Every year, the agencies present their best creations to different advertising contests.

However, only a few manage to cross the screen and connect with the public. Something essential for an advertising campaign to be effective.

And we cannot tell you what the exact recipe for success is. But we can explain to you the keys that the most successful and award-winning campaigns of this year have in common. So, if you want your brand’s ads to be a success next year, take notes!

The 5 keys in common among the most successful campaigns:

• Create memories through emotions

• • Work emotions to create and remove memories. Keep in mind that the more emotionally charged the ad has, the more it will mark viewers.
  • Make good use of music to reach your audience, as the choice of music is key to connecting with emotions.
  • Speak from sensoriality (taste, smell, touch…) to work emotions and link them with memories.
  • Show closeness and trust to humanize the brand. And so get to connect with emotions.
  • Make the consumer the protagonist
  • Create a good Storytelling that attracts the public and manages to cross the screens.
  • Empower the consumer by making them feel like the protagonist of the story.
  • Listen to the needs and concerns of the consumer and let them know.

• promote sustainability

• • Create an optimistic outlook for society. Join the idea of “being the change you want to see in the world”.
  • Become aware of concern for the environment.
  • Try to take care of the planet and people to achieve a better world.
  • Use humor as a connection tool.
  • Despite the adversity, most people still want to see humor in advertising to maintain a sense of normalcy during difficult times.
  • Create ads with a touch of humor. Keep in mind that humor can evade us from problems.
  • Entertain the audience. If you entertain your audience, it will stay with you.

• Use new codes

• • Use successful new codes to tell a story in a non-traditional way. For example, the Tik Tok effect.
  • Arouse audience attention with dynamic content, vibrant colors, and simple messaging. All very direct to call the intuitive system of our subconscious.
  • Search for a sense of belonging in a non-traditional way through the visual format.

Keep in mind that all these keys are essential to create successful advertising campaigns with which to achieve engagement, go viral and be remembered by the public.

And in addition to these tips, we want to inspire you with the visual pieces and cornerstones of the most award-winning ad campaigns. Do not miss it!

The 20 most successful advertising campaigns of the year and keys to their success

There are many awards and winners, but we’ve picked the best campaigns based on how successful and award-winning they’ve been. Keep reading!

• Create memories through emotions:

1. Nespresso – VERTUO | ES

The Nespresso campaign seeks to generate memories through emotions.

The advertisement conveys the idea of superior flavor in different cup sizes through sensoriality, playing with the details of the machine and the smoothness of the coffee cream.

This campaign has been one of the winners of the new addition of the Kantar Creative Effectiveness Awards.

2. Kdog – Dogs Without Borders

According to the UN, while 55% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, billions of people live in remote and underdeveloped places, far from medical care.

Dogs Without Borders rescues dogs from shelters and trains them to detect diseases such as breast cancer, among others, in people in underdeveloped areas with limited access to medical diagnosis.

A campaign that has undoubtedly managed to cross the screens and soften the hearts of viewers.

Winner of a platinum Áspid in the category of campaigns on diseases or pathologies – Comprehensive campaign.

3. Fundación Dacer – setback

The campaign talks about the neurorehabilitation of patients with brain damage and values the importance of every second in the patient’s rehabilitation.

The project has different audiovisual pieces that explain the history of various patients with the aim of raising money to help the work of the Dacer Foundation.

And this is how Dacer has managed to excite and strike a chord with viewers with this campaign. In addition to being the winner of a golden Áspid.

4. Where to Settle

With the Where to Settle project, Mastercard shows efforts to help refugees from Ukraine and stabilize the lives of those cooperating in Poland.

The campaign achieves a creative resolution to current problems with an initiative that seeks to positively impact society and the world.

For this reason, it has been the winner in the category of Sustainable Development objectives at the Cannes Lions 2023.

• Make the consumer the protagonist:

5. Google España- The illustrator Lele Saa and Gmail.

A most creative campaign that, with a calm and slow tone, recognizes emotions such as trust and the humanization of technology using the example of an artist and her drawings.

This is how he managed to win one of the Kantar Creative Effectiveness Awards.

6. «The last photo» by CALM x ITV – adam&eveDDB, Londres.

The campaign seeks to make society aware of the role that we can all play in preventing suicide.

A very emotional and creative campaign that focuses on the viewer as the protagonist to raise awareness about the signs of suicide.

Winner of the Grand Prix of the Film category of Cannes Lions 2023.

7. British Airways – A British original

The “A British original” campaign opted for humor to reflect the many reasons why the British fly and travel.

The message is conveyed through 512 creatives inspired by response selection forms.

The campaign has been the winner of the Grand Prix in the Outdoor category.

8. Roche- Alia

Roche has come up with a digital solution for doctors and cancer patients who need more time and resources to effectively approach treatment beyond the office.

Under the claim “To be your ally, when and where you need it” Roche intends to show that it listens to the needs of its public.

Winning campaign of a Golden Áspid in the category of corporate identity projects.

9. IKEA – El poder del orden

With hardly any words, the campaign manages to empower the consumer with classical music, dynamism and joy.

