The 2011 rankings are compiled from some 6,000 awards won by 4,048 campaigns on behalf of 2,461 clients by 1,302 agencies rewarding the efforts of 272 Chief Creative Officers, 690 Executive Creative Directors, 2,373 copywriters and 2,472 art directors.
Though there are many new media categories - with Mobile and Branded Content set to be separate categories in 2012 at more awards shows than just Cannes - the single most popular category remains Press. And in 2011 the most awarded piece of work in the world was a print, ‘Heaven and Hell’ for Samsung.
BBDO New York regained No.1 status from sister agency AlmapBBO Sao Paulo, No.1 in 2010, by winning awards for ten separate brands in TV, Press, Radio, Direct Marketing, Integrated Media, Digital, Mobile, Design and Alternative & Innovative categories.
The ‘traditional’ agency no longer exists. All agencies are driven by decreasing budgets and by the migration of audiences to find solutions to their clients’ problems in areas other than the ‘traditional’ response of TV and print.
So we see DDB London, a regular top agency in the Big Won rankings of the past through its press and TV now ranked the 5th most successful Digital agency in the world and Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO similarly achieving a Top 10 ranking as a digital agency and Colenso BBDO Auckland listed as the No.1 Direct agency in the world.
The case for creativity
In 2011, James Hurman, Executive Planning Director of Colenso BBDO Auckland, published “The Case for Creativity”. With a statistician’s eye, he has scanned the 2011 Big Won rankings and written a short essay on the results, as he sees them.
He notes that many of the world’s most creative campaigns are also among the most effective.
“ Out of 4048 creatively-awarded campaigns in 2011, the USA Grand Effie (Old Spice The Man Your Man Could Smell Like) was the 10th most creatively-awarded. The Asian Marketing Effectiveness Awards Platinum (Yellow Pages’ Hidden Pizza Restaurant) was the 40th most awarded. And the IPA Effectiveness Awards Grand Prix (Colombian Ministry of Defence’s Operation Christmas campaign) was the 85th most awarded.
In my part of the world, the New Zealand Effies’ Most Effective Campaign of the Year (NZ Ministry of Health’s The Journal) was the 19th most creatively-awarded campaign in the world, and the Australian Grand Effie (Tontine’s Dated Pillows) was the 64th most awarded.
This presents a case for uncovering the world’s most creatively-awarded campaigns so that we’re able to discuss them, learn from them, and understand the nature of the sorts of communications that will truly stand the best chance of cutting through, engaging and persuading today’s consumers.”
My own research in 2011 showed that the world’s most creatively-awarded agencies won, on average, two and a half times as many effectiveness accolades as less creative agencies. Those findings were corroborated when Effie Worldwide and Warc released their Effie Index, showing BBDO (for many years the Big Won’s most creatively-awarded agency network) to also be the world’s most effective network.
Again these findings are played out in this year’s rankings. The Big Won’s top agency, BBDO New York, is the #2 most effective US agency in the Effie Index (behind Wieden & Kennedy, another top performer in The Big Won). The runner-up, Almap BBDO, won the 2011 Grand Effie in Brazil for their work on Pepsi. #4, Hamburg’s Jung Von Matt, are also #4 in Germany for Effectiveness. Colenso BBDO at #5 is New Zealand’s Effie Index #1. And AMV BBDO is #6 in the Big Won and #3 in the UK in the Effie Index.”
The value of creative awards, then, is not in bolstering the fragile egos of creative people but in indicating which campaigns have, in all likelihood, given their clients real return on investment. And the value of the Directory Big Won rankings is in identifying which agencies are most likely to generate remarkable commercial results for their clients.
