Social media campaigns are big business. In fact, social research company Hubspot estimates that some US$3.08-billion was spent just on advertising on social networking sites in 2011.
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And although quite a bit has been made about General Motors (GM) pulling a chunk of their marketing budget from Facebook, the fact is the company is still committed to spending US$30-million a year just on Facebook campaigns.
They work too. A recent study by research company Millward-Brown showed that there was a direct correlation between how successful a company is and how well it uses social media. Research from eMarketer meanwhile suggests that brands can profit dramatically from a well-executed social campaign.
The Bees Awards, a San Francisco-based award for the best use of social media, has revealed what it thinks are the best social media campaigns for 2012. Agencies and companies from 40 countries, ranging from Europe, China, Israel, the US and South Africa have scooped honours for innovative use of social media.
Although US agencies feature heavily in the winners and nominees list, a number of campaigns from emerging markets drew the attention of the judges.
Among the more notable ones was an Israeli campaign by Mccann Erickson, Tel-Aviv that used Facebook Timeline to illustrate the effects of drug use. Ogilvy Cape Town’s mobile campaign for Black Label beer, which allowed soccer fans to “Be the Coach” and choose players for two of the country’s premier soccer sides, also stands out.
One of the best overall campaigns, however, had to be Canadian company Agence Tuxedo‘s “Go Beyond The Cover“, which used the tattoo-covered Rico Genest (a.k.a. Zombie Boy) to demonstrate how effective cosmetic company DermaBlend’s concealing products are.
While massive multi-national agencies like Saatchi & Saatchi — which won Agency of the Year — and Ogilvy had strong showings, smaller agencies like South Africa’s Joe Public, which won for Best Use of a Microblogging Platform, and Spain’s Contrapunto also stood out.
It is the third edition of the awards, the biggest ever. Below are the winners and runner-ups:
Best Use of Micro-Blogging Platform
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Citroën DS5 Twitter RaceNetherlands
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Nike Black MambaUnited States
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Nike EPICUnited States
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*** WINNER ***Twitter ArmySouth Africa
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Best Use of Social Media Platform
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Drugs Set Your TimelineIsrael
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Ford Focus – DIY Zlaty rucickyCzech Republic
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R/GA The Social InterviewUnited States
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*** WINNER ***The Generous Store by Anthon BergDenmark
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Ariel Fashion ShootSweden
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Best Use of Mobile
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Showtime’s The Franchise Fan Cave CatchUnited States
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*** WINNER ***Carling Black Label – Be the CoachSouth Africa
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Defy the darknessSweden
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Best Use of Alternative Tools
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Nog Pong 2United States
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Keep The Meter RunningBennett Austin (based on work at Miami Ad School)
United States
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*** WINNER ***Ariel Fashion ShootSweden
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Best Use of Ad Banners on Social Media Platform (NEW!)
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Klipdrft and Cola – Ngena Facebook Fan GrowthSouth Africa
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*** WINNER ***EA Battlefield 3 YouTube bannerGermany
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Best Use of Analytic Tools
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*** WINNER ***The Camry EffectUnited States
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Barcel PlayMexico
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Best Engagement with Customers
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Prius Goes Plural CampaignUnited States
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*** WINNER ***Quicar – The Volks-CampaignGermany
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The Generous Store by Anthon BergDenmark
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Ariel Fashion ShootSweden
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Best Relationship with Blogs
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*** WINNER ***Prius Inspired BikeUnited States
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Microsoft Lync Test DriveUnited States
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Danone Activia “Healthy habits”Romania
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Best Reputation Management
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100 Cars for GoodUnited States
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*** WINNER ***Ideas for Good CampaignUnited States
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Best Crisis Management
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*** WINNER ***“Like This”: American Airlines Responds Socially to Alec Baldwin IncidentUnited States
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McDonald’s China 315 Crisis Management Leveraging Social MediaChina
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Best Social CRM
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Compass Visa Social CRM campaignHong Kong SAR China
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*** WINNER ***eBay India Wins With Social CRMIndia
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Best Branded Viral Video
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Yaris – It’s a Car!United States
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*** WINNER ***Go Beyond the CoverCanada
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YouTube InterventionsSouth Africa
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K-Swiss MFCEO Funny or DieUnited States
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Best Marketing Within Social Games
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*** WINNER ***Gears Of War 3- Butcher ShopCanada
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Sobe Try Everything ChallengeUnited States
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Ariel Fashion ShootSweden
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Best use of Geo-Location for Social Media Marketing (NEW!)
