27th annual Webby Awards announce nominees

The International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences (IADAS) announced the Nominees for the 27th Annual Webby Awards.

Among those recognized this year in the Advertising, Media & PR categories are McCann, BBDO, Apple, Accenture Song, Duolingo, Wieden+Kennedy, Droga5, Paramount, VMLY&R, Observatory, Mischief @ No Fixed Address, CHEP Network, Serviceplan Germany, Goodby Silverstein & Partners and more.

The contenders for this year’s Agency of the Year are companies that earned more Webby Awards nominations across all categories than any other agency. Leading the nominees are BASIC/DEPT (19), R/GA (14), DEPT (12), TBWA\Media Arts Lab (12), and McCann New York (10).

All Nominees are eligible to win the Internet industry’s two most prestigious awards: The Webby Award, selected by the Academy, and The Webby People’s Voice Award, voted on by the online community. Voting for The Webby People’s Voice Awards is open now at http://vote.webbyawards.com through Thursday, April 20, 2023 at 11:59pm PDT.

“For over 27 years, The Webbys has had a front row seat to the changing digital landscape; today new and niche platforms are providing younger consumers with more options in an ever-expanding universe,” said Ciel VanderVeen, Managing Director of The Webby Awards. “This year’s Nominees showcase the ingenuity, creativity and innovation that it takes for brands to connect with consumers of all ages.”

This year saw an explosion of creative partnerships with brands tapping into new audiences by collaborating with talented creators, celebrities, big budget shows, games and by working together. Stand out collaborations include: Axe Body Spray and Fortnite creator Kyle ‘Bugha’ Giersdorf with Mistaverse (The Martin Agency); Doja Cat x Taco Bell: A “Contractual” Partnership (Deutsch LA); Chipotle Mexican Grill x Corn Kid (Day One Agency); Just Eat & Katy Perry – Did Somebody Say (McCann London); High Valyrian Lessons (Duolingo x HBO); Good Night World (Headspace and Sesame Street); Megan Thee Stallion and Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Snackable Screens (OMD USA); Burberry x Minecraft (Burberry) and Ted Lasso and FIFA 23 (Apple).

Reflecting the industry’s focus on using new technologies like Artificial Intelligence and creating Immersive experiences, nominated brands and agencies are connecting and entertaining consumers with projects like Sherwin Williams Speaking in Color (Wunderman Thompson) and Heinz Ketchup AI (Rethink), House of the Dragon: DracARys (HBO) and Nike – Just A/Run (R/GA)

Webby Nominees are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Members include: Natalie Guzman, Co-President & CMO – Savage X Fenty; Kieran Donahue, Chief Marketing Officer, IHOP; Peggy Ang, Chief Marketing Officer, LG Electronics; Charisse Hughes, Chief Brand & Advanced Analytics Officer, Kellogg; Sérgio Mugnaini, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy Brasil; Kerstin Emhoff, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of PRETTYBIRD; Joanna Popper, Chief Metaverse Officer, Creative Artists Agency; Jorge Hernandez, Founder Partner & Chief Marketing Officer, Majority; Jennifer Cotter, CCO, Peloton Interactive; Alexander El-Meligi, Co-Founder & CEO, Demodern; and Joakim Borgstrom, Chief Creative Office BBH London.

Creative Agencies are also entertaining, educating and inspiring the industry in new ways with nominated podcasts in the Creativity & Marketing category, they include: #5Things: This week in social (Grey); Icons in the Making (Lippincott) and Creativity in Captivity ​​(Sweetwood Creative).

Alongside Agency of the Year, this year’s Webbys will also recognize Production Company of the Year. Companies currently in the running include: Media.Monks B.V. (11), Cut+Run (4) and m ss ng p eces (4).

Network of the Year will also be presented at this year’s Webby Awards. The following networks that earned more Webby Awards nominations across all categories are in contention: McCann Worldgroup (41), DEPT (31), TBWA Worldwide (22), Accenture (17), BBDO Worldwide (14) and Wieden+Kennedy (14).

With nearly 14,000 entries from over 70 countries around the world and a record number of Social entries, this year’s competition was extremely competitive. From the tens of thousands of global entries submitted, fewer than 12% were selected as Nominees.

Winners for The 27th Annual Webby Awards will be announced on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, and will be celebrated at a star-studded in-person award show on Monday, May 15, 2023 at Cipriani Wall Street. Fans will be able to watch special moments and the hallmark five-word speeches from all the Winners on May 15th by following @TheWebbyAwards across YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

KMPG provides vote tabulation consulting for The Webby Awards. For a complete list of Nominees and to vote for the People’s Voice Awards, visit http://vote.webbyawards.com.

–

27th ANNUAL WEBBY ADVERTISING, MEDIA & PR NOMINEE HIGHLIGHTS:

Media & Entertainment, Branded Content (Advertising, Media & PR)

• The Afterparty: R.I.P. Xavier – Apple
• Live From The Upside Down – Observatory
• Verizon Pepsi Halftime Ultra Pass – R/GA
• SMILE – Theatrical Viral Marketing Campaign – TriplePlay Digital
• Supercell – Clash From The Past – Wieden+Kennedy

Products & Services, Branded Content (Advertising, Media & PR)

• Trapped in the 90’s – McCann
• Prime Night: Longest TikTok Live Ever for Deals – Amazon
• JP Morgan Wealth Management – Droga5
• The Athlete – Your Privacy, More Protected – Meta
• Shot on iPhone 13 Pro – Those That Follow – TBWA\Media Arts Lab

Health, Wellness & Pharmaceutical, Branded Content (Advertising, Media & PR)

• HISTOIRE DE SE FAIRE PLAISIR – DENTSU CREATIVE
• The Truth, Undressed – AnalogFolk
• The Sleep Games – Bustle Digital Group
• Dear Rich – Stept Studios
• I Will Always Be Me – VMLY&R

Best Partnership or Collaboration, PR Campaigns (Advertising, Media & PR)

• FIFA 23 x TED LASSO – Apple
• Doja Cat x Taco Bell: A “Contractual” Partnership – Deutsch LA
• High Valyrian Lessons – Duolingo
• The Coors Light – Mischief @ No Fixed Address
• Mind Ordering – WorkInProgress

Best Partnership or Collaboration, Metaverse & Immersive Features (Metaverse, Immersive & Virtual)

• Burberry x Minecraft Partnership – Burberry
• ADOBE x BOWIE – Dentsu Creative Amsterdam
• AMBUSH x Reese’s Puffs Breakfastverse – Active Theory
• McDonald’s x Karen X Cheng – IW Group
• RIMOWA x RTFKT – RIMOWA

Best Partnership or Collaboration, Features (Podcasts)

• Goodnight, World – Headspace
• Live Debate: Unresolved: Information Disorder – Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates
• World Corrupt – Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis
• Björk: Sonic Symbolism (Mailchimp & Talkhouse) – Talkhouse
• Naturally Curious-Houston Museum of Natural Science – Texas Monthly Studio

Best Original Music or Music Supervision, Craft (Advertising, Media & PR)

• Did Somebody Say Katy Perry – McCann London
• A (Slightly) Life Changing Story – Droga5
• Tubi: Rabbit Holes – Mischief @ No Fixed Address
• Heart Rate Challenge – Superconductor
• Holiday – Share the Joy – TBWA\Media Arts Lab

Best Art Direction, Craft (Advertising, Media & PR)

• Tough Turban – Zulu Alpha Kilo
• American Red Cross – A Bloody Nightmare – BBDO New York
• LinkedIn – Your Future in the Stars – R/GA
• Superior Bowl – Sparks
• Sally’s Seashells – Squarespace

Best Use of Animation or Motion Graphics, Craft (Advertising, Media & PR)

• That Reading Feeling Awaits – Droga5
• Be A Rainbow – Droga5
• Hulu IDs – Hulu
• Give Where You Live – Kin
• Am I Dreaming – The Shipyard

Best Launch, PR Campaigns (Advertising, Media & PR)

• High Valyrian Lessons – Duolingo
• Pay With Change – Edelman
• Halo The Series – Drone Activation at SXSW – Paramount+
• SMILE – Theatrical Viral Marketing Campaign – TriplePlay Digtal
• Putting the World on Notice – Weber Shandwick

Integrated Campaign, Advertising Campaigns (Advertising, Media & PR)

• Cirkulär – Accenture Song
• Not Delivered – OKTO
• Hands-free – Goodby Silverstein & Partners
• Wrapped Integrated Campaign – Spotify In-House
• Nike – Seen It All – 50th Anniversary – Wieden+Kennedy

Best Community Engagement, Advertising Campaigns (Advertising, Media & PR)

• Emerging Creative Hubs Index 2022 – WeTransfer
• Lil Mbappé – Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam
• Token of Love – Verizon
• Budweiser: Bring Home The Bud – Wieden+Kennedy
• The Coca-Cola Beatcan Campaign – FCB Africa (Pty) Ltd

Best Social Impact Campaign, Advertising Campaigns (Advertising, Media & PR)

• ReclaimYourName.dic – Citizen Relations
• Freedom Grams – SERVICEPLAN GERMANY
• Oppression Offset – Prime Weber Shandwick
• Theirworld – Let Me Learn – BBDO New York
• Thoughts & Prayers – McCann New York

Best Cause Related Campaign, PR Campaigns (Advertising, Media & PR)

• The Elections Edition – Impact BBDO
• Feel What We Feel – Grey Canada / TANK Worldwide
• Add The M – Rethink
• HetzJaeger. Antifascist Algorithms.- Philipp and Keuntje
• Get F*cked By The Government on Your Terms – Mischief @ No Fixed Address

Real-Time Response, PR Campaigns (Advertising, Media & PR)

• Dove Keep The Grey – Edelman Canada
• WikiTruth – Publicis Groupe Benelux
• Nissan Leaf Mobile Charger – TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno
• Chipotle Mexican Grill x Corn Kid – Day One Agency
• Overtime Deal – The Martin Agency

Best Use of Social Media, Media Campaigns (Advertising, Media & PR)

• Dove Keep The Grey – Edelman Canada
• Handbutts – Wunderman Thompson Switzerland AG
• Special Love Operation – JANDL marketing a reklama, s.r.o.
• Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Snackable Screens – OMD USA
• Smile Movie | Paramount Pictures – Paramount Pictures

Best Use of Online Media, Media Campaigns (Advertising, Media & PR)

• Flipvertising – CHEP Network
• The XXXtra Age Check – Wunderman Thompson
• Paywall Down – WMcCann
• HetzJaeger. Antifascist Algorithms.- Philipp and Keuntje
• WikiTruth – Publicis Groupe Benelux

In-Game Integration, Individual (Advertising, Media & PR)

• Chatham Plays On – The Hive Inc.
• Cheat Cookies – Publicis Media GmbH
• FIFA 23 x TED LASSO – Apple
• Spotify Island on Roblox – Spotify In-House
• Mistaverse – The Martin Agency

Technical Achievement, Features & Design (Websites and Mobile Sites)

• Struggly – math as a creative, visually connected subject. – denkwerk
• DIG: Cloud Castles – DEPT®
• iPhone 14 Pro Site – Apple
• B/D® JAMS – BASIC/DEPT®
• ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY TIMELINE – Impossible Bureau