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World Media Awards 2023 Shortlist Announced

Strong Increase Across Corporate Influencer, Financial Services and Rising Star Categories

London, Tuesday 27th June: The World Media Group has announced the shortlist for the 2023 World Media Awards (WMAs), which showcase the best in international content-driven, cross-border advertising. The awards drove strong international interest across APAC, EMEA and the Americas attracting entries from Belgium, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Ireland, Singapore, Turkey, UK and the USA, UAE to highlight a few.

This year, entries increased by 100% in the Corporate Influencer category and 63% in the Financial Services category compared to last year. Entries for the Rising Star category – introduced last year to recognise talented individuals who are making a significant impact to the creativity and effectiveness of content-led advertising strategies early on in their careers – have more than doubled.

The shortlist, which includes a wide variety of renowned brands, was decided by an international team of 39 heavyweight jurors from leading advertisers, agencies and publishers. The jury’s make up reflects the vital importance of collaboration between all three parties when creating effective content-driven marketing campaigns. This year’s Co-chairs are Jerry Daykin, Head of Global Media, Beam Suntory and Natasha Byrne, Managing Partner, UM. You can see the full list of judges here.

“I was delighted to see so many high-quality entries which were insight-led and data-driven across all categories, but it was particularly interesting to see such an increase in strong campaigns from the Financial Services sector, perhaps a reflection of the need for financial institutions to set themselves apart from the competition in the current economic climate,” said Natasha Byrne, Managing Partner, UM.

“The number of strong candidates competing for this year’s Rising Star award blew me away,” said Jerry Daykin, Head of Global Media, Beam Suntory. “Shortlisting this impressive list of entries was tough, but it gives me confidence that brands are in safe hands for years to come. This next generation of savvy marketers are already showing such innovation with their contributions to international, content-led, advertising, it’s truly inspiring.”

World Media Awards Event: The final category winners will be announced during an exclusive live ceremony at the Ham Yard Hotel in London on Thursday 7th September 2023 The winner of this year’s prestigious Grand Prix Award will also be announced on the night, joining brands such as Johnnie Walker, London & Partners, Malaria No More, Shell, Sonos and Tata Motors, who have taken home the prize in previous years.

Winners’ Perks: The Awards are unique in that all winners not only walk away with a trophy and kudos on the night, but will also see their work celebrated in an exclusive worldwide advertising campaign valued at €750k+ which will run across the World Media Group’s leading international media brands comprising The Atlantic, BBC News, Insider, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, National Geographic, Reuters, Politico Europe, The New York Times, The Smithsonian, TIME, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.

The 2023 shortlist is as follows:

Automotive

Brand / Campaign Entered by
Audi – Audi Future | 4ward | Sustainability TIME
Volkswagen – The Force Is Strong, United! PHD Germany
Volkswagen Group – MMP: Multi Brand Activation Omnicom Group
Volkswagen ID. Buzz – Feeling The Force Of A Perfect Partnership PHD and Scholz&Friends

Corporate Influencer

Brand / Campaign Entered by
Brand Scotland – Scotland: More Than You Thought BBC StoryWorks
Haleon– The Health Inclusivity Index Economist Impact
Iberdrola – The Power Playbook: How Leaders Use Renewables The Trust at The Wall Street Journal | Barron’s Group
Iberdrola – Building A Green Energy Major Headland Consultancy
Maersk –Discover New Paths Havas Business

Financial Services

Brand / Campaign Entered by
Invest Europe– A Different Angle: Funding people, With Purpose Invest Europe
iShares by BlackRock– Index More Mindshare
PGIM – OutFront Reuters
Visa – Protecting Gamers Protects Visa Starcom Worldwide
Visa – Visa: The Right Way To Right Attention Starcom Worldwide

Luxury & Lifestyle

Brand / Campaign Entered by
adidas– Ozworld EssenceMediacom
Birkenstock – Birkenstock & The New York Times Advertising “Ugly for a Reason” The New York Times Advertising
Boucheron– Media Beyond Gender iProspect Global

Media & Entertainment

Brand / Campaign Entered by
Bumble – Brand Anthem Havas Media Group London
PlayStation– # GameTok EssenceMediacom
Reuters – Reuters NEXT Thomson Reuters