Top agencies in the world 2011
1
BBDO New York
383
2
AlmapBBDO, Sao Paulo
347
3
Y&R Dubai
342
4
Jung Von Matt Hamburg
314
5
Colenso BBDO, Auckland
301
6
Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, London
299
7=
Forsman & Bodenfors, Gothenburg
294
7=
Ogilvy Frankfurt
294
9
Serviceplan Munich
280
10
Clemenger BBDO Melbourne
247
11
Publicis Conseil, Paris
234
12
Grabarz & Partner Werbeagentur Hamburg
214
13
Dentsu Tokyo
211
14
Wieden + Kennedy Portland
210
15
kempertrautmann, Hamburg
207
16
DDB London
205
17
BBH London
204
18
BETC Euro RSCG, Paris
203
19
JWT Shanghai
199
20
Wieden + Kennedy, Amsterdam
192
21
DraftFCB New Zealand
182
22
FP7 Manama Bahrain
181
23
Droga5 New York
180
24
Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, Buenos Aires
175
25
Y&R New York
174
26
Leo Burnett Beirut
173
27
Shackleton Madrid
170
28
DDB Singapore
157
29
McCann Erickson Bucharest
155
30
Leo Burnett Sydney
150
31
Ogilvy & Mather Kuala Lumpur
145
32
R/GA, New York
143
33
Mudra Communications Mumbai
140
34
DDB New Zealand Auckland
136
35
DDB Stockholm
134
36
Ogilvy Sao Paulo Brazil
133
37
BBDO Toronto, Canada
125
38
Ogilvy Argentina
124
39
Crispin Porter Bogusky, Boulder
120
40
Leo Burnett Chicago
118
41
Y&R Paris
117
42=
Leo Burnett Hong Kong
113
42=
Publicis London
113
44=
DDB&Co., Istanbul
112
44=
BBH New York
112
46
Akestam Holst, Stockholm
110
47
Leo Burnett Toronto
108
48
Hakuhodo Tokyo
107
49
BMF Sydney
106
50
Shalmor Avnon Amichay Y & R Interactive Tel Aviv Israel
105
Top networks
1.
BBDO
2648
2.
Ogilvy
1909
3.
DDB
1785
4.
Leo Burnett
1733
5.
Y&R
1459
6.
JWT
882
7.
TBWA
707
8.
Saatchi
693
9.
Publicis
685
10.
EuroRSCG
682
11.
McCann Erickson
657
12.
W+K
544
13.
Grey
325
14.
DraftFCB
323
15.
Dentsu
250
Top Holding Companies
1.
Omnicom
5.434
2.
WPP
4.851
3.
Publicis
3.145
4.
Interpublic
1.467
5.
Havas
682
Top 25 campaigns across all media
1.
Heaven and Hell
Press
Samsonite
JWT Shanghai
154
2.
Decode Jay-Z
Outdoor/Digital
Bing
Droga5 New York
124
3=
American Rom
Integrated
Kandia Dulce
McCann Erickson Bucharest
111
3=
Save as WWF
Digital
WWF
Jung von Matt Hamburg
111
5.
Write the Future
Integrated
Nike
Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam
110
6.
Homemade is Best
Digital/Design
IKEA
Forsman & Bodenfors
99
7.
Who Killed Deon?
TV/Digital
Met Police
AMV BBDO London
83
8.
Wall of Fame
Digital
Edding
kempertrautmann Hamburg
82
9.
See the Person
Integrated
Scope
Leo Burnett Melbourne
78
10.
Old Spice Response Campaign
Direct/TV
Old Spice
Wieden+Kennedy Portland
72
11.
Yellow Chocolate
Integrated
Yellow
Colenso BBDO Auckland
69
12.
A hunter shoots
Digital
Tippex
Buzzman Paris
68
13.
Burma
Outdoor
Human Rights Watch
JWT New York
64
14=
Friendship Machine
Outdoor
Coca-Cola
Ogilvy Argentina
63
14=
Musical Fitting Rooms
Outdoor/Digital
Starhub
DDB Singapore
63
16.
Break Up
Integrated
NAB
Clemenger BBDO Melbourne
62
17.
Accessories
Press/Poster
Harvey Nichols
Y&R Dubai
60
18=
Watson
Digital
IBM
Ogilvy New York
58
18=
The Journal
Integrated
New Zealand Ministry of Health
DraftFCB Auckland
58
20=
Megane Experiment
Integrated
Renault UK
Publicis London
57
20=
Light Wall
Outdoor
BMW
Serviceplan Munich
57
22.
Welcome Back
Outdoor/Digital
T-Mobile
Saatchi & Saatchi London
55
23.
