2025 winners | Creative Circle 4/12

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McRib Mistakes

Direct - Use of Direct Medium : SINGLE

Leo Burnett

McDonald's

For over 10 years, fans have asked about the return of McRib. So when it finally did come back, we decided to tease them with a series of "mistakes". First, we sent a test notification to over 1.3 million McDonald's app users in error. If that wasn't bad enough, we pasted up a 48 sheet with one panel wrong. Then we ran an offline edit on national TV. Roller posters broke mid-roll. Corrupted files supplied. And watermarked ads made their way onto the radio. A total disaster that made the McRib the fastest selling launch promo of all time.

GOLD

Octavia Redditor Edit

Digital Online - User Experience

Leo Burnett

Skoda UK

Reddit. The Wild West of social media. But, also where we found?r/CarTalkUK. The UK�s biggest car community. And to our surprise, they?worship?the �koda Octavia. Seriously. They call it?�Our Lord & Saviour.� So, what do you do when your car has a cult following? Hand them the keys. We let r/CarTalkUK create the world�s first car built by a Reddit Community. They test-drove it. We turned their words into ads. Social. OOH. Everywhere. The outcome? A campaign that transformed Reddit threads into business results. Helping �Our Lord & Saviour the �koda Octavia� pull away from the pack.

SILVER

Octavia Redditor Edit

Digital Online - Activation : SINGLE

Leo Burnett

Skoda UK

Reddit. The Wild West of social media. But, also where we found?r/CarTalkUK. The UK�s biggest car community. And to our surprise, they?worship?the �koda Octavia. Seriously. They call it?�Our Lord & Saviour.� So, what do you do when your car has a cult following? Hand them the keys. We let r/CarTalkUK create the world�s first car built by a Reddit Community. They test-drove it. We turned their words into ads. Social. OOH. Everywhere. The outcome? A campaign that transformed Reddit threads into business results. Helping �Our Lord & Saviour the �koda Octavia� pull away from the pack.

SILVER

Octavia Redditor Edit

Direct - Use of Direct Medium : SINGLE

Leo Burnett

Skoda UK

Reddit. The Wild West of social media. But, also where we found?r/CarTalkUK. The UK�s biggest car community. And to our surprise, they?worship?the �koda Octavia. Seriously. They call it?�Our Lord & Saviour.� So, what do you do when your car has a cult following? Hand them the keys. We let r/CarTalkUK create the world�s first car built by a Reddit Community. They test-drove it. We turned their words into ads. Social. OOH. Everywhere. The outcome? A campaign that transformed Reddit threads into business results. Helping �Our Lord & Saviour the �koda Octavia� pull away from the pack.

SILVER

McRib Mistakes

Digital Online - Activation : SINGLE

Leo Burnett

McDonald's

For over 10 years, fans have asked about the return of McRib. So when it finally did come back, we decided to tease them with a series of "mistakes". First, we sent a test notification to over 1.3 million McDonald's app users in error. If that wasn't bad enough, we pasted up a 48 sheet with one panel wrong. Then we ran an offline edit on national TV. Roller posters broke mid-roll. Corrupted files supplied. And watermarked ads made their way onto the radio. A total disaster that made the McRib the fastest selling launch promo of all time.

SILVER

Octavia Redditor Edit

Digital Online - User Participation : SINGLE

Leo Burnett

Skoda UK

Reddit. The Wild West of social media. But, also where we found?r/CarTalkUK. The UK�s biggest car community. And to our surprise, they?worship?the �koda Octavia. Seriously. They call it?�Our Lord & Saviour.� So, what do you do when your car has a cult following? Hand them the keys. We let r/CarTalkUK create the world�s first car built by a Reddit Community. They test-drove it. We turned their words into ads. Social. OOH. Everywhere. The outcome? A campaign that transformed Reddit threads into business results. Helping �Our Lord & Saviour the �koda Octavia� pull away from the pack.

SILVER

The Meal

Direct - Use of Direct Medium : SINGLE

Leo Burnett

McDonald's

For 50 years Happy Meal has existed to put a smile on children�s faces. However, research revealed that half of all children feel pressure to be happy, even when they�re not. So, for the first time ever, we removed the iconic Happy Meal smile from every box in all 1,400 restaurants and across all customer touchpoints. Fronted by Rio Ferdinand alongside a poignant film, �The Meal� launched during Mental Health Awareness week, communicating a powerful message about the importance of recognising children�s emotions, and kickstarting nationwide conversations with 8billion+ global impressions, 80% positive sentiment and selling 2.5million Happy Meals.