Technology & Telecoms

Brand / Campaign Entered by
Dell – Dell x VMware x CIO: Be Ready For The Future Foundry, an IDG, Inc. company
Deutsche Telekom AG – #WhatWeValue: Embracing Volunteerism With Gen Z Mindshare GmbH
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 – Samsung Galaxy: Flipping Perceptions With StemDrop Starcom Worldwide

Travel & Tourism

Brand  / Campaign Entered by
Abu Dhabi Tourism – Abu Dhabi Unwrapped: A Sonic Travel Guide BBC StoryWorks
Cymru Wales (Welsh Government) – Wales To The World Orchard Media and Events
Let’s Do London 2022 – Let’s Do London Wavemaker Global
Travel Manitoba– Canada’s Heart Is Calling Travel Manitoba

Specialist Categories:

Brand & Media Owner Partnership

Brand / Campaign Entered by
Birkenstock – Birkenstock & The New York Times Advertising “Ugly for a Reason” The New York Times Advertising
DP World – Trade In Transition Economist Impact
Kyndryl – Profiles Of Progress Economist Impact
Target – Remezcla + Target Remezcla

Rising Star

Name Company
Tilman Henschke   Crossmedia
Teodora Tepavicharova Condé Nast
Sakshi Bhambhani OMD EMEA
Rosie Duckworth UM
Obinna Iwuji Wavemaker

Social Good

Brand / Campaign Entered by
Deutsche Telekom AG – #WhatWeValue: Embracing Volunteerism With GenZ Mindshare GmbH
Haleon– The Health Inclusivity Index Economist Impact
Leaps by Bayer–Crossing The Line BBC StoryWorks
Samsung – Putting Samsung Live Recommerce At The Heart Of World Environment Day Starcom Worldwide

For full details of shortlisted entries go to https://world-media-group.com/awards/2023-shortlist/

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Media contact:

Charlotte Panther T: 07834 431206 or E: Charlotte@world-media-group.com

About The World Media Group

The World Media Group is a strategic alliance of leading international media organisations that connects brands with highly engaged, influential audiences in the context of trusted and renowned journalism. Its members include The Atlantic, BBC News, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, Insider, National Geographic, Politico Europe, Reuters, The New York Times Company, The Smithsonian, TIME, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, and partners Brand Metrics, Dianomi and Smartology. To find out more about the World Media Group, please visit www.world-media-group.com.

Five obvious-not-obvious lessons for more effective content marketing – from the world’s experts

Over the past five years, the World Media Awards have gathered and celebrated the very best international, content-led marketing campaigns – benchmarking the best work by global brands and tracking the increasing levels of creativity and effectiveness. As we head towards the deadline [20 May] for this year’s Awards and prepare for the judging, we’ve been asking our 2021 Jury what they believe are the essential ingredients for great content marketing.

1. Start with the consumer insight

This might seem to be obvious, but as Katharine Swarney, head of marketing communications for Nissan France says, “Start from a customer insight or truth to make sure you connect with your audience. Knowing your audience will also guide all media decisions”. Our Jury co-chair, Fabio Mancone, chief branding officer for Lombard Odier Group, adds that insights need to be about more than the consumer to be of real value – it’s also about where the brand can connect. As he says, “Successful content strategy connects customer value with business value. It starts with deep audience understanding, in having empathy, and connecting with passion points and interests”.

2. Develop a meaningful narrative

What do we mean by a “meaningful narrative”? Ruby Wight, creative lead for campaigns and partnerships at Burberry defines this as “An underlying story that resonates with the audience and the world they live in today”. Matthew Wellington, global investment director for The Financial Times agrees that it’s all about connections – and he’s also clear on what it’s not, “Advertising cannot be dictatorial; shouting at people doesn’t work. Content advertising offers a space for companies to showcase what makes them special – what unique benefits and advantages they bring to the audiences they intend to reach”. Our jury’s advice is to focus on this narrative first, and the content medium second. Denise Burrell Stinson, head of Brand Studio for The Washington Post says, “Sometimes people get stuck on using cutting-edge creative formats like 360 visuals or video just for the sake of using them, when another approach would have worked. But if you stick to a story-first approach, I believe you increase your chance at success”.

