Ogilvy and Wavemaker India win Grand Prix at WARC Awards for Asian Strategy 2021

Campaigns for global and local brands including Bosch, Cadbury, Dove, Guanghe, SK-II and Pizza Hut are among the 14 winners of this year’s WARC Awards for Asian Strategy, a search for the best strategic thinking from Asia’s marketing industry.

The jury, a panel of 25 client- and agency-side experts, have awarded one Grand Prix, two Golds, four Silvers, seven Bronzes, and five Special Awards honouring specific areas of excellence. India leads with the most awarded campaigns (6), followed by China (5), Philippines (1) and there are two pan-Asian campaigns.

The Grand Prix has been awarded to Ogilvy and Wavemaker in India for the “Cadbury Celebrations: Not Just A Cadbury Ad” campaign, which saw the brand grow engagement and sales among millennial families in India during Diwali, at a time when the pandemic had muted celebrations. · This entry also brought home The Early Adopter Special Award as well as The E-Commerce Excellence Special Award.

By combining brand purpose, commercial creativity and MarTech innovation, the campaign, which consisted of an interactive YouTube video and microsite encouraging consumers to shop at small local stores, grew sales by 32 per cent.

Commenting on the Grand Prix winner, which also picked up The Early Adopter and the E-Commerce Excellence Special Awards, jury chair Lynette Pang, Assistant Chief Executive, Marketing Group, Singapore Tourism Board, said: “The way the team applied a rapid test-and-learn approach with new technology and assumptions is an important learning for all marketers. The campaign's added ability to allow audiences to help small businesses in their neighbourhoods by triggering a geo-customised local version of the ad brings a fresh and meaningful take on driving active customer advocacy.

“Business results were tangible, and not just from a consumer sales perspective: the campaign also had a positive impact on retail distribution and brand equity scores. It is a strong case combining profit with purpose.”

Ogilvy also won a Gold for their work for HUL’s Dove titled ‘Stop the Animal Testing’. Indian agencies also won two awards in the Silver category and two in the Bronze category. In the Silver category, The Womb Communications won a metal for their work for Nobel Hygiene’s RIO pads. The entry was titled ‘India! Periods Are Red, Not Blue’. BBDO India’s Share the Load campaign for Ariel also brought home a Silver as well as The Long-Term Strategy Special Award.

In the Bronze Category, MullenLowe Lintas Group India and MullenLowe Singapore Asia won an award for their work for client Lifebuoy titled ‘Use Any Soap’. GREY India also won a Bronze for its ‘Barber Suraksha Programme’ for P&G brand Gillette.