Top 10 digital campaigns of 2013

In the second half of 2013, we monitored over 400 winners of 40 digital marketing awards competitions from Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas. Only the works that won in multiple awards shows were selected in order to make sure that the works were judged by as many diferent jurors as possible.

In total, we found 10 such campaigns that won in three or more different award shows in the second half of 2013.

Why did these campaigns stand out? What made them great?

• Innovative use of technology - writing robots, eye-tracking billboards, GPS wristbands, interactice vending machines. But also innovative use of low-tech, such as text messages
  
• Use of mobile - SMS textbooks, apps for medical diagnostics and to help blind people
  
• Integration of online and offline - Most digital campaigns also included traditional, offline media
  
• Viral effect is important for all campaigns. But people don´t share advertising - they share stories and entertainment.
  
• In case of public awareness campaigns - untraditional and entertaining creative solutions help to change behaviour. Nobody, especially young people, wants to be patronised.

But also...

• Australia rules! 5 out of 10 top award winning works were created by Australian agencies
  
• Good cause: 9 out of 10 top works are from social/charity/public sector.

Top 10 digital campaigns of the second half of 2013

1. Dumb Ways to Die - for Metro Trains, by McCann Melbourne (Australia) (winner of five different award competitions)

   Although this Australian campaign is from 2012 and has won multiple awards at Cannes Lions 2013, it continued to win in the award shows in the second half of 2013 as well. This is by far the most successful digital campaign of the year 2013.

   In addition to viral success, this campaign also had outstanding results - 21% reduction in accidents and deaths.

   The creator of the campaign, John Mescall from McCann Worldgroup explains the success of the campaign: "Young people don´t share advertising - they share stories and entertainment."

2. All eyes on S4 - for Swisscom and Samsung, by Heimat Berlin (Germany/Switzerland) (winner of four different award competitions)

   This is the only commercial campaign in top 10 (all others are social/public campaigns) featuring innovative eye-tracking billboards. A perfect example of how to mix digital campaign with the live event.

3. Natalia Project - for Civil Rights Defenders, by RBK Communication (Sweden/Russia) (winner of four different award competitions)

   Swedish organisation, Civil Rights Defenders, introduced the Natalia Project bracelet. The chunky plastic gizmo is said to contain a set of GPS and cell-enabled alarms that will allow aid workers and other at-risk humanitarians to send out distress signals if they're in danger. The distress signal also goes off if the bracelet's lock is tampered with or if the bracelet is forcibly removed.

4. Smart TXTBKS - for Smart, by DDB DM9JaymeSyfu/Digit (Philippines) (winner of four different award competitions)

   Smart, the Philippines' largest telecom collaborated with respected textbook authors and publishers to refine official school texts into 160-character text messages. These were then programmed into the inboxes of thousands of inactive surplus sim cards. Which were then repackaged into brand new Smart TXTBKS. So it turned even the oldest analog phones into a new kind of e-reader. And old text sim cards into a new brand of textbook.

   Volunteer to Promote Volunteering - for SEEK, by Leo Burnett Melbourne (Australia) (winner of four different award competitions)

   The idea was to ask media outlets to donate their unused airtime or space to spread a simple message about the importance of volunteering. From national TV, radio and digital networks, to cinema, outdoor and magazine owners, to large corporations volunteering their own media or sponsorship space anyone could participate. Celebrities could volunteer to their voices on TV and radio. The real power of the idea came when it was put in the hands of the people. Thousands of individuals could instantly become media volunteers by volunteering their social media spaces, including Facebook profile pages and email signatures.

5. Follow2unfollow - for Puerto Rico Government, by Starcom MediaVest Group (Puerto Rico) (winner of three different award cometitions)

6. Mobile Medic - for Defence Force Recruiting, by GPY&R Melbourne (Australia) (winner of three different award cometitions)

7. MySmartEye - for Starhub, by DDB Group (Singapore) (winner of three different award cometitions)

8. Small World Machines - for Coca- Cola, by Leo Burnett Sydney/Chicago (USA, Australia, India, Pakistan) (winner of three different award cometitions)

   The Most Powerful Arm Ever Invented - for Save Our Sons & Duchenne Foundation, by Reactive, Finch, Havas, Red Agency (Australia) (winner of three different award cometitions)

   For more:

   • Bizcommunity: Secret of a successful digital campaign: Think like a journalist