3. Get the right balance between the unexpected and the “on brand”

79% of those who responded to The World Media Group’s Future of Content Marketing survey in 2020 believed that investment in content marketing would continue to grow – and despite all the challenges of the past year, 23% of the advertisers who responded to our 2021 survey were increasing investment. So even if you have a meaningful narrative, how do you ensure it stands out from the crowd? Ruby Wight believes that to achieve that cut-through, you need “An execution that feels different from what is conventional in the category, something that feels unexpected and new.” Katharine Swarney urges advertisers and their creative teams to approach the brief with an open mind, adding that, “Some of the best content I have ever done came from creative proposals that seemed completely crazy at first but through development went on to become outstanding campaigns”. But just as Denise emphasised story over format, our jury would stress that crazy-for-crazy’s sake is not going to give you that cut-through on its own – Katharine added that, “you need to be authentic about your brand values and not try to act like a brand you are not”.

4. Add value for your audience

It’s all about making those connections between the audience’s interests and needs and where your brand can add value. “Adding value to a consumer’s life is key; treating your audience with respect; surrounding them but not in a way that feels forced; being clear what problem you are solving” all add up to the right approach, according to Elliot Moss, partner and director for business development at Mishcon de Reya. A number of our jury stressed the value of context – as Fabio Mancone put it, your storytelling should “seamlessly fit into the spaces the audience comes into contact with it”. If you can get the balance right between delivering the unexpected, embedding this in authenticity, and offering real value, then you should achieve your ultimate objective which should be, according to Ruby Wight, to start a conversation, “When your audience sees this content they should want to forward it to a friend, immediately!”

5. Ensure the whole team understand the objectives!

Being clear on your objectives before you start is our final tip – content marketing can raise brand awareness, change brand perceptions, stimulate purchase, reinforce brand loyalty…. And each objective requires a different approach. Denise Burrell stresses that the whole team [client, agency, media owner] need to be on the same page, “All people on a creative team should embark on their projects with a clear understanding of KPIs and what their piece is meant to achieve. Is it shifting audience sentiment, or raising awareness of an important event?”.

I’ll leave the last words to our Jury co-chair, “Successful content strategy connects customer value with business value. It starts with deep audience understanding, in having empathy, and connecting with passion points and interests. It then finds a credible role for the brand that adds genuine value to your audience’s life whilst at the same time, tells the brand story in a way that drives outcomes for the business.”

If you feel you have achieved that over the past year, then we’d love to hear from you! Find out more about how to enter the World Media Awards HERE.

Survey shows increased focus on ‘Social Good’ amongst brands after the pandemic

80% of advertisers are committed to an ESG strategy or UN Sustainable Development Goals 

The World Media Group, a strategic alliance of the world’s leading media brands, today released its annual report: What’s Next for Content-Led Marketing? The survey, which questioned key influencers across advertisers, agencies, media brands and consultancies, explored the impact of the pandemic on advertising and how brands will adapt their storytelling after a particularly challenging year.

Increased focus on Social Good

It appears the crises of 2020 have led brands to reconsider their approach to Social Good and how it fits into their creative strategy and content-led communication. Eighty four percent of all respondents believe that it is now more important and more effective for brands to align themselves with social issues and messaging. This is reflected in the fact that 80% of advertisers said their organisation is committed to working towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals and / or actively pursuing an ESG [Environmental-Social-Governance] focused strategy.

Almost two thirds (63%) of media owner, agency, and consultant respondents said they were seeing an increase in demand for creative solutions that communicate the client’s approach to meeting ESG goals. Fifty three percent of advertisers are leading with their ESG strategy in marketing communications to consumers, whilst 24% plan to. Seventy one percent of advertisers believe that brands which are able to lead with credible and authentic storytelling related to ESG issues have a competitive advantage.

However, respondents were quick to caveat that brand authenticity was essential when communicating around ESG issues, and that simply jumping on a hot topic or trend was no longer acceptable. Instead, ‘proof points of real-world actions’ are required to demonstrate that it is not just a marketing tactic.  