GOLD

The Meal

Direct - for Positive Change : SINGLE

Leo Burnett

McDonald's

For 50 years Happy Meal has existed to put a smile on children�s faces. However, research revealed that half of all children feel pressure to be happy, even when they�re not. So, for the first time ever, we removed the iconic Happy Meal smile from every box in all 1,400 restaurants and across all customer touchpoints. Fronted by Rio Ferdinand alongside a poignant film, �The Meal� launched during Mental Health Awareness week, communicating a powerful message about the importance of recognising children�s emotions, and kickstarting nationwide conversations with 8billion+ global impressions, 80% positive sentiment and selling 2.5million Happy Meals.

GOLD

Pre-Nug Agreement

Digital Online - Activation : SINGLE

Leo Burnett

McDonald's

Sharing Chicken McNuggets is the ultimate act of love and commitment. For the first time, we made that commitment official, creating a formal contract, binding friends and their McNuggets together, forever. By signing the contract, customers were officially linked, so whenever one person ordered McNuggets, the other was automatically given sharing rights. Anyone could take part in this unique brand experience, either at McDonald�s restaurants or online, where an officiator would reward anyone for taking part with free McNuggets (to share, of course). We supported all of with a 360-degree campaign that spanned social, outdoor, press, PR, and events.

BRONZE

Qatar Airways AI Adventure

Digital Online - User Participation : CAMPAIGN

McCann Demand

Qatar Airways

A whirlwind round-the-globe love story, where the World�s Best Airline invites its audience to star in key scenes from the film through the magic of AI. There�s no limit to how far a dream can take you. Step into the spotlight, the stage is yours�

BRONZE

The Co-Worker

Digital Online - User Participation : SINGLE

Mother

IKEA

IKEA needed to attract a new generation of co-workers and show the world we do careers differently. So to get them excited, we went to them and opened a new store�on Roblox. Where anyone could experience what it�s like to work at IKEA. To get the world talking, we offered people a real salary to work at our virtual store. News broke, 178,000 people applied, and most importantly, IKEA saw a 50% increase in real-world job applications.

GOLD

Custard By Giggs

Digital Online - use of Talent & Influencers : SINGLE

Prettybird Limited

Oatly

In partnership with Oatly, the world�s original and largest oat drink company, the rapper has launched limited edition dairy-free cake and custard kits alongside Oatly Vanilla Custard. Giggs, who is lactose intolerant, approached the Swedish oat drink company to share his frustration with the lack of shelf space given to dairy-free food alternatives. As a vocal lover of cake and custard, the rapper wanted to use his personal story to raise awareness of lactose intolerance, an issue that affects five million Brits, and show that those with dairy intolerances or allergies shouldn�t have to sacrifice their favourite desserts.

BRONZE

Red Dot Studio - Studio moving invite

Direct Craft - Graphic Design : SINGLE

Red Dot Studio

Red Dot Studio moved from studio 8 to studio 3 and created a moving invite for the warming party.

SILVER

Snickers AI

Digital - Use of A.I. : SINGLE

The & Partners London Limited

Mars

During the Euros, while every other brand was focusing on the on field action, Snickers built a deepfake Jose Mourinho to sort out football fans� off field mistakes. Combining three powerful AI engines and a complex chain of thought architecture, 'Mourinho's No-Nos' allowed fans to generate personalized videos of Mourinho humorously dissing friends' mistakes, all in Jose's unique style, directly into Whatsapp.and it worked, with over two minutes of average brand dwell time compared to 1.3 seconds on social media. The campaign generated 444 million earned media impressions and a 1.7% sales uplift versus a category decline, with zero

GOLD

This is not A Drill

Digital Online - Charity/Public Service Online execution : CAMPAIGN (moved)

