Campaign For The U.S. Navy Wins Grand Prix In The 2015 Warc Prize For Social Strategy

LONDON, June 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- A social media campaign that helped the U.S. Navy recruit cryptologists has been recognized for having the world's best social marketing strategy. The 'Project Architeuthis' campaign, developed by Campbell Ewald in Detroit, has been named the Grand Prix winner of  the 2015 Warc Prize for Social Strategy, a global competition for social marketing strategies that have delivered against business objectives.

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'Project Architeuthis' was an alternate-reality game where characters, cryptologic clues, tips and updates were revealed across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr. It allowed the U.S. Navy to meet its recruitment targets despite significant cuts in budget.

The Warc Prize for Social Strategy recognizes the world's best examples of marketing strategies that drive conversation, sharing, participation and/or advocacy. Entrants were asked to show how their strategies had delivered credible business results. The authors of the 'Project Architeuthis' entry have been awarded a $5,000 prize.

Louise Ainsworth, CEO of Warc, said, "The winning campaigns in the Warc Prize for Social Strategy have made the important connection between brands' social media activity, and how that activity impacts the bottom line."

A total of 16 campaigns, submitted from 6 different markets, won Gold, Silver, or Bronze awards (see full list below). The $10,000 prize fund attracted nearly 100 entries this year. In addition to 'Project Architeuthis,' five other campaigns each won $1,000 cash prizes (see full list below). "This year's winners represent a diverse mix of brands and companies, all of whom are leveraging social channels to advance the objectives of their organizations," said Ainsworth.

The Prize was judged by a panel of senior advertisers and agency-side strategy experts. The panel was led by Prize Chairman Shubu Mitra, Director of Connection Planning Effectiveness and Productivity for The Coca-Cola Company.

"'Project Architeuthis' was a brilliant campaign," commented Mitra. "It was able to reach a very niche audience with a very effective and highly engaging social strategy. It was absolutely worthy of winning the Grand Prix."

"We had quite a few cases that demonstrated very smart use of different social platforms – not just Facebook and Twitter," said Mitra. "I think it shows the level of maturity in our understanding of how these platforms relate to users and how they can be leveraged to achieve communications goals."

Further details on the Prize, including interviews with some of the judges, can be found at www.warc.com/socialprize.

2015 Warc Prize for Social Strategy Winners
(Advertiser / Market of origin / Agency)

Grand Prix ($5,000 prize)

America's Navy: Project Architeuthis
U.S. Department of Defense / U.S. / Campbell Ewald, Puzzability

Special Awards ($1,000 prize each)

Long Term Idea
A.H. Beard: Six Week Sleep Challenge
A.H. Beard / Australia / Mentally Friendly)

Analytics
Chobani: #PlainInspiring
Chobani / Australia / Whybin\TBWA

Channel Strategy (two entries awarded $1000 each)
Three: Holiday Spam
Hutchinson 3G / UK / Wieden+Kennedy

Newcastle Brown Ale: If We Made It
Heineken / U.S. / Droga5

Not for Profit
Immigrant Council of Ireland
'Tinder sex trafficking awareness campaign'
Immigrant Council of Ireland / Ireland / Eightytwenty

Gold

America's Navy: Project Architeuthis
US Department of Defense / U.S. / Campbell Ewald, Puzzability

Coca-Cola: Share a Coke US
Coca-Cola North America Group / U.S. / Starcom Mediavest Group

EXIT Deutschland: Nazis Against Nazis
EXIT Deutschland / Germany / GGH Lowe

Three: Holiday Spam
Hutchinson 3G / UK / Wieden+Kennedy

Silver

A.H. Beard: Six Week Sleep Challenge
A.H. Beard / Australia / Mentally Friendly

Check One Two: #FeelingNuts
Check One Two / UK / Jam

Chobani: #PlainInspiring
Chobani / Australia / Whybin\TBWA

Newcastle Brown Ale: If We Made It
Heineken / U.S. / Droga5

Oscar Mayer: Wake up and smell the bacon
Kraft Foods / U.S. / 360i

SPC: #SPCSunday: The hashtag that saved a 100-year-old company
SPC Ardmona / Australia / Leo Burnett Melbourne

Bronze

Maker's Mark: Derby takeover
Beam Suntory / U.S. / Doe-Anderson

Immigrant Council of Ireland: Tinder sex trafficking awareness campaign
Immigrant Council of Ireland / Ireland / Eightytwenty

Virgin Mobile: Making mobile better
Virgin Mobile Australia / Australia / Starcom Mediavest Sydney

Peanut Butter Cheerios: #HowtoDad
General Mills Canada / Canada / Tribal Worldwide Toronto

Pepsi Max: Making Pepsi Max the choice of a generation once again
Pepsico / UK / AMV BBDO

Walkers Crisps: The return of "Do Us A Flavour"
Pepsico / UK / Pulse & AMV BBDO

About Warc 
Warc.com offers advertising best practice, evidence and insights from the world's leading brands. Warc helps advertising and marketing executives grow their businesses by introducing them to proven approaches for maximizing the effectiveness of their advertising and media investments.

Warc's clients include the world's largest advertising and media agencies, advertisers, market research companies, universities and media owners.

Warc also publishes leading journals including Admap, Market Leader, the Journal of Advertising Research and the International Journal of the Market Research Society.

In addition to proprietary content, Warc features advertising case studies and best practices from more than 50 respected industry sources, including: ARF, Effies, Cannes Lions, ESOMAR and IPA.

Warc hosts four annual case study competitions: Warc Prize for Connection Strategy, Warc Prize for Innovation, Warc Prize for Social Strategy and Warc Prize for Asian Strategy.

Founded in 1985, Warc is privately owned and has offices in the UK, U.S. and Singapore.

SOURCE Warc