An authoritative and trusted environment for storytelling

When sharing their opinions on how brands, media owners and agency teams can add impact and effectiveness to storytelling around these issues, two thirds of all respondents (67%) believe that using the voice of experts is an important factor. Sixty two percent believe that storytelling should be positioned within an authoritative journalistic environment, and this number increases to 71% amongst media owners, agencies, and consultants.

When asked about the best platforms to invest in when sharing or amplifying brand storytelling in 2021, all respondents agreed that the three key areas for investment would be the brand’s own channels, trusted digital media channels and paid social media channels. 

Commenting on the survey, Damian Douglas, President of the World Media Group and Managing Director, EMEA at TIME, said, “The pandemic has given us all the opportunity to consider what’s important and consumers are looking for brands that are aligned with their own values. When an organisation has a credible ESG story to tell, content-led communications in the right media environment can help influence genuine social change – but it has to be authentic. Consumers are no longer willing to accept empty gestures.”    

Audio predicted to be a key content trend

When asked to predict the most exciting trends in content-led marketing over the next two years, the most frequently cited response was the continued growth of podcasts and audio formats. Respondents also expected the legacy of the pandemic to drive an increase in online brand activations. Finally, there was a divergence of opinion around “humanifying” marketing, with some respondents suggesting a need to make it more personal, while others favoured a trend towards AI-generated content.

The research was carried out by the World Media Group, whose members include The Atlantic, BBC Global News, Bloomberg Media Group, Business Insider, The Economist, The Financial Times, Forbes, Fortune, National Geographic, Reuters, The New York Times Company, Time, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, to provide context for the World Media Awards for cross-border, cross-channel content campaigns, which close for entry on 20th May 2021. The full report can be downloaded here.

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Media contact:

Charlotte Panther
07834431206
charlottepantherpr@gmail.com

About the research: The World Media Group carried out the online survey between 11 January and 19 February 2021 to advertisers, media owners, and agencies with international communication remits. 325 responses were received, with 80% of delegates having worked on content-led campaigns designed to target multiple countries and with global responsibility.

About The World Media Group
The World Media Group is a strategic alliance of leading international media organisations that connects brands with highly engaged, influential audiences in the context of trusted and renowned journalism. Its members include The Atlantic, BBC Global News, Bloomberg Media Group, Business Insider, The Economist, The Financial Times, Forbes, Fortune, National Geographic, Reuters, The New York Times Company, Time, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and associate members: Moat and Smithsonian.

 

Profile on Damian Douglas, Managing Director EMEA, Time and President of The World Media Group

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Social Media Portal (SMP) interviewed Damian Douglas, Managing Director, EMEA at Time and newly elected President of The World Media Group about publishing, marketing, digital transformation and more.  Please click on the link HERE to read the full article.  It makes for a very interesting read![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The 2021 World Media Awards for International Content-Driven Advertising are Now Open for Entry

TIME’s Damian Douglas Confirmed as the New World Media Group President

London, Thursday 28th January, 2021: The 2021 World Media Awards (WMAs) have opened for entry today, offering nine categories to recognise the best in cross platform, cross border, content-driven advertising. This year includes a new award for Social Good, which recognises the potential for brands to combine storytelling with corporate action to influence social change around issues such as sustainability, the environment, poverty, and diversity and inclusion.

Hosted by the World Media Group, a strategic alliance of global publishers that promotes award-winning journalism and the role of international media, the WMAs are now in their sixth year. Leading the World Media Group this year are Damian Douglas, Managing Director EMEA at TIME, who takes on the role of President, and Gordana Buccisano, EVP Global Client Transformation, Havas Media Group, the WMG’s Non-Executive Chair. They will be supported by two Vice Presidents, Emma Winchurch-Beale, International Sales Director at The Washington Post, and James Davies, Strategic Account Director, at Thomson Reuters.

The WMAs are the only awards to celebrate the collaboration between brands, agencies and media partners to create powerful international content campaigns, and are free to enter*. In addition to presenting awards to category winners on the night, the WMAs amplify the winning entries in a worldwide advertising campaign valued at more than €650k. The winners’ ad campaign runs across the World Media Group’s leading international media brands comprising The Atlantic, BBC Global News, Bloomberg Media Group, Business Insider, The Economist, The Financial Times, Forbes, Fortune, National Geographic, Reuters, The New York Times, Time, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.

