The shows tracked are determined in consultation with the WARC Rankings Advisory Board and by a yearly global panel survey, WARC says.

Anna Hamill, Senior Editor, WARC Creative, says, "The WARC Effective 100 showcase the creative and media ideas that drive measurable impact. This incredible body of work acts as a North Star for the industry, both to inspire and to help embed a culture of effectiveness."

WARC says the three key themes from this year's Effective 100 are:

  • Long-Term Consistency Pays Off: The top-ranked campaigns underline the importance of long-term planning, brand building and creative excellence. Work from Dove, Heinz and ANZ Bank built overarching creative platforms, beyond one-off campaigns, to grow new markets, execute brand turnarounds and drive long-term growth.
  • Tackling Systemic Challenges: Brands, including Microsoft, KPN and the Mayor London, put their influence and expertise behind tackling systemic problems such as literacy, sexual harassment and bullying. 
  • Innovating the Customer Journey: Customer journeys are far from linear in the omnichannel era. Brands including Oreo and Mercado Libre got creative with customer journeys, adding fun into the online shopping experience with incentives and partnerships to maximise engagement. Dunkin identified its own baristas as a key part of the customer journey, making them powerful influencers. 

#1 Campaign for Effectiveness: ADLaM: 'An Alphabet to Preserve a Culture' by McCann New York for Microsoft 

The most awarded campaign for effectiveness in 2024 was ADLaM: 'An Alphabet to Preserve a Culture' by McCann New York, for Microsoft. The global tech brand collaborated with brothers Abdoulaye and Ibrahima Barry, who created the ADLaM alphabet to preserve the Pulaar language of the Fulani people, helping fight illiteracy and turn it into a globally recognised and digitally used mode of communication, WARC says.

Socrates Papazoglou, Managing Partner, McCann New York, says, "Being #1 on the WARC Effective 100 is so incredibly meaningful because it not only celebrates the impact of the work, but it also adds to the impact of the work. Every single award this project has received has helped expand interest and literacy for ADLaM around the world."

#1 Network for Effectiveness: Ogilvy

Ogilvy is the most awarded network for the third year in a row for effectiveness. The network has an incredible 13 campaigns ranked, three of which are in the top ten; and five agencies in the top 50: Mumbai, London, Athens, New York and Melbourne, WARC says.

Mick McCabe, Global Chief Strategy Officer, Ogilvy, says, "When you pair unexpected and revealing strategy with unrivalled creativity, the potential for impact is limitless. Being recognised as WARC's most effective creative network for three consecutive years underscores simple truths about Ogilvy's culture: a commitment to consistent excellence, a refusal to take success for granted and partnerships with exceptional clients who expect the best from us in everything we do. Above all, it's our people who make the difference. This achievement belongs to them."

The case studies and summary report are available to WARC Creative members. All three WARC Rankings — Creative 100, Media 100 and Effective 100 are now released, WARC says.

The entire rankings can be viewed here.

For more information, visit www.warc.com. You can also follow WARC on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, or on Instagram. 

*Image courtesy of contributor