LONDON, UK — The WARC Creative 100, the ultimate independent global benchmark of the world’s most awarded campaigns and companies for creative excellence, has been released.
Compiled by WARC Creative, helping companies deliver creative marketing that works, the annual Creative 100 Ranking reflects the work that was awarded by the most important global and regional creative shows in 2023. The awards tracked are determined by a yearly global panel survey conducted in consultation with the WARC Rankings Advisory Board.
Amy Rodgers, Head of Content at WARC Creative, said, “The WARC Creative 100 are league tables of the best of the best campaigns and the companies behind and for them. They provide the ideal opportunity for the industry to reflect and be inspired by the great body of work produced and how creativity is a driver, not only of differentiation but for change.”
“The creative use of digital technology is prevalent in this year’s Creative 100, used in ‘The First Digital Nation’ for Government Of Tuvalu, ‘McEnroe vs McEnroe’ for Michelob Ultra, and ‘Backup Ukraine’ for Polycam / UNESCO among others. Women’s rights were a dominant purpose for many of the campaigns at the top of the Ranking, such as the #1 ranked campaign ‘Morning After Island’ and ‘Knock Knock Knock,’ ranked fourth for the Korean National Police Agency,” Amy shared.
Top campaign for creativity: “Morning After Island” by Ogilvy Tegucigalpa for Grupo Estratégico PAE
The most creatively celebrated campaign of 2023 was “Morning After Island” for Honduran non-governmental organization Grupo Estratégico PAE. Ogilvy Tegucigalpa created a physical activation and social media campaign to overturn a national ban on emergency contraception.
Liz Taylor, Global Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy, commented, “Seeing ‘Morning After Island’ rank as the most awarded creative campaign of the year, is a testament to the resilience of our team in Honduras and proof that creativity has no bounds. Creativity can drive business, shape culture, and impact policy – in this case it helped millions of Honduran women change the law to legally take the morning-after pill. It is an idea that continues to inspire us all.”
In second place is “Missing Matoaka” by BBDO Toronto for Indigenous arts and culture magazine Muskrat, which reveals the true story of Pocahontas. In third, “Where to Settle” by McCann Warsaw for Mastercard, launched a digital platform to help Ukrainians find places of refuge outside big cities.
Top agency for creativity: BETC Paris
After gradually climbing the Creative agencies ranking since 2019, BETC Paris has secured the top place for the first time. With three campaigns in the top 100, for Women in Games, Duolingo, and Canal+, the Havas Creative Group agency accrued a winning margin of over 100 points.
Stéphane Xiberras, President and Chief Creative Officer of BETC Paris, shared, “Being number one on The WARC Creative 100 is an incredible feat not to be taken for granted. Let’s take the time to reflect on that accomplishment and thank all our collaborators, clients, and partners who helped us make it happen. It’s a testament to the creative excellence that we’ve kept year after year.”
Independent agency Rethink Toronto has risen to second place, up from 17th last year, with three campaigns ranked in the top 100 — two for Heinz and one for Penguin Random House. We Believers New York takes third place, up eight in 2023, with two campaigns highly ranked for Corona.
Top network for creativity: Ogilvy
Ogilvy was the most awarded network for the fourth year in a row, with 37 offices contributing to its total and 9 in the top 50, including five DAVID offices. The network was also responsible for 12 of the top 100 campaigns this year.
Liz said, “Ranking as the most creative network on the Creative 100 for the fourth year reflects our deep belief that creativity is the ultimate differentiator and force multiplier. It’s an outcome only earned because of the hard work, brilliance, and fearlessness of everyone at Ogilvy and our brave clients around the world. We are filled with gratitude and pride for the impact we have been able to create together this year.”
DDB Worldwide retained its second position with six agencies in the top 50 and seven campaigns in the top 100. Having rebranded from VMLY&R and merged with Wunderman Thompson, the newly created VML enters the ranking in third place.
Top holding company for creativity: WPP
WPP maintained its position at the top of the holding company ranking with three networks in the top 50, including first and third-ranked networks, Ogilvy and VML.
Rob Reilly, Global Chief Creative Officer of WPP, said, “Awards are the by-product, never the motivation, of doing the boldest and most effective work for our clients. To be recognized as the most creative company in the world for the second year in a row is down to the relationships our brilliant agencies have with our brave brand partners and our production co-conspirators.”
Top brand for creativity: Burger King
For the sixth year in a row, Burger King tops the brand ranking for creativity. Despite only having one campaign in the top 100 (Burger Glitch), the quick-service restaurant had 26 awarded campaigns in the full data set.
Sabrina Ferretti, Marketing VP for Burger King International, and Pat O’Toole, Chief Marketing Officer for Burger King US & Canada, expressed, “We’re incredibly humbled to be named the most creative brand in the world by WARC again this year – wow! This recognition is driven by unforgettable creativity always rooted in consumer and cultural tensions that deliver business results and continued brand strength. This top spot for the past six years is a testament to the work of our passionate Franchisees, creative agencies, and internal teams, all of whom make up our global Burger King family.”
Corona is in second place with 11 campaigns in the full data, and McDonald’s, which last ranked in 2022, is in third, with 25 campaigns across the full listing.
Top advertiser for creativity: Anheuser-Busch InBev
For the third year running, AB InBev tops the advertiser ranking. The alcoholic drinks brand owner had seven campaigns in the top 100 creative campaigns, and four brands in the top 50 brands ranking.
Marcel Marcondes, Chief Marketing Officer of AB InBev, said, “At AB InBev, we use creativity to find solutions to consumer problems and drive organic growth. It’s an important part of our culture, and we’re humbled to be ranked number one in the WARC Creative 100 for the third year in a row. We also couldn’t be prouder to have Corona recognized as the highest-ranking beer brand on the list.”
Unilever retains its second place for the second year running with two brands – Dove and Vaseline – ranked in the top 50. Apple moves up to third position, up from sixth the previous year.
Top country for creativity: USA
The USA retains its first place as the most awarded country for creativity, a rank it has held since 2006 (when the Creative 100 was the Gunn Report). However, for the first time in 10 years, the UK has dropped out of second place, beaten by France by a small margin of points.
The WARC Creative 100 has been compiled using a rigorous, unbiased, and transparent methodology.
The WARC Creative 100 Ranking can be viewed in full here. It includes the world’s top 100 awarded campaigns for creativity, the top 50 creative agencies, agency networks, brands, advertisers, countries, and top holding companies. For a limited time, the WARC Creative 100 summary report is available to all here.
The campaigns, case studies, credits, and summary reports are available to WARC Creative members.
The WARC Media 100 will be announced on March 19, and the WARC Effective 100 on March 25.