“Every year, the WMAs demonstrate the power of international content-driven advertising to tell stories across channels and borders,” said Damian Douglas, President of the World Media Group and Managing Director, EMEA, at TIME. “2020 has given rise to the more socially conscious consumer and we believe brands have a crucial role to play in this new values-led world. We’re delighted to be adding a new category for ‘Social Good’ this year and I look forward to seeing how brands are using content to influence social change.”

Last year’s winning entries included Grand Prix winners, Sonos, along with Astana International Financial Centre, Electronic Arts, Levi’s, Samsung, Tech Mahindra, Tourism Australia and Volkswagen.

How to enter: Entry to the WMAs at https://worldmedia.awardsplatform.com/ is free to advertisers and agencies although entrants are invited to make a voluntary donation to Reporters Without Borders.  Advertisers and media owners and their media, PR and creative agencies can enter all categories. Campaigns must have intentionally targeted audiences in at least three countries and 75% of activity needs to have been implemented between January 2020 and March 2021. There is no requirement for campaigns to have run in any of the World Media Group brands. The closing date for entries is 20th May 2021.

Judging: To reflect the importance of collaboration in creating successful international, content-driven advertising campaigns, the independent jury is made up of heavy-weight judges from brands, agencies and media owners. You can find out more about this year’s judges here.

Categories: This year there are nine Award categories open for general entry, along with the Content Leadership & Innovation award, which invites nominations from WMG members. The jury will select the Grand Prix from amongst the category winners, as follows:

  • Automotive
  • Brand & Media Owner Partnership
  • Corporate Influencer
  • Financial Services
  • Lifestyle & Luxury
  • Media & Entertainment
  • Technology & Telecoms
  • Travel & Tourism
  • Social Good

Awards event: The winners will be announced at an exclusive live ceremony (or a virtual event, should Covid restrictions necessitate it) on Thursday 9th September 2021. Shortlisted entrants will receive two free tickets to join the celebration as guests of the World Media Group, and additional tickets will be available for purchase.

*Awards cost £195 per entry for non-member media owners.

Making Content-Driven Marketing that People care About

Alex Delamain of The Economist and World Media Group explains how partnering with respected journalistic brands can deliver engagement, not just reach.

As SVP, global client partner at The Economist and president of the World Media Group, Alex Delamain’s role sits at the point of convergence between clients with marketing goals and a suite of respected media brands. As a result, she’s used to the balancing act required to create content-driven campaigns that audiences engage with meaningful ideas.
 
To dig into how she views best practice in this area, click on the link below:

Experts Share Top Tips for Creating an Award-Winning Campaign

Yesterday, members of the World Media Awards judging panel and the creators of this year’s Grand Prix winning entry for Sonos came together for our Awards Masterclass to discuss what it takes to create an award-winning content campaign. Here are 10 top tips from our expert panel to ensure your content campaign rises above the fray and makes its mark on the judges.

1. Outline your challenge with laser focus

“Make sure the challenge is absolutely precisely outline before leading on to the creative solution and the media partner or channel choice. Clearly articulate the challenge, because that lays the foundation of everything that follows.” –  Christoph Woermann, CMO, Corporate Bank, Deutsche Bank.

According to Christoph, two entries that demonstrated this perfectly were Volkswagen: For the Many,Not the Few – The ID.3, winner of the Automobile category, and Levi’s: What Does Performance Mean to You, winner of the Luxury, Lifestyle & Fashion category.

2. Deliver your pitch with passion

“Make us believe it’s a winner from the minute you start speaking. First, tell us what the challenge was and how you solved it. Secondly, talk about the power of media and message, and how the entire campaign becomes an interesting experience for the consumer. Thirdly, prove it’s a credible solution with relevant KPIs. Lastly, tell us why it mattered. Why would a consumer genuinely enjoy experiencing what you’ve created?” – Kate Ivory, Group Managing Partner, Head of Strategy, OMD EMEA

Kate described Tourism Australia’s pitch for ‘From Country. To Company’ as one that was delivered with passion and power, creating a story that was really compelling to listen to.

Brooke Steinberg Global Planning Director, Vizeum, who is part of the award-winning Sonos pitch team agreed:

“Have fun. You’re showcasing work that you’re proud of, so express that, whether it’s verbally, in written form or in a video.Find ways to showcase your passion and the great times you’ve experienced working on the project.” 

