Epica Awards, the only awards judged by journalists, and led this year jury president, The Media Mix’ Claire Atkinson, has chosen its award winners.
Serviceplan Germany is Agency of the Year. VML is Network of the Year.
The highest number of entries overall this year came from Germany (307), followed by Canada (285) and the UK (133).
Germany was top in the country rankings with 100 awarded projects including 4 Grand Prix, 23 Golds and 40 Silvers, followed by Canada with 48 awarded projects including 6 Golds and 14 Silvers. Completing the top five were the United Kingdom, France and the United States.
Grand Prix winners are:
Responsibility – Mobile: VML Belgium Call Glenn for Child Focus
Kasper Janssens, executive creative director, VML Belgium, commented, “Transgressive sexting is an issue that demands greater attention, and recognition like this goes a long way in amplifying the conversation.”
Responsibility – Public Interest – Social Advocacy: Jung von Matt AG Rights Against the Right. The first trademark that stops trading Nazi merch for Laut Gegen Nazis
Simon Knittel, executive creative director, Jung von Matt AG, commented, “By using creative legal strategies, we’ve not only disrupted a significant funding source for extremist groups but also demonstrated that innovation can be a force for social good.”
Print: Innocean Berlin, Capa vs War for Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center
Ricardo Wolff, executive creative director, Innocean Berlin, commented, “We truly believe that Capa himself would have liked this campaign, given that he was a hardcore pacifist. The fact that a group of journalists gave Capa vs War the festival’s highest accolade is not only a way to honour creativity, but also the work of a long-gone colleague of theirs.”
Media: Friends Berlin The 100th Edition for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
The long-running print campaign features notable figures reading the newspaper. This time it showed Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer and supported the fight against extremism.
Matthias Spaetgens, Scholz & Friends CEO, commented, “This Grand Prix is not just a tribute to an idea, but rather to a unique personality: Margot Friedländer. She asks us to ‘become the witnesses she is unable to be for much longer’. And that is exactly what this picture is intended to remind us of.”
Media – Branded Content – Native Advertising: GForce/Grey Kazakhstan The National Sport of Kazakhstan for Ruh Fighting
Popular mixed martial arts broadcaster Ruh Fighting advertised bouts between men and women for the first time – but it was a lure to draw attention to domestic violence.
GForce/Grey CEO, Yuliya Tushina, commented, “This is the very first Grand Prix from the Epica Awards in our region – a truly historic moment! This award is more than an industry achievement; it is recognition that the message touches hearts worldwide, sparking discussions across various levels and driving progress toward real change
Innovation – Creative use of Data: Serviceplan Germany: Animal Alerts for PetPace
Design: Landor s.r.l.: Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano for Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano
Landor creative director Alessio Galdi, commented, “Being recognized by a jury of journalists makes this award especially meaningful. It’s a testament to the authenticity and impact of our work, and a moment of pride for everyone on the team who brought it to life.”
PR: VML UK, The Beko Inheritance for Beko
Digital: Mother London The Co-Worker for IKEA
Mother London commented, “Journalists see every piece of work from our industry, so it feels like they’re uniquely qualified to pick out the great from the good. Winning this Grand Prix with IKEA is a special moment for everyone on the team.”
Film: BBDO New York Museum Worthy for AICP. The film imagines iconic artists facing the challenges of today’s creative environment.
Jury president, Claire Atkinson, commented, “The Epica judges really understand the mission and are serious, articulate and knowledgeable critics in their field. They know what makes for an eye catching, successful campaign that hits the heart and mind, and they know when an effort misses the mark or begs too many questions. The quality of entries made for a compelling day of judging.”