Big Noses
Integrated
BGH
DC Nazca Saatchi Argentina
54
24=
Find Red
Digital
M&M’s
Proximity BBDO Toronto
53
24=
The 250km Wave
Outdoor/Digital
Kyushu Rail
Dentsu Tokyo
53
24=
Lucky Line
Digital
Uniqlo
Dentsu Tokyo
53
Top countries
1.
USA
3164
2.
United Kingdom
3061
3.
Germany
2370
4.
Australia
1496
5.
France
1446
6.
Spain
1066
7.
Brazil
1047
8.
Sweden
913
9.
New Zealand
857
10.
South Africa
816
11.
UAE
775
12.
India
751
13.
Canada
703
14.
Japan
654
15.
China
610
Top agencies for Direct
1
Colenso BBDO, Auckland
173
2
DraftFCB New Zealand
147
3
Clemenger BBDO Melbourne
138
4
Shackleton Madrid
135
5
Ogilvy Frankfurt
122
6
BMF Sydney
99
7
Leo Burnett Beirut
90
8
Mark/M&C Saatchi Sydney
74
9
Proximity London
73
10=
Jung Von Matt Hamburg
70
10=
McCann Erickson Bucharest
70
12
OgilvyOne London
66
13
Ogilvy Argentina
64
14
BBDO New York
56
15
Whybin TBWA, Sydney
55
16
Akestam Holst, Stockholm
49
17
Hakuhodo Tokyo
48
18
Leo Burnett Toronto
47
19
Ogilvy Sao Paulo Brazil
46
20
DDB Singapore
45
21
DDB New Zealand Auckland
43
22=
Wunderman Germany
42
22=
4th Amendment Wear Boulder
42
24
Serviceplan Munich
39
25=
Grabarz & Partner Werbeagentur Hamburg
38
25=
Ogilvy New York
38
25=
Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw
38
28
DDB Melbourne
37
29=
Rapp TRibal Auckland
36
29=
Archibald Ingall Stretton, London
36
31=
Leo Burnett Sydney
34
31=
FP7 Manama Bahrain
34
33=
AlmapBBDO, Sao Paulo
33
33=
M&C Saatchi Sydney
33
35
Forsman & Bodenfors, Gothenburg
32
36=
Mudra Communications Mumbai
31
36=
kempertrautmann, Hamburg
31
37
DDB Paris
30
38=
DDB London
29
38=
Story, Edinburgh
29
39
Wunderman Sydney
28
40=
Proximity Barcelona
26
40=
DDB Brazil, Sao Paulo
26
40=
Demner, Merlicek & Bergmann Vienna
26
40=
Buzzman Paris
26
46=
Leo Burnett Frankfurt
25
46=
Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, Buenos Aires
25
47=
Mortierbrigade Brussels
24
47=
Fallon Minneapolis
24
47=
Wunderman Vienna
24
Top agencies for TV/Film/Video
1
BBDO New York
171
2
Wieden + Kennedy, Amsterdam
121
3
Wieden + Kennedy Portland
96
4
Publicis Conseil, Paris
90
5
Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, London
89
6
Dare London
72
7
Wieden+Kennedy, London
71
8
DDB London
70
9=
Leo Burnett Cairo
67
9=
Saatchi & Saatchi London
67
11
Mother London
59
12
BBDO Toronto, Canada
58
13
BETC Euro RSCG, Paris
56
14
Leo Burnett Chicago
54
15
Y&R New York
53
16=
Euro RSCG New York
52
16=
Droga5 New York
52
18
Adam & Eve London
48
19
The Red Brick Road, London
46
20
Forsman & Bodenfors, Gothenburg
44
21
Spillmann/Fesler/Leo Burnett, Zurich
43
22=
BBH London
41
22=
Ponce Buenos Aires, Acassuso
41
22=
Fallon London
41
25=
DDB New Zealand Auckland
40
25=
BBH New York
40
27=
Clemenger BBDO Melbourne
39
27=
Arnold Worldwide Boston MA
39
27=
Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, Buenos Aires
39
30=
Bates Taiwan
37
30=
TBWA PHS Helsinki
37
30=
Chi & Partners London
37
33
Leo Burnett Melbourne