3. Put the judges in your shoes

“It’s all about storytelling,” said Jamie Credland, SVP, Client Strategy & Marketing, The Economist. “And to tell a good story, you need to take us on a journey of here’s this insurmountable challenge, this difficult, terrible adversity you’re facing, and the smart ideas and hard work you came up with to overcome it.”

Jamie gave the example of Astana International Finance Centre’s winning entry for ‘My Kazakhstan’, which starts by asking, “What do you know about doing business in Kazakhstan?” immediately putting the judges into the shoes of the agency and the media owners who were working on this huge challenge.

4. Less is more

All the judges agreed that the Sonos team, represented by Brooke Steinberg, Global Planning Director at Vizeum and Gabriella Manzini, Global Account Director, Vizeum, had absolutely nailed their three-minute video pitch for Sonos’s ‘Brilliant Sound at the Intersections of Culture and Cool campaign. Gabriella’s advice:

“Be concise; you can’t tell the whole story. You can’t talk about every single execution. So really draw out the key steps that helped you to tackle the challenge – the insight, the execution. And the results really have to reflect what the challenge was.”

Christoph Woermann’s advice is to strip away anything you don’t need. “Always think, less is often more. Less text, less variety, less goals to achieve. Less is more. Focus, and you will be a winner.”

5. Brand, agency and media partner relationship must be seamless

Our experts were impressed by the completely seamless, integrated team of brand, agency and media partners on the Sonos campaign .According to Johan Jervoe, Chief Marketing Office, UBS, that doesn’t happen overnight. Creating a well-oiled content marketing machines takes time:

“It takes for your own brand team to understand what works, where you get content, who the expert is. It takes time to understand what the insights are and how that translates into aesthetics. And then measurement – finding the right media partner, the right channels and the right format on those channels.”

Jamila Saidi, Head of e-Commerce Marketing, DIT UK Gov, cited another seamless example in Samsung’s campaign “TV is Making History Again’:

“A combination of three things really made the award stand out above and beyond the others: the brand synergies with CNN and astronaut Scott Kelly; the integration of the message, the messenger and the channel delivering it; and the timing – the 15th anniversary of the moon landings.

6. Use audience insights to solve human problems

According to Jamie Credland, the human element of audience insight is often overlooked. “When it comes to an audience insight, these are people with business problems, personal problems, family problems, all kinds of challenges in their lives. And the best campaigns were the ones that tried to bring that challenge to life.”

He gave the example of Tech Mahindra’s winning Corporate Influencer campaign, ‘In the Future’ which talked about the number of people who believe analytics is absolutely key to their business, yet only 10% felt their company currently did it. “That talks to a certain anxiety among senior executives – treating the audience like human beings is really, really important.”

Kate Ivory agreed that Tech Mahindra had cleverly used the insights to develop a real solution, an efficiency index that allows executives to test the organisation’s performance against industry leaders. “They identified a problem, and they created a tool that was of genuine value back to the consumer. That’s the power of insights – to genuinely develop solutions.”

7. Be authentic.

Jamila Saidi reiterated the important of being authentic:“People see through the fluff, when you’re doing something for the sake of it or when you’re jumping on the bandwagon.”

It ties in with having your pulse on your customer base and really understanding your audience. She used Electronic Arts’ FIFA20 ‘Play Wrong’campaign, winner of the Media & Entertainment, category as an example”

“They did a fantastic job with their segmentation, really tapping into their audiences to understand them (it was a very different audience than they’re used to), which made everything so much more authentic, locally relevant and really believable. This made the storytelling even more compelling.”

8. Remember, judges are people too!

An important tip from Jamie Credland: ‘Tactically, when you’re writing your entry, remember, judges are people too and they respond to stories in the same way that your consumers do. So,get the judges emotionally engaged with your entry, and you’ll go a long way.”

9. Be prepared to throw it all away

Kate Ivory’s advice to ensure you’ve created an award-winning campaign:

“When you’ve gone through the process of creating your campaign, you’re about to hit go on buying the media, creating the content, just step back. Put yourself in your consumer’s shoes, the person that’s going to experience every element of this, and ask yourself, if you’re them, is it of any value? And if it isn’t, be prepared to put it in the bin and start again, because there’s too much clutter out there.”