The & Partners London Limited

CALM

�This is Not a Drill� is a social mini-series for suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) that uses Drill music to give young people the tools to recognize the early warning signs of mental health struggles. T&Pm created the campaign pro-bono, with favours called in via the agency and CALM�s Young British Arrows connections: all post production was donated by ETC, sound design donated 750MPH, edit time was donated by TenThree, with the cast receiving a small fee covering day rate and usage. Unpaid cameos from Kadeem Ramsay (Top Boy) and Jordan Stephens (Rizzle Kicks also featured)

SILVER

Snickers AI

Digital Innovation : SINGLE

The & Partners London Limited

Mars

During the Euros, while every other brand was focusing on the on field action, Snickers built a deepfake Jose Mourinho to sort out football fans� off field mistakes. Combining three powerful AI engines and a complex chain of thought architecture, 'Mourinho's No-Nos' allowed fans to generate personalized videos of Mourinho humorously dissing friends' mistakes, all in Jose's unique style, directly into Whatsapp.and it worked, with over two minutes of average brand dwell time compared to 1.3 seconds on social media. The campaign generated 444 million earned media impressions and a 1.7% sales uplift versus a category decline, with zero

BRONZE

This is not A Drill

Digital Online - Online execution for Positive Change : CAMPAIGN (moved)

The & Partners London Limited

CALM

"This is Not a Drill� is a social mini-series for suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably. flipping the much demonised Drill music genre to save lives - by treating early warning signs of mental health struggles like an emergency from the start.Featuring a track produced by drill pioneer Carns Hill, the bite-sized �chapters� dropped on TikTok and Instagram - stopping gen Z doomscrollers in their tracks and helping smash the stigma around mental health. Viewers were urged to listen for the signs that their friends may be suffering in silence, and to discover the tools CALM offers in support.

SILVER

Snickers AI

Digital Online - use of Talent & Influencers : SINGLE

The & Partners London Limited

Mars

During the Euros, while every other brand was focusing on the on field action, Snickers built a deepfake Jose Mourinho to sort out football fans� off field mistakes. Combining three powerful AI engines and a complex chain of thought architecture, 'Mourinho's No-Nos' allowed fans to generate personalized videos of Mourinho humorously dissing friends' mistakes, all in Jose's unique style, directly into Whatsapp.and it worked, with over two minutes of average brand dwell time compared to 1.3 seconds on social media. The campaign generated 444 million earned media impressions and a 1.7% sales uplift versus a category decline, with zero

SILVER

UnLandmarks

Digital - Use of A.I. : SINGLE

Uncommon Creative Studio

Humanise

We are living through a global catastrophe of boring buildings that make people sick, stressed and depressed � while simultaneously destroying our planet. Interesting buildings lie at the heart of British culture. Our cities are full of iconic streets and priceless landmarks. But a lot of what we�re building for the future is drab, dreary and depressing. So we created UnLandmarks - a new project that uses AI fed with 75 years of soulless development data, UnLandmarks reimagines Britain�s most beloved buildings through the eyes of its most boring architectural trends.

BRONZE

Daisy vs Scammers

Digital - Use of A.I. : SINGLE

VCCP

Virgin Media O2

To combat the rising threat of scamming, O2 decided to fight back � by wasting scammers� time. Enter Daisy. A 78-year-old AI granny with ALL the time in the world. Daisy is composed of different advanced Gen-AI models (defining what she says, what she sounds like, how she speaks and what she looks like). She tells rambling anecdotes about her grandchildren and late husband, forgets important information like her bank details and continually tries to share her lemon meringue pie recipe. She can respond instinctively and authentically to any scamming situation. To date, she has wasted over 1000 scammers� time.

GOLD

Daisy vs Scammers

Digital - Use of Data : SINGLE

VCCP

Virgin Media O2

�Daisy� is a 78-year-old AI scambaiting granny with ALL the time in the world. Her scambaiter persona was trained using real anonymised scammer data working with seasoned scambaiter Jim Browning . She can respond instinctively and authentically in real time to any scamming situation, whether being told her bank account is being hacked or that she owes the council money. Daisy�s voice was developed to sound as grandmotherly as possible by working with a colleague�s real granny. Thanks to this human input, she was built to mirror the voice, behaviours and quirks of an elderly woman.

