Teads, Edelman, VICE Media Group and Imagination among This Year’s Digiday Awards Finalists

Innovation and inclusivity emerged as significant themes in this year’s Digiday Awards shortlist. With a cookieless environment on the horizon, companies are experimenting with new ways to interact with their customers as well as serve communities often left behind.

Teads received a nomination for Most Innovative Technology Platform. The company enables brands to connect directly with exclusive audiences through its partnerships with more than 3,100 premium content providers in sports, news and entertainment — including The Washington Post, The Guardian, BBC, Condé Nast and ESPN — across every screen, reaching nearly 2 billion monthly unique audiences. According to research from Jounce Media, Teads Ad Manager is the most efficient and transparent DSP, and the buying platform’s Teads Cookieless Translator allows advertisers to seamlessly translate existing cookie-based audiences into the most relevant cookieless signals. Teads continues to enrich its contextual data solution and advance attention as the optimal metric to predict business outcomes.

In a new category in this year’s awards, Best Experiential Campaign, Paramount+ and ‘Halo The Series’ earned a nomination for their drone activation at SXSW. Ahead of the series premiere of the video game adaption, more than 400 drones flew in synchronized formation depicting iconic imagery from the Halo universe, stretching 600 feet across the night sky above Austin as part of a partnership with the SXSW festival. The drone light show culminated in a QR code, allowing viewers an illuminating way to watch the show’s trailer. Upon its release, ‘Halo The Series’ broke the previous record for new series premiere viewership on Paramount+.

Edelman earned nominations in several categories, including Best Use of Social for its Vaseline ‘See My Skin’ campaign. To build the database designed to search for skin conditions among people of color, thousands of images of Black and Brown skin were aggregated and independently evaluated by a board of certified dermatologists. Using VisualDX, a software that enhances diagnostic accuracy in skin of color, the effort allowed people of color to see themselves in search and connect with culturally competent providers with the HUED platform. The campaign addressed a systemic barrier that prevents proper diagnosis and treatment in people of color, with 59% of organic views coming from users searching for a specific skin image or skin-related concern. Nearly half (48%) of those who searched on the site were empowered to advocate for themselves and take action, representing an increase of 1,430% in people seeking dermatological care.

For Best Collaboration, VICE Media Group secured a nomination for its ‘Running While Black’ video series developed with Adidas, MediaCom and Religion of Sports. The three-part series highlighted how for the Black community, the act of running is marked by a history of profiling and violence that makes the otherwise healthy and empowering sport a source of fear. The partnership brought stories of Black runners to audiences with a video-neutral platform approach (including social, CTV and linear). It delivered more than 128 million impressions and more than 38 million video views. 

Creative agency Imagination received a nomination in the Best Multi-Platform Campaign category for its Ford F-150 Lightning reveal. The U.S. automaker, along with Imagination and advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy, unveiled the new all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning in May 2021, shifting the conversation around electric vehicles. Ford welcomed 300 attendees for the in-person debut, including employees, UAW members and dealers. That same month, Ford announced its new business strategy, Ford+, positioning EVs, connected technology and the commercial vehicle business as its pillars of growth. The F-150 Lightning reveal resulted in more than 90,000 reservations in the first 10 days and exceeded 200,000 reservations as of January 2022. The campaign also generated a media reach of 2.9 billion, including 6.7 million livestream video views and 14.1 million total engagements across owned channels.

Altogether, the work the judges nominated in 2022 demonstrated that companies are investing in innovative technologies and looking for fun and empowering ways to interact with audiences.

See the complete list of finalists below.

