Burger King’s The McWhopper Proposal campaign from Y&R New Zealand with contributing agencies DAVID The Agency, ABPR, Code and Theory and Turner Duckworth was awarded the Grand Effie trophy (best in show) at the 2017 North American Effie Awards. The rankings for the most effective North American holding companies, marketers, brand and agencies were also revealed at the end of the show. Since 1968, the Effie Awards have honored marketing ideas that work.
Tied for number one, the most effective marketers in North America are Unilever and PepsiCo. The additional highest ranking companies include: IBM (brand), IPG (holding group and the first time IPG has held the number one slot), Ogilvy & Mather (agency network), McCann New York, (agency office, jumping 12 spots from 2016) and Droga5 (independent agency).
According to the Grand Effie winner’s entry, “In 2015, Burger King was outspent, under-armed and overwhelmed in the incredibly competitive fast food category. Our idea began with an open letter in the New York Times; a peace offering to our biggest rival. Immediately the McWhopper idea took on a life of its own, making headlines across the country. While the campaign twisted its way through popular culture, we continued to stoke the flames with iconic billboard placements, social influencers and a carefully crafted media kit disguised as a website. Although the offer was declined, the campaign was an overwhelming success – shifting all brand measures, selling a truckload of Burgers. Oh, and we helped World Peace, too. We publicly offered our biggest rival an olive branch, suggesting the ultimate burger mash-up: The McWhopper.”
“This year’s Grand Effie winner proved once again that when agencies and clients exhibit shared courage to support a bold, insightful idea, the results can indeed be both creatively outstanding and indisputably effective – even against the greatest odds,” said Vineet Mehra, EVP and CMO, Ancestry, and member of the 2017 Grand Effie Jury and Effie Worldwide’s Board of Directors.
The North American Grand Effie winner was debated hours before the Effie Awards ceremony by the Grand Effie Jury. Grand Effie Finalists (the top scoring Gold Effie Award winners) included The McWhopper Proposal along with:
- Be the Match/space150 for Be the Guy.
- Seventh Generation/72andSunny for How Seventh Generation turned the environment into a personal matter for millennial moms.
- SimplyGo Mini/Ogilvy & Mather for Breathless Choir – The triumph of the WHY over the WHAT, with contributing agencies Carat London and FleishmanHillard
- Lockheed Martin/McCann New York for Lockheed Martin Field Trip to Mars, with contributing agencies Momentum Worldwide, Universal McCann and Weber Shandwick
- Donate Life America/The Martin Agency for Even An Asshole Can Save A Life
- Office Depot OfficeMax/McCann New York for The Co-Worker Collection, with contributing agencies Merkle and AGAIN Interactive
“An Effie Award is highly sought after for good reason because it’s not just about recognizing great work, it’s also about if the work delivered tangible, business results that we can celebrate,” said Daryl Lee, global CEO, Universal McCann, chairman of the Effie Worldwide Board of Directors. “The competition is fierce to win an Effie at any level. The winners this year once again represent the best of the industry. Take a look at the winners who are highest in the rankings, those who have sustained campaign success for years and have risen to the top of their categories to learn from the best.”
The Effie Index identifies and ranks the marketing communications industry’s most effective agencies, marketers and brands by analyzing finalist and winner data from worldwide Effie Awards competitions. The North American rankings reflect finalist and winning work from the 2017 North American Effie Awards competition and will be factored into the 2018 Global Effie Index.
North American Effectiveness Rankings follow:
- Marketers: Unilever/PepsiCo (tie), Mars, IBM
- Agency Networks: Ogilvy & Mather, McCann Worldgroup and BBDO
- Independent Agencies: Droga5, Periscope and VaynerMedia
- Brands: IBM, Extra Gum/JetBlue (tie) and Pepsi.
- Agency Offices: McCann New York, Ogilvy New York, Leo Burnett (Chicago)
- Most Effective Holding Companies in North America: IPG, WPP and Omnicom
North American winning and finalist case studies are rigorously examined, debated and evaluated by seasoned industry leaders over at least two rounds of judging. Download the complete winners list here. More information about this year’s rankings, as well as the Global Effie Index rankings (based on Effie winners globally January-December 2016) is also available here.