GOLD

Sound Scales

Digital Online - User Participation : SINGLE

VML UK

Diageo

Baileys iconic bottle has a problem. It's dark thick glass made to protect the liquid from external light also prevents people from knowing how much is left. This is also business problem as many of the bottles stored could be empty. We wanted to turn this business challenge into an opportunity to inspire and delight consumers with treats and discount offers in an innovative way. We created "Sound Scales," a mobile audio tool that enables people to know how much Baileys they have left by simply blowing across the top of the bottle.

SILVER

Sound Scales

Direct - Direct Innovation : SINGLE

VML UK

Diageo

Baileys iconic bottle has a problem. It's dark thick glass made to protect the liquid from external light also prevents people from knowing how much is left. This is also business problem as many of the bottles stored could be empty. We wanted to turn this business challenge into an opportunity to inspire and delight consumers with treats and discount offers in an innovative way. We created "Sound Scales," a mobile audio tool that enables people to know how much Baileys they have left by simply blowing across the top of the bottle.

GOLD

Sound Scales

Digital Online - User Experience

VML UK

Diageo

Baileys iconic bottle has a problem. It's dark thick glass made to protect the liquid from external light also prevents people from knowing how much is left. This is also business problem as many of the bottles stored could be empty. We wanted to turn this business challenge into an opportunity to inspire and delight consumers with treats and discount offers in an innovative way. We created "Sound Scales," a mobile audio tool that enables people to know how much Baileys they have left by simply blowing across the top of the bottle.

GOLD

The Beko Inheritance

Direct - Direct Innovation : SINGLE

VML UK

Beko Appliances

The Beko Inheritance is a first of its kind initiative, allowing customers to pass on their appliances to their loved ones through an Inheritance Addendum, a legally binding document that can be added to a last will and testament. A single piece of paper became the hero of the campaign, sparking the conversation around the durability of Beko appliances, while the brand film, influencer content and digital assets led users to the website where they could download their own template. The Addendum was also attached to user manuals and promoted in select retail locations across Europe and the Middle East.

BRONZE

Meet Your Digital Self

Digital - Use of A.I. FOR POSITIVE CHANGE : SINGLE (moved)

Zeno

Lenovo

Meet Your Digital Self explores the digital divide between generations and its impact on young people�s mental health. Captured through two unscripted four-minute online films, the social experiment follows two protagonists from the UK and Japan who both live separate lives on and offline. In a world-first, their online worlds were bought to life as real time AI-powered 3D avatars capable of having human conversations. The films not only capture the process behind how each avatar came to life, but the moment the protagonists meet their digital selves for the first time.

BRONZE

Bundles of Joy

Film Craft - Editing : SINGLE

BBH

Burger King

SILVER

Moments

Film Craft - Editing : SINGLE

Cabin Edit

Volvo

SILVER

Dream On

Film Craft - Editing : SINGLE

Cabin Edit

On Running

SILVER

Historias Argentinas

Film Craft - Editing : SINGLE

Cabin Edit

Renault

GOLD

A Late Checkout Ritz Carlton Story

Film Craft - Editing : SINGLE

Cabin Edit

Ritz Carlton

BRONZE

Awaken Your Madness

Film Craft - Editing : SINGLE

Cabin Edit

Nike

SILVER

You're Not Ready

Film Craft - Editing : SINGLE

Final Cut

Netflix

In this 2025 Netflix commercial, directed by Megaforce, the streaming giant asks if audiences are ready for its massive slate of films and shows�from Stranger Things to Happy Gilmore 2. The commercial, helmed by Leo Berne, Clement Gallet, Charles Brisgand, and Rapha�l Rodriguez, takes viewers on a wild ride through Netflix's universe, featuring rapid costume changes and slick scene transitions. Joseph Alexander�s dynamic soundtrack�shifting from �80s rock to bal-musette�perfectly matches the eclectic tone of each IP, creating a memorable, fast-paced tribute to Netflix�s vast content library.

SILVER

You Can Do It

Film Craft - Editing : SINGLE

Marsheen

B&Q

You Can Do it' is about rebooting the classic B&Q line for a new generation. It's about overcoming D.I.Y.I.S (Do It Yourself Imposter Syndrome) and ignoring the voice in your head telling you that you can't do it. It's about acknowledging the audiences fears and excuses but showing how exhilarating doing it can be. It's about saying "F**k it. I CAN do it!". This feeling of conquering uncertainty is one of the greatest emotions, hard-won and uplifting. Bottling this feeling is what makes this ad transcend.