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*** WINNER ***MasterCard Food Truck FeastUnited States
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McDonalds – Kung Fu Panda IIChina
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Best use of App for Social Media Marketing (NEW!)
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Heineken Music MatcherUnited Kingdom
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FedEx Shazam the Super BowlUnited States
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*** WINNER ***Tweet-a-BeerUnited States
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Durex – Get in Sync GameUnited Kingdom
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Best Tool or Technology for Social Media Marketing (NEW!)
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*** WINNER ***Network Against Breast CancerSpain
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Kraft Drives Offline and Online Word-of-Mouth Buzz with 10,000 House PartiesUnited States
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VO5 – Pliktisijiteur Pageant iAdUnited Kingdom
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Best Student Work
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Spotify JukeboxCanada
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Amazon Kindle_Story MakerUnited States
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*** WINNER ***Keep The Meter RunningUnited States
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Hire Us Or We’ll Marry Each OtherUnited States
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Visit Japan – Post from JapanSweden
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Best Social Media Marketing Theory
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Mass media to mash mediaSweden
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*** WINNER ***Love (and Sex) in the Age of Social MediaUnited States
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Best Innovation
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*** WINNER ***Drugs Set Your TimelineIsrael
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Tweet-a-BeerUnited States
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Haikus For HumbugsUnited States
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Best Copywriting
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Yaris – It’s a Car! CampaignUnited States
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*** WINNER ***K-Swiss: MFCEOUnited States
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Best Art Direction
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Bokeh & Art on Valentine (Samsung NX Lens)South Korea
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United Colors of Benetton – UNHATEItaly / Netherlands
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*** WINNER ***Go Beyond the CoverCanada
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Best Campaign
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United Colors of Benetton – UNHATEItaly / Netherlands
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cafe scandinaviaJapan
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Go Beyond the CoverCanada
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Chevrolet Super Bowl XLVI CampaignUnited States
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*** WINNER ***K-Swiss: MFCEOUnited States
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Agency of the Year
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*** WINNER ***Saatchi & Saatchi Los AngelesUnited States
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MWW GroupUnited States
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360iUnited States
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Bees Team Mention
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In recognition of exceptional results and the demonstration of social media marketing power, the Bees Team mentions Benetton’s campaign as a industry landmark of 2012.
United Colors of Benetton – UNHATEItaly / Netherlands
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2012 Winners & Nominees List
Best Use of Micro-Blogging Platform
| Citroën DS5 Twitter Race | Euro RSCG Amsterdam | Netherlands |
| Nike Black Mamba | R/GA | United States |
| Nike EPIC | R/GA | United States |
| WINNER : Twitter Army | Joe Public | South Africa |
Best Use of Social Media Platform
| Drugs Set Your Timeline | Mccann Erickson, tel-aviv | Israel |
| Ford Focus – DIY Zlaty rucicky | Mindshare | Czech Republic |
| R/GA The Social Interview | R/GA | United States |
| WINNER : The Generous Store by Anthon Berg | Robert/Boisen & Like-minded | Denmark |
| Ariel Fashion Shoot | Saatchi & Saatchi / MSL Nordic | Sweden |
Best Use of Mobile
| Showtime’s The Franchise Fan Cave Catch | OMD | United States |
| WINNER : Carling Black Label – Be the Coach | Ogilvy Cape Town | South Africa |
| Defy the darkness | Jung Relations | Sweden |
Best Use of Alternative Tools
| Nog Pong 2 | Saatchi & Saatchi LA | United States |
| Keep The Meter Running | Bennett Austin based on work at Miami Ad School | United States |
| WINNER : Ariel Fashion Shoot | Saatchi & Saatchi / MSL Nordic | Sweden |
Best Use of Ad Banners on Social Media Platform (NEW!)
| Klipdrft and Cola – Ngena Facebook Fan Growth | Quirk (Pty) Ltd | South Africa |
| WINNER : EA Battlefield 3 YouTube banner | Scholz & Volkmer GmbH | Germany |
Best Use of Analytic Tools
| WINNER : The Camry Effect | Saatchi & Saatchi LA | United States |
| Barcel Play | MPGMC | Mexico |
Best Engagement with Customers
| Prius Goes Plural Campaign | Saatchi & Saatchi LA | United States |
| WINNER : Quicar – The Volks-Campaign | kempertrautmann gmbh | Germany |
| The Generous Store by Anthon Berg | Robert/Boisen & Like-minded | Denmark |
| Ariel Fashion Shoot | Saatchi & Saatchi / MSL Nordic | Sