London

The Guardian & Observer, Time for transformation by BBH London

The Royal British Legion, Fortune favours the brave by RKCR/Y&R

Three, Sorry (not sorry) for all the holiday spam by Wieden+Kennedy London

Wall's, Getting the long tail wagging again: How Wall’s said ‘Goodbye’ to a serious business challenge by adam&eveDDB

Bronze winners:

Coors Light, Van Damme good results: how Jean Claude transformed the fortunes of Coors Light by VCCP and ZenithOptimedia

Costa, Creating a nation of coffee lovers by Karmarama

Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, Eurotunnel Le Shuttle: Engineering Success by OMD UK

First direct, Made for millennials by J. Walter Thompson

First4Adoption, Start your adoption story by Kindred

Kenco, Coffee Vs Gangs: How a strong brand purpose changed lives in Honduras and changed fortunes for Kenco by J. Walter Thompson

Mattessons, The Mattesson'aissance by Saatchi & Saatchi

McVitie's, McVitie's: Waking the sleeping giant by Grey London

Officeworks, How Officeworks realised its own big idea by AJF Partnership and Initiative

Santander, From “who?” to hero: how Santander became king of the switchers by The Engine Group

Spies Travels, Do it for Denmark and Do it for Mom by Robert/Boisen & Likeminded and Spies Travels

The Conservative Party, Winning the benefit of the doubt by M&C Saatchi

UK Government, The missing millions - giving expats their voice by Ogilvy

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, From manufacturer to service partner: How Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles did more with less by adam&eveDDB

Volvo, “Or by”: how two little words made Volvo’s safety matter again by Grey London