36
34
Elephant Cairo
35
35=
AlmapBBDO, Sao Paulo
34
35=
Goodby, Silverstein and Partners, San Francisco
34
37
Grey New York
32
38
Serviceplan Munich
31
39=
Leo Burnett Sydney
30
39=
Demner, Merlicek & Bergmann Vienna
30
39=
Colenso BBDO, Auckland
30
42=
King, Stockholm
27
42=
TBWA Paris
27
44=
Heimat, Berlin
26
44=
TBWA London
26
44=
BBDO Germany Berlin
26
44=
Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R London
26
48
Ogilvy Johannesburg
25
49=
Ogilvy & Mather Budapest Hungary
24
49=
Villarosas, Barcelona
24
Top agencies for print
1
AlmapBBDO, Sao Paulo
163
2
Y&R Dubai
157
3
JWT Shanghai
103
4
Y&R Paris
100
5
BETC Euro RSCG, Paris
73
6
Ogilvy & Mather Kuala Lumpur
67
7
Leo Burnett Kiev Ukraine
62
8
Publicis Conseil, Paris
60
9
DDB&Co., Istanbul
58
10
Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, London
55
11
Ogilvy Frankfurt
51
12
Leo Burnett Hong Kong
51
13
Grabarz & Partner Werbeagentur Hamburg
50
14
Y&R Buenos Aires
49
15
Serviceplan Munich
48
16
DDB Singapore
45
17
Euro RSCG Bangkok Limited
44
18
Leo Burnett Warsaw
42
19
Marcel Paris
41
20
Scholz & Friends Berlin
40
21
Mudra Communications Mumbai
38
22
Leo Burnett Dubai
36
23
Ogilvy Cape Town
36
24
Ogilvy & Mather India
31
25
TBWA Paris
31
26
DDB London
29
27
Leo Burnett Sao Paulo
28
28
TBWA RAAD Dubai
27
29
BBH London
26
30
Hakuhodo Asia Pacific, Bangkok
26
31
RUF LANZ Zurich
25
32
Gitam BBDO Tel Aviv Israel
24
33
FP7 Manama Bahrain
24
34
BBDO Germany Dusseldorf
23
35
BBDO Moscow
23
36
Y&R Jakarta, Indonesia
22
37
CLM BBDO Boulogne-Billancourt
22
38
F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, Sao Paulo
22
39
Creative Juice/Bankgok (TBWA)
22
40
DDB Brazil, Sao Paulo
20
41
Prolam Y&R Santiago
20
42
Goodby, Silverstein and Partners, San Francisco
20
43
Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, Buenos Aires
20
44
FoxP2, Cape Town
20
45
Y&R Colombia
19
46
Lowe Indonesia
19
47
George Patterson Y&R
18
48
DDB Argentina
18
49
BBDO New York
18
50
Y&R Sao Paulo
18
Top agencies for Outdoor and Posters
1
Y&R Dubai
142
2
BBH London
130
3
AlmapBBDO, Sao Paulo
65
4
Ogilvy & Mather Kuala Lumpur
59
5
DDB&Co., Istanbul
54
6
Serviceplan Munich
51
7
JWT Shanghai
49
8=
DDB Hong Kong
42
8=
Ogilvy Sao Paulo Brazil
42
10=
Droga5 New York
40
10=
Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, Buenos Aires
40
11=
FP7 Manama Bahrain
39
11=
McCann Erickson Malaysia
39
14
Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, London
38
15
DDB Singapore
36
16
Fred & Farid Paris
35
17=
BBDO Guerrero/Proximity Philippines Makati City
33
17=
Creative Juice/Bankgok (TBWA)
33
19
Leo Burnett Toronto
32
20=
Fuel Lisbon
30
20=
Euro RSCG Bangkok Limited
30
22
McCann Erickson Madrid
29
23
BETC Euro RSCG, Paris
28
24=
Leo Burnett Madrid
27
24=
Lowe Indonesia
27
24=
Leo Burnett Hong Kong
27
27=
TBWA Hunt Lascaris Johannesburg
26
27=
DDB Brazil, Sao Paulo
26
27=
Shalmor Avnon Amichay Y & R Interactive Tel Aviv Israel