BRONZE

Clocking Off

Film Craft - Editing : SINGLE

Marsheen

EE

The film follows a day in the life of a group of people performing robotic, routine tasks at work, such as the commute, shot in monochrome. As they head home, scenes move to vibrant colour, symbolising the transition from a mundane workday to a lively home environment. At home, each encounters a busy household with multiple devices competing for bandwidth, resulting in delays and frustration. Once the magic of WiFi7 kicks in, family members can be seen enjoying their own moments of peace and connectivity showcasing the harmony that EE�s Wi-Fi7 enabled technology brings to every home.

GOLD

Panic Mode

Film Craft - Editing : SINGLE

Marsheen

EE

In Panic Mode, parents are depicted as stressed and overwhelmed as they struggle to find the right gifts for their children, navigating the complexities of gaming products and jargon. Their frustration turns to relief upon discovering the EE Game Store, where they finally find clarity. The ad explains that for those unfamiliar with gaming, the landscape can feel impenetrable. The abundance of options, and conflicting opinions heighten the confusion. The campaign aims to capture this sense of turmoil, positioning EE as the trusted guide to help consumers navigate the chaos.

BRONZE

Anatomy of a Champion

Film Craft - Editing : SINGLE

Mother

FIGS

This was the first campaign in Olympic history to honor and celebrate healthcare professionals as if they were the stars of the games. It reminded the world that excellence is found not just on the podium, but in the blood, sweat, and tears of the people who help others get there. This historic campaign and partnership didn�t just celebrate a team; it inspired the world to recognize the extraordinary contributions of healthcare professionals, everywhere.

BRONZE

Anatomy Of A Champion

Film Craft - Editing : SINGLE

Shift Post

FIGS

BRONZE

Every Fire Needs Its Fuel

Film Craft - Editing : SINGLE

Stitch Editing

Huel

Every Fire Needs Its Fuel documents 24 hours of activity in 60 seconds, using imagery depicting passionate, dedicated people at the peak of their effort, from the bin man to the athlete to the rush hour commuter. A black and white tapestry with contrasting style of perspectives; candid, voyeuristic, abstract and confrontational, cut to the high octane beat of Disclosure's 'When A Fire Starts to Burn'. A combination of fast-paced sequences of archive stills and moving images.

BRONZE

Awaken Your Madness

Film Craft - Editing : SINGLE

Wieden+Kennedy

Nike

The work aimed to inspire young footballers, showing that anyone can become a winner, you just need to awaken the madness which propels you to do whatever it takes to get there. Training shots of players are interspersed with bullet-cut vignettes which give us a glimpse into their individual forms of madness, from training in oxygen masks to obsessively studying tactics of past legends. These sequences build in frequency and intensity propelling us towards the moment where the edit itself �breaks�, mimicking the idea of the film, that the athletes have broken from reality into a surreal world of Madness.

SILVER

Crush Expectations

Film Craft - Editing : SINGLE

Wieden+Kennedy

Lurpak

Consumers often see plant-based food as light, delicate, and a compromise on flavour. Lurpak�s new Plant Based set out to change this perception and �Crush Expectations�. The film shows plant-based ingredients being cooked in all manner of surprisingly violent ways, accompanied by a high-energy heavy metal track. Editing was key in order to make sure each slice, scorch, chop and blitz was seamlessly reflected by the hardcore music to drive the narrative, creating the pace and energy necessary to land the idea and change perceptions around plant-based cooking.

GOLD

Never Just A Period

Film Craft - Editing : CAMPAIGN

tenthree

Bodyform

GOLD

Vote stamp

Experience/Event - Use of Low Budget : SINGLE

BBC Creative

BBC

2024 was the first time you needed photo ID to vote, but 33% of young people didn�t know about the new law. But 100% of them know you need ID for a night out. So, in the week before the election, we harnessed the unusual medium of club entry stamps, to give young people a lasting reminder. Clubs and bars across the UK swapped their entry stamps for ours, which printed a semi-permanent message on people�s arms after they showed their ID, reading YOU NEED I.D. TO VOTE TOO. Total budget for design, production and delivery was �2.5k.

GOLD

Vote stamp

Experience/Event - for Positive Change : SINGLE

BBC Creative

BBC

2024 was the first time you needed a photo ID to vote, but 33% of young people didn�t know about the new law (source: The Electoral Commision). But 100% of them know you need ID for a night out. So, in the week before the election, we harnessed the unusual medium of club entry stamps, to give young people a lasting reminder. Pubs, clubs and bars across the UK swapped their entry stamps for ours, which printed a semi-permanent message on young people�s arms after they showed their ID, reading YOU NEED I.D. TO VOTE TOO.

GOLD

The Openness Medal - Case Study film

Experience/Event - Stunt for Positive Change : SINGLE (moved)

BBH

Samsung

Gen Z are constantly bombarded on social media with airbrushed stories about the sporting successes of athletes. But even though they might seem superhuman, really they're fragile, just like you or I. The Glass Medal celebrated athletes and non-athletes for opening up and being transparent about their fears, anxieties and challenges during the Olympics, normalising fragility and failure. And it did so on a platform desperately needing to change the mental health narrative: TikTok. Leading to 1.7 billion views; equivalent to 15 Superbowl audiences.

SILVER

Break the Silence

Experience/Event - Stunt for Positive Change : SINGLE (moved)

BBH

Norwich City Football Club

Every 90 minutes in the UK, someone commits suicide. The same amount of time as a football match. On world mental health day 2024, we created football�s first-ever 'minute unsilenced' at the start of a live Norwich match on Sky Sports. Giving fans the chance to break the silence around mental health and suicide. Over 25,000 fans helped, with Samaritans volunteers in the stadium offering support and safeguarding for those who needed it most. A limited-edition Samaritans football kit was designed including an emergency helpline number on the sleeve. Giving fans an easy way to ask for help.

BRONZE

IAMS Presents: Waylon

Experience/Event - Installation : SINGLE

Biscuit Filmworks

IAMS

Raising awareness that 59% of dogs in the US are overweight or obese, IAMS urges owners to take proactive steps towards their pet�s health. We cast Waylon, an overweight beagle, and built a massive inflatable dog balloon in his likeness. A two-story float stuck between two buildings on his way to the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade. Passerby's were encouraged to visit the IAMS Healthy Weight Dog Hub via QR codes, offering educational tools on pet nutrition and health. Overall the campaign reached 497 million media impressions on day one, news coverage in 26 US states and national coverage on CBS.

GOLD

IAMS Presents: Waylon

Experience/Event - Brand activity at a public event : SINGLE

Biscuit Filmworks

IAMS

Raising awareness that 59% of dogs in the US are overweight or obese, IAMS urges owners to take proactive steps towards their pet�s health. We cast Waylon, an overweight beagle, and built a massive inflatable dog balloon in his likeness. A two-story float stuck between two buildings on his way to the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade. Passerby's were encouraged to visit the IAMS Healthy Weight Dog Hub via QR codes, offering educational tools on pet nutrition and health. Overall the campaign reached 497 million media impressions on day one, news coverage in 26 US states and national coverage on CBS.

BRONZE

EE Home Presents: The Circus

Experience/Event - Immersive Experience/Brand Immersion : CAMPAIGN

Havas Play UK

EE

EE aims to become the UK�s most personal brand, offering solutions to everyday challenges. Our research identified school holidays as a key pain point for families. With parents juggling work and childcare, boredom-fuelled squabbles and chaotic bedtimes, it can feel like a circus! We leaned into this to create �The Circus�, a theatrical spectacular in partnership with Studio Secret Cinema that entertained 4 sold-out West End shows during the summer break, while showing how EE Home products turn havoc into harmony. We brought families together, created lasting memories, and proved EE�s power to connect.

SILVER

Reframing Homelessness

Experience/Event - Stunt for Positive Change : SINGLE

M&C Saatchi UK

Saatchi Gallery

People ignore homelessness. So how do you get them to take notice of an exhibition all about homelessness? You turn it into art. Working with ex-homeless we created scenes that depicted their experience, living on the street, in a car, in hostels and sofa surfing. As we expected, no one noticed them. Until we put a large gold frame around them. Then people stopped, looked. And questioned their perceptions on homelessness. The stunts drove record numbers to the exhibition, which educated the public on the complexities of homelessness and gave them tangible ways to help end it across the UK.

BRONZE

Awards 2025

2025 full winners list