 When the judges are going through the award entries, it’s the ones that offer real value that float to the top.

10. Be brave

As winner of this year’s Content and Leadership Award, it’s fitting Johan Jervoe gets the last word on how to create exemplary content-driven campaigns. Johan’s advice: “Be brave!”

VIEW WEBINAR

Judges Like the Sound of Sonos’s Campaign at the 2020 World Media Awards

‘Brilliant Sound at Intersections of Culture and Cool’ Wins this Year’s Grand Prix

London, Thursday 10th September 2020 – The World Media Group is pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 World Media Awards.Top brands including Astana International Financial Centre, Electronic Arts, Levi’s, Samsung, Shell, Sonos, Tech Mahindra, Tourism Australia and Volkswagen were amongst those receiving accolades for their impressive entries this year. Hosted by the World Media Group*, the World Media Awards, now in their fifth year, are the only global awards to recognise brands, agencies and media partners who, together, create the most effective cross platform, cross border, content-driven advertising campaigns.

Sonos was the biggest winner this year taking away the WMA Grand Prix, as well as scooping up the Technology & Telecommunications prize for its innovative multiplatform campaign, ‘Brilliant Sound at Intersections of Culture and Cool’. In a currently over-crowded smart speaker market, Sonos’s challenge was to cut through the noise of its competitors to deliver a brand message about greater sound quality to an audience who may never have even heard of them before.

“Sonos edged out the competition with an entry that succeeded on every level – they outlined a clear challenge, addressed it with a multiplatform, wide-reaching creative approach and backed it up with fantastic results that demonstrated brand lift and revenue growth,” said Christoph Woermann, WMA Judge and CMO Corporate Bank, Deutsche Bank. “Brilliant Sound demonstrates all the attributes of an award-winning content campaign and is well-deserving of this year’s Grand Prix award.”

Alex Delamain, President of the World Media Group and SVP Global Client Partner at The Economist said, “As the World Media Awards celebrates its fifth year, the bar has been raised yet again. Not only did we have a record number of entries from all over the world – up by 100 percent on last year – the quality of the shortlisted campaigns was exceptionally high. Creating authentic content through creative storytelling that crosses multiple platforms and borders is at the heart of what the World Media Group does. In my second year as President, I have been surprised and delighted by the fresh perspectives and new approaches in content marketing; I’m excited that the WMG is able to highlight and celebrate this great work.”

A panel of 30 senior jurors from leading international advertisers, agencies and publishers co-chaired by Woermann and Josh Krichefski, CEO, EMEA at Mediacom, were tasked with selecting the eight category winners and the Grand Prix winner from the many global submissions. The full list of judges can be seen here.

For more information on the World Media Awards and to see the winning entries in fullvisit: http://sandbox.world-media-group.com/2020-winners/

 The winners of the World Media Awards 2020, along with comments from the judges, are as follows: 

Automotive

Winner –Volkswagen: For the Many, Not the Few – The ID.3
Entered by: PHD Global Business
Credits: DDB Berlin

“This campaign provided a great solution around the democratisation of new electronic vehicle technology to make the Volkswagen ID.3 synonymous with e-mobility.”

Brand & Media Owner Partnership

Winner – Samsung: TV is Making History Again
Entered by: Starcom
Credits: CNN, Leo Burnett, Adam & Eve/DDB

“If you’re going to do a media partnership, this is the way you do it! This immersive experience into space showed how you could bring out the product benefits of technology by using a really visual entity.”

Highly Commended – Astana International Financial Centre: My Kazakhstan
Entered by: Astana International Financial Centre
Credits: Bloomberg Media, Bloomberg Media Studios

“A well-considered media partnership that made fantastic use of Bloomberg’s content bringing to life the entrepreneurial spirit of Kazakhstan through storytelling.”

Corporate Influencer

Winner –Tech Mahindra: In the Future
Entered by: The Trust: The Wall Street Journal | Barron’s Group

“A well-adapted, creative and focused campaign that drove real business results.”

