• by Karl Greenberg , June 5, 2015

Mullen Lowe's “The World's Toughest Job” for American Greetingswon the North American Grand Effie winner (best in show) at Thursday night's yearly Effie Awards gala in New York. No surprise. The campaign was brilliant by any standard, centering on faux job interviews with real people who are informed that the job for which they are applying, director of operations, is 24/7, constant standing, no breaks, no sleeping until "the associates" sleep, constant bending over and picking things up, expertise in cooking, medicine and finance, eating allowed only after “the associates” have eaten, no breaks. They are shocked and horrified ... until the interviewer explains that millions of people currently hold the job. What is it? Being a mom. The interviewees responses are priceless. 

But ... there were lots of other winners in the2015 North American Effie Awards and rankings for the North American Effie Effectiveness Index. According to the Effie Index, Procter & Gamble was the most effective marketer in North America for the fifth consecutive year. The top five most effective companies in the Index include: IBM (brand), WPP (holding group), Ogilvy & Mather (agency network), Ogilvy & Mather New York (agency office) and Droga5 (independent agency).

Mullen Lowe figured out a way to persuade people to make their mom a Mothers Day card with American Greetings Cardstore. That was a tough challenge because only 50% of people even buy Mom a card. Mullen Lowe's campaign focused on mom as “the amazing professional she is.” It got over 21 million views, including earned media around a social #worldstoughestjob element. According to Effie Worldwide's statement on the awards, the campaign boosted American Greetings Cardstore orders by 20% and met sales goals for the entire year.

“The American Greetings possessed what I feel the very best ideas have in common, inevitability and surprise,” said Todd Waterbury, chief creative officer of Target Corporation, and member of the 2015 Grand Effie Jury. “It found a completely original way of inspiring gratitude through reframing the experience and human truth of Motherhood that provoked emotion — and action.”

Other finalists: Big Heart Pet Brands and FCB/RED for Milk-Bone Brushing Chews Shopper campaign; British Airways and Ogilvy & Mather for “Visit Mum”; Newcastle Brown Ale, Heineken USA and Droga5 (with contributing agency Fast Horse) for “If We Made It”; NBC Sports Group and The Brooklyn Brothers (with contributing agencies Maxus, Ignited and Civic Entertainment Group) for “NBC Sports Network: Barclays Premier League”; Procter & Gamble’s Always and Starcom MediaVest Group and Leo Burnett (with contributing agency MSLGROUP for “#LikeAGirl”; and Procter & Gamble’s Old Spice and Wieden+Kennedy (with contributing agency Citizen Relations) for “Smellcome to Manhood.”

On effectiveness, based on the Effie Index's ranking of agencies, marketers and brands by finalist and winner data from worldwide Effie Award competitions (evaluation of North American campaigns was by senior industry leaders over at least two rounds of judging}:

Most Effective Marketers: Procter & Gamble was followed by IBM, up three spots versus last year, Kimberly-Clark, Wal-Mart and American Greetings (the last two breaking into the top five in this category the first time).

Most Effective Brands: IBM, number one in North America in 2012, returned as the top ranked Brand in North America primarily behind the success of its “#IBMFoodTruck” and “Made with IBM” campaigns. Feminine hygiene brand Always broke into the top five along with other newcomers American Greetings, Newcastle Brown Ale and Samsung.

Most Effective Agency Holding Groups: WPP Group is the most effective Holding Group for the second time in four years. Publicis Groupe dropped one spot, while Omnicom, Interpublic, and MDC Partners ranked third, fourth and fifth respectively, per Effies Worldwide.

Most Effective Agency Networks: For the third time in five years Ogilvy & Mather was was the most effective network in North America, followed by last year’s top ranked agency network, Starcom MediaVest Group. Leo Burnett Worldwide, BBDO Worldwide and Mullen Lowe Group respectively are ranked the third, fourth and fifth most effective agency networks.

Most Effective Agency Offices: Ogilvy & Mather New York topped the Most Effective Agency Office rankings in North America for the third time in five years. Independent Droga5’s New York office move to second, while Leo Burnett/ Arc in Chicago retained its third place ranking, followed by Starcom MediaVest Chicago and Grey New York.

Most Effective Independent Agencies:  Droga5 is also the Most Effective Independent Agency in North America because of what it did for Newcastle Brown Ale and Honey Maid. Wieden+Kennedy’s Portland office is ranked at number two, with Minneapolis-based Fast Horse breaking into the top five for the first time ever at number three. Wieden+Kennedy’s New York office and Los Angeles-based CAA Marketing round out the top five.

Said Carolyn Everson, VP, global marketing solutions, Facebook, and Effie Worldwide Chair, in a statement, “The Effie Awards celebrate the art of storytelling combined with the science of business results, and this year in North America we saw outstanding work that not only resonated with consumers, but also had a material impact on companies’ bottom lines.”