WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2022 are launched

The WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2022 in association with LIONS, are now launched and open for entries. Shining a light on greatness, this global competition, now in its second year, recognises the best marketing campaigns that deliver business results.

Reinventing the way effectiveness awards are judged, the WARC Awards for Effectiveness are built and benchmarked on the consistent, global language of the Effectiveness Code and the B2B Effectiveness Code and are judged using the Creative Effectiveness Ladder and the B2B Effectiveness Ladder – universal frameworks of the six main approaches for using strategy and creativity to drive specific B2C and B2B marketing outcomes.

Unique to these Awards, every shortlisted and winning entry will receive feedback on how they’ve performed on the relevant Ladder, helping drive business and industry success.

Paul Coxhill, Managing Director, WARC, said: “Following the successful launch of the 2021 Awards, and the fantastic response to the Creative Effectiveness Ladder as a universal benchmark to assess marketing, this year also sees the introduction of the newly launched B2B Effectiveness Ladder, created in partnership with The B2B Institute, a LinkedIn think tank, and LIONS.

“Representing a wide range of global brands, I’m delighted to welcome our esteemed and experienced Jury Chairs, who will be using the Ladders when leading the judging process to provide a consistent approach and global standard for effectiveness. And as a proud ally of the Unstereotype Alliance, championing inclusive, empowering, and forward-thinking ideas, the juries will follow their guidelines to help identify any damaging content.”

The six jury chairs are:

Antonia Wade, Global Chief Marketing Officer, PwC is appointed chair of the Business-to-Business category, awarding effective campaigns from one business targeting another.

“I feel like we’re witnessing a real turning point for B2B and it’s great to have a platform like the WARC Awards for Effectiveness to recognise excellence in our sector. I’d encourage B2B marketers to submit the work they are most proud of, so they get the recognition they deserve. It is a great morale boost for teams to take part, and a fantastic forum to share B2B marketing success more broadly across the marketing community”

Ann Mukherjee, Chairman and CEO, Pernod Ricard North America, is chair of the Brand Purpose category, for marketing initiatives that have successfully embraced a brand purpose and achieved commercial success as well as benefit for the wider community.

“For brands to be successful in today’s performance-driven world, they must own and live their purpose. This attitude is what we’ll be looking for in the Brand Purpose category of the WARC Awards for Effectiveness. It’s essential because today’s consumers want to know what a brand stands for and in turn what it stands against: they don’t just want to buy brands, they want to buy into them.”

Michael Flatt, Director, Global Integrated Marketing, Xbox, will preside over the Collaboration & Culture category, awarding strategies and instances of brands entering or impacting on a culture that can demonstrate a business outcome.

“There is undeniable power in work that successfully enters culture. Authentically leveraging cultural insights can grow brands and help them secure a place of their own within the culture. Within the Collaboration & Culture category of the WARC Awards for Effectiveness, we will be looking for exciting and authentic work that leaves a mark on culture while delivering results for a brand.”

Akira Mitsumasu, Vice President, CX, Data Analytics and Global Marketing, Japan Airlines, will chair the Customer Experience category, honoring new ways of engaging with consumers and innovative experiences created to connect and immerse on the path to commercial success.

“I look forward to celebrating the best in customer experience at the WARC Awards for Effectiveness. Effective customer experience is essential to brands’ growth, as it reflects the mutuality of how customers want to experience brands and how brands innovate and adapt to evolving customer needs and expectations.”

Zena Srivatsa Arnold, Chief Digital & Marketing Officer, Kimberly-Clark, will chair the Instant Impact category, awarding short-term campaigns (with a duration of six months or less) that led directly to the sales increase.

“To successfully build a brand, you need both long-term, sustainable impact and an instant connection that propels you forward. The initial momentum that allows you to authentically connect with your customers and grow your business is where everyone should start, and that’s what we are celebrating in this WARC Awards for Effectiveness category.”

Suresh Balaji, APAC Chief Marketing Officer, HSBC Asia Pacific, is jury chair of the Sustained Growth category, awarding campaigns that have invested in building a brand over time (12 months or more).

“Beyond long-term commitments to brand building, what we will be looking for in this WARC Awards for Effectiveness category is the sustainable impact on the entire ecosystem that a brand operates in. It’s important to reward brands that help raise the tide so all boats rise, delivering growth for businesses, the people who rely on them, and the planet.”

The Awards are free to enter and open to all. For each category, the juries will award Grand Prix, Gold, Silver, and Bronze accolades. Entries will be accepted until 02 March 2022. The winners will be announced at Cannes Lions in June.