The 2025 Media Plan of the Year awards honor media agencies and brand planners who demonstrate innovation, cultural relevance, and social impact. With 22 categories judged by industry peers, winners showcase dynamic strategies that elevate brands and causes.
- Telefónica | “The Authorized Hack”
Havas Media Network Madrid earned Best Use of Native Advertising by celebrating Telefónica’s 100th anniversary. They coordinated ad airtime across five Spanish TV networks with synchronized, glitch-style tributes integrating six client brands. The campaign reached nearly 20 million viewers and created a memorable real-world experience for executives. - Foundation to Combat Antisemitism | #TimeOutAgainstHate
Mindshare and VML’s cause marketing campaign redefined antisemitism as a fight against all hate. Partnering with major US sports leagues, the campaign used the sports timeout gesture as a symbol. It acquired 76% reach of American adults, generating over 3 billion earned impressions and increasing willingness to oppose hate by 11 points. - Nike | “Winning Isn’t For Everyone”
Nike’s Paris Olympics campaign celebrated athletes’ relentless effort with a Gen Z-focused rollout and real-time medalist ads. The campaign amassed 12 billion impressions and captured 52% of all Olympic social conversation, cementing Nike as the dominant brand of the Games. - Sheba | “Gravy Race”
AMV BBDO and EssenceMediacom created viral branded content featuring internet-famous cats competing in a gravy-licking contest during March Madness. The campaign achieved over 16.5 million viewers, a 10.7% engagement rate on TikTok and Instagram, tripled share of voice, and an 18% sales increase. - University of Oregon Foundation | “B1G Duck”
To announce joining the Big Ten conference, Oregon deployed a 65-foot inflatable duck in Indianapolis, engaging fans with audio experiences and a humorous social film. The stunt dominated Big Ten event conversations with nearly 10,000 social mentions. - Mondelēz | “Elevate Your Snacking Playbook”
Using data-driven strategies, VML orchestrated a shoppable connected TV campaign linking Nabisco snacks to Walmart’s ecommerce. The initiative boosted new buyers by 12% and achieved conversion rates ten times higher than industry benchmarks. - Domino’s | Emergency Pizza 2.0
Mindshare targeted fandom communities with immersive online and offline activations including Twitch, Netflix experiential events, and Fantasy Football promotions. The campaign lifted sales by 2.3% and earned 5 billion media impressions. - Atlassian | “It Starts With Jira”
Noble People and Atlassian repositioned Jira as essential for creatives, using reverse storytelling and placements in transit hubs and in-flight content. The campaign exceeded top-funnel goals by 32% and boosted brand awareness and usage intent significantly. - Jordan Brand | “You Can’t Ban Greatness”
Nike reintroduced the Air Jordan 1’s rebellious origin to Gen Z with banned product stunts and a Grammy debut anthem. The campaign generated over 6 billion impressions and doubled social conversations. - HBO | “Raise Your Banners”
Giant Spoon created a global mixed-media campaign for House of the Dragon’s second season, using real and augmented reality banners and themed partnerships. The campaign earned 6.4 billion media impressions and increased awareness by 59%. - Jameson | “St. Patrick’s Eve”
Ogilvy and Publicis Collective invented a new holiday to boost sales when St. Patrick’s Day fell on a Sunday. The campaign’s innovative events raised household penetration by 7% and sales by 8% in key markets. - V&A Museum | “If You’re Into It, It’s in the V&A”
Adam&EveDDB and PHD UK connected the museum’s modern collection to young audiences through niche interests and activations including tattoos and scavenger hunts. The campaign achieved 37 million impressions and increased awareness by 28%. - Ford | “Baby Bronco”
Mindshare and Ford used humor and branded content with Jimmy Fallon to broaden appeal for Bronco models. The campaign drove 16% improvement in brand opinion and a 37% increase in dealer visits. - United24 | #TheDonationMap
Havas Media Network Madrid partnered with Fortnite to create a virtual donation experience, raising over €100,000 and generating 1.3 billion media impressions. The campaign successfully engaged younger donors through gaming culture. - Škoda | “The Redditor Edit”
Leo Burnett and PHD UK revitalized Škoda Octavia’s image in the UK by involving Reddit superfans in redesigning the 2024 model. The fan-driven campaign led to sales exceeding targets by 255%. - Cesar x TripAdvisor | Dog-Friendly Travel
EssenceMediacom facilitated a digital hub for dog owners to find pet-friendly travel options, boosting Cesar’s awareness by 11% and consideration by 50% while increasing pet-friendly venue listings on TripAdvisor. - Dove | “Real Beauty Redefined for the AI Era”
Droga5 Sao Paolo and Mindshare leveraged Dove’s inclusive brand history to influence AI-generated imagery, launching an interactive tool with Pinterest that promoted diversity. The campaign earned 787 million impressions and strong user engagement. - Google Workspace | “50 States 50 Stories”
EssenceMediacom spotlighted 50 small businesses using Google’s AI through local Super Bowl ads, generating 162 million combined social and media impressions and driving trial conversions twenty times above previous campaigns. - Gilead | “Sniffies Cruising Confessions”
Initiative New York created a podcast series addressing PrEP stigma within the gay community. The unbranded, sex-positive content reached over 500,000 streams and shifted attitudes, with 82% of hesitant listeners more likely to consult a doctor about PrEP.