Once again, IKEA is shown as an essential in the harmony of the home and the brand is distinguished as an identifier of the home as a refuge.

Therefore, IKEA has achieved the Kantar Creative Effectiveness Awards thanks to its creative and differentiating campaigns.

10. Coches.net – Energía

Coches.net’s “Energía” or “Energy” campaign situates viewers at different times in their lives and helps them find a mobility solution, easily and safely.

A most dynamic advertisement that targets the public directly and gives it a leading role.

The Coches.net campaign is another of the winners of the Kantar Creative Effectiveness Awards.

11. Gut – World Cup Delivery

Gut, a Delivery company, created this campaign on the occasion of Argentina’s victory in the World Cup.

The company sent notifications to users so that they could follow the route of the trophy and the champions in real time, linking the data related to the flight in which the team travels with its application.

Thanks to this campaign, Gut has won the Grand Prix in the Mobile category.

• Promote sustainability:

12. Bosh- Vive sostenible

With this campaign, Bosh has managed to hit all the key points.

The ad has strong branding, a touch of humor and several nods to the digital world.

Consequently, it makes the viewer identify the brand and the product that is advertised with the aim of creating memories through emotions.

“Vive sostenible” or “Live Sustainable” has been awarded at the Kantar Creative Effectiveness Awards.

13. Vital Garden

Another example of a campaign that addresses current trends in sustainability.

Vital Garden presented the first substrate that contributes to reducing the CO2 footprint under a clear and concise Claim: “Save the planet/plant”.

The advertisement empowers and identifies the consumer by identifying it as a fundamental pillar to protect the environment.

The campaign has been a winner at the Kantar Creative Effectiveness Awards.

14. Tulipán- Llámanos Tulipanes

Tulipán goes directly to the consumer to show him that his margarine is for everyone. And that, in addition, he cares about his health, that of his family and that of the planet.

Lively music and a touch of humor create an environment that manages to connect with the consumer.

Thanks to this campaign, Tulipán has managed to win the Kantar Creative Effectiveness Awards.

• Using humor as a connection tool:

15. Apple – RELAX, IT’S IPHONE – R.I.P. LEON

The “Relax, it’s an Iphone” campaign aims to introduce the new undo message feature in iOS 16.

The Spot shows how this functionality gets the protagonist out of trouble, who is forced to write a text message to a friend to inform him of the death of his pet.

However, the announcement takes a turn when the animal wakes up and has to delete the message already sent.

Apple’s campaign manages to connect directly with its audience by making use of social networks and a clear humorous tone, with which it has won the Grand Prix in the Film category of the Cannes Lions 2023.

16. Amstel- Puedes decirle que tiene espuma o puedes hacer esto.

Amstel launched this campaign in which a funny and short scene is represented.

Through a humorous tone, it is possible for the brand to be the protagonist of the moment under the slogan “if you want to say something, do it well”.

This campaign has been awarded at the Kantar Creative Effectiveness Awards, mainly thanks to the use of humor.

• Use new codes:

17. ISDIN – ISDIN SI-NAILS, uñas perfectas en un click

Social networks have been key for Isdin to connect with the younger public. And the brand knows it!

In its campaign, Isdin uses a very visual montage, with vibrant colors and music, inspired by the codes of social networks. This is how he manages to integrate the brand and the product as a creative resource.

The campaign has been another of the winners of the Kantar Creative Effectiveness Awards.

18. Samsung- Flipvertising

Samsung created this campaign to connect directly with Generation Z, characterized by not putting up with advertising on social networks.

The ad cleverly encourages this Generation to search for very specific ads on YouTube for the option to take a look at Samsung’s foldable smartphone.

Thanks to reverse advertising, Samsung has obtained the Social & Influencer Grand Prix at Cannes Lions 2023.

19. Cruzcampo | Respeto y Descaro, Ediciones Limitadas Cruzcampo Especial

The keys to Cruzcampo’s campaign are emotionality and identification.

La marca presenta su bebida como una cerveza que es especial, porque está hecha con mucho respeto y mucho descaro, consiguiendo transmitir con fuerza su mensaje gracias a la música y a un lenguaje audiovisual directo y dinámico.

In addition, it encourages the feeling of belonging and the local with the appearance of Spanish celebrities.

Thanks to this campaign, Cruzcampo has managed to win the Kantar Creative Effectiveness Awards.

20. Door Dash- Self Love Bouquet

The Delivery company set out to vindicate love and self-pleasure, on the occasion of Valentine’s Day.

For the campaign, she created a special rose bouquet made up of 11 flowers and a Rose, a sex toy for women.

As a result, sales of the product doubled in relation to the previous year. The initiative was supported and shared on TikTok.

An example of the power of the new codes today.

In addition, Door Dash has managed to be the winner of the Grand Prix in the PR category with this innovative and original campaign,

These are the best examples of the most successful advertising campaigns of this year. Did you know them all? Which one did you like the most?

If you have questions or need help creating your own advertising campaign, do not hesitate to contact us! And we will make your campaign a success.

Sources: Kantar creative effectiveness Awards Spain, Festival Internacional de Creatividad Cannes Lions, Premios Áspid.