Highly Commended – Shell: The Great Travel Hack
Entered by: Mediacom
Credits: Vayner Media, Wunderman Thompson, Edelman, UEG Worldwide

“A very engaging campaign with a brave creative approach.”

Financial Services

Winner – Astana International Financial Centre: My Kazakhstan
Entered by: Astana International Financial Centre
Credits: Bloomberg Media, Bloomberg Media Studios

“This ambitious ‘country rebrand’ demonstrated some beautiful character profiles that brought to life the entrepreneurial spirit of Kazakhstan. It successfully presented a country that, as an investor, you’d want to back, and achieved impressive business results.”

Highly Commended – UBS: Are You Investing in What Matters to You?
Entered by: Spark Foundry
Credits: The New York Times, T Brand Studio

“This excellent multimedia story with a personalised CTA challenged readers to think about sustainable investments and learn more about how they could make a difference with their portfolio.”

Luxury, lifestyle &Fashion

Winner – Levi’s: What Does Performance Mean to You?
Entered by:OMD EMEA
Credits: TCO London (Huck Mag)

“This partnership redefined masculinity for a brand that’s synonymous with dusty pick-ups and ruggedness, prioritised storytelling over product and delivered significant bottom line uplift.”

Highly Commended – Essity: Viva La Vulva
Entered by: Zenith
Credits: Poke, AMV BBDO, Ketchum

“One of those campaigns that is likely to be written into media folklore for many years to come. It tackled a very delicate topic with respect and humour to effect real cultural change.” 

Media & Entertainment

Winner –Electronic Arts: FIFA20 Play Wrong
Entered by:m/SIX
Credits: Copa90

“A brave and fresh approach to the category. Strong storytelling with authentic content that also had local resonance, and a partnership that played out well across all of the creative concept.”

Technology & Telecommunications

Winner& Grand Prix Winner –Sonos: Brilliant Sound at Intersections of Culture and Cool
Entered by: Vizeum & 360i, Dentsu Group
Credits: ACAST, Amazon, WeTransfer, Anomaly

“The campaign leveraged smart insights into the audience and their passion for their subjects. It combined OOH in cities around the world with great digital, podcasts and innovative Amazon placements, resulting in a really well-integrated campaign.”

Travel & Tourism

Winner –Tourism Australia: From Country to Company
Entered by: UM Australia

“This campaign was developed from having genuine empathy for the needs of their target audience and demonstrated a fantastic use of partnerships.”

Highly Commended – Narok County Government: Moments of Wonder
Entered by: Reuters Plus

“A stunning campaign that really brought the beauty of the country to life.”

CONTENT LEADERSHIP & INNOVATION

This award is for the individual recognised by peers for their talent in creating exemplary content-driven campaigns with brand bravery, creativity and innovation.

Winner – Johan Jervoe, Chief Marketing Officer, UBS

 #ENDS#

Media contact: Charlotte Panther, M: 07834431206, E: charlottepantherpr@gmail.com

*About The World Media Group
The World Media Group is a strategic alliance of leading international media organisations that connects brands with highly engaged, influential audiences in the context of trusted and renowned journalism. Its members include The Atlantic, BBC Global News, Bloomberg Media Group, Business Insider, The Economist, The Financial Times, Forbes, Fortune, National Geographic, Reuters, The New York Times Company, Time, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and associate members: Moat and The Smithsonian.

 

Why content marketers must look beyond traditional KPIs

When audiences are likely to judge a campaign based on factors such as interest, tone, integrity, accuracy, relevance and credibility when deciding whether to engage or not, are traditional KPIs such as ‘engagement’ and ‘time spent with content’ still relevant?  Alex Delamain, President of the World Media Group and SVP, Head of Client Services, EMEA at The Economist highlights this important subject.

To read this article published in MediaSector please click HERE

Marketers Expect Content-Driven Campaigns to Increase in 2020

Article by Amy He  |  Jan 27, 2020  | EMarketer

Marketers predicted that they will use more content-driven campaigns and audio and emerging formats in 2020, according to new research from World Media Group.

About 80% of marketing professionals worldwide surveyed in October 2019 said they expect content-led campaigns to grow over the next two years, with 19% saying they expect they would stabilize. Only 2% of respondents said there would be a decline.

View the full article