Best Audio Campaign
Aon – “On Aon” Podcast
Bloomberg Media Studios x PGIM – The OUTThinking Investor Podcast
Havas Media, Havas Chicago, and The National Association of REALTORS® – “That’s Who We R” Campaign with iHeart’s “Stuff You Should Know” Podcast
iHeartMedia & 23&me – Spit Podcast Season Two
Insecuritea Podcast – Insecure Season 5
Nickelodeon & Lego

Best Branding Campaign B2B
Aon – The Aon Story
Apollo Partners & Coupa – Going Big with the MLB x New York Yankees
Atlantic Re:think & Boston Consulting Group: American Metamorphosis Season 2
Code and Theory and Amazon Ads – Q2 Campaign – Your Brand. Their World.
Degree Dear Fitness Industry
GoTo

Best Branding Campaign B2C
1DS Collective – Building Liver King
Brand: Paramount+, Agency: Droga5, Production Company: O-Positive, Editorial: Arcade Editorial, Post Production VFX: The Mill, Music: Human,  Sound: Heard City,
Lil Jif – Publicis New York/Zenith/PSOne
MGA Entertainment & Brand3P- Little Tikes Brand Celebration Stores on Amazon, Walmart.com & Target.com
Something Different & Spectrum | We Think
Supernatural – Kayak
Where The Heart Is, A 4-Part Video Series Co-produced by VICE Media, The National Association of REALTORS® and Havas Media Group

Best Collaboration
Browsi + Magnite
e.l.f. Beauty, Movers+Shakers, Dunkin’,  Tinuiti, Shadow PR, Lippe Taylor, ICR
Lil Jif – Publicis New York/Zenith/PSOne
Salesforce and Fortune Brand Studio presents THE ECOPRENEURS
Velocity, Paramount – Ram x Yellowstone Franchise Partnership
VICE TV, adidas, MediaCom & Religion of Sports-Running While Black

Best Creative
Bloomberg Media Studios x Samsung Electronics – Tech Goes Green Campaign
Calvin Klein and Palace – Launch of CK1Palace
Edelman & FELGTB – #RealVoicesofPride
Kimmelot
The Ritz-Carlton – Miami Grand Prix Travel Poster
Vaseline See My Skin
Wisp & Two Socks Creative – Reproductive Health 101 with Bill

Best Experiential Campaign
Anne Frank House: The Bookcase for Tolerance
Edelman & eBay – Wear Em Out Store
Golin and Kinder Bueno – Summer Gets Bueno Pop-up Event
HBO Max’s “Winning Time” Exclusive Screening and After Party
NVE Experience Agency – XBOX x STRANGER THINGS 4 : IMMERSIVE RIFT ACTIVATION
Paramount+: Brand. Giant Spoon was the agency behind the stunt, while Sky Elements provided the drones and Drone Dudes handled content capture.

Best Gaming/Esports Campaign
American Eagle, Anzu, and Livetopia – Making The ‘AE Members Always Club’ in Roblox
Bidstack and Starcom Worldwide – The Scent of Victory
Desafío The Box Volk Creado en Fortnite –  Volk Games by Caracol Televisión
Edelman & Xbox Master Piece
JBL X 100 Thieves Collaboration
PepsiCo (MTN DEW, Gatorade, and Ruffles), NBA, and 2K – NBA 2K22

Best Metaverse Marketing Campaign
American Eagle, Anzu, and Livetopia – Making The ‘AE Members Always Club’ in Roblox
Babylist
Enthusiast Gaming, Mediacom and Adidas – Ozworld Fortnite Map
Logitech For Creators
Nickelodeon & Carnival Cruise Line: Slime Cup Sponsorship

Best Multi-Platform Campaign
Carmichael Lynch & H&R Block – A Fair Shot
Degree Dear Fitness Industry
Ford, Imagination & Wieden+Kennedy – Ford F-150 Lightning Reveal
Movement Strategy & SHOWTIME
Nickelodeon x Carnival Cruise Line & Initiative: Slime Cup Sponsorship
Salesforce and Fortune Brand Studio presents THE ECOPRENEURS
Vaseline See My Skin

Best Organic Marketing Campaign 
1DS Collective – Building Liver King
American Century Investments and COFFEE Labs
Botify
Movement Strategy & Adult Swim
theSkimm’s #ShowUsYourLeave Movement

Best PR Campaign
Black Women’s Health Imperative and Hologic’s Project Health Equality – Launch of Cerving Confidence to Protect Black Women’s Cervical Health
Edelman & eBay – Wear Em Out Store
Edelman & the United Nations Population Fund – Bodyright
Edelman and Fondation Des Femmes – The Cost of Inequality
Stella Artois & Mother London
Vaseline See My Skin

Best Product Launch Campaign
“The Magnificent Escape”: LOEWE x Spirited Away Collection Launch with Grason
1DS Collective – Building Liver King
Ford, Imagination & Wieden+Kennedy – Ford F-150 Lightning Reveal
ŌURA Health – Gucci x Oura Ring
SHADOW, LDJ Productions – Keys Soulcare Make You Color Collection
The Economist Group – Launch of Economist Impact

Best Search Campaign
Adswerve
CB/I Digital & Melinda Maria – Partners in Growth
Hearts & Science x Reckitt: Driving Omnichannel Business Results for Enfamil
Marcus Thomas & Krylon – SEM Modernization and Marchine Learning
Terakeet & Leading Mortgage and Lending Company – 12.2x SEO ROI
Wpromote & Intuit QuickBooks: Harnessing the Power of Holistic Search

Best Strategy Pivot
Deloitte Digital and NYU Langone Health
Edelman & Unilever – No to Normal
January Digital, The Digital Leadership Company™
Supernatural – Kayak

Best Use of Influencer Marketing
Barbarian – JBL x Doja Cat
Edelman & the United Nations Population Fund – Bodyright
Havas Atlanta, Coca-Cola (The Coca-Cola Company), Formerly Known As, Social Center
HBO’s Winning Time Takes the Court
JBL
ShopStyle Collective & Saks

Best Use of NFT
American Century Investments and Coffee Labs – #myACCnft
Chive Media Group
PAPA JOHNS NFT HOT BAGS
RayCo Media & Unsilenced Voices: NFTs to End Domestic Violence
Supernatural – Gemini
TIMEPieces – web3 division of TIME

Best Use of Social
1DS Collective – Building Liver King
e.l.f. Beauty, Movers+Shakers, Tinuiti, Shadow PR, Lippe Taylor
Edelman & FELGTB – #RealVoicesofPride
Hearts & Science x HBO Max x Twitter: Peacemaker
Qumin & Moxy Hotels – Where Brave Starts
Vaseline See My Skin

Best Use of Video
Goalcast
Hearts & Science x AT&T x attn: The Love Connection
Hearts & Science x AT&T x WIRED: Into the Metaverse
Reach Agency & Hulu – Only Rudys In the Building
Salesforce and Fortune Brand Studio presents THE ECOPRENEURS
ShowHeroes & PHD Media – SEAT Arona

Leader of the Year
3BLACKDOT – Regi Cash
Black & White Zebra – Ben Aston
Frito-Lay North America – Stacy Taffet
UTA – Alisann Blood
WeTransfer – Damian Bradfield
Wpromote’s Simon Poulton – Digital Intelligence Innovator & Privacy Pioneer

Most Innovative Brand
Horizon Media & Petco – Shoppertainment
Nixon Peabody LLP – Launch of new website
Paramount+: Brand
Tropicana Brands Group – Tropicana

Most Innovative Independent Agency
Incubeta – A Year of Growth
January Digital
JOAN Creative
Known
Mother
Portal A

Most Innovative Media Agency
Known
My Code – Rebrand from H Code
Spectrum Reach
Wondersauce

Most Innovative Publisher
Doing Things Media
Dow Jones
The Hill – Most Innovative Publisher
TIME
Verywell
Wave Sports + Entertainment

Most Innovative Technology Platform
Contobox
Epsilon PeopleCloud
Grain
Influencity – Influencer Marketing Platform
Premion
Teads | The Global Media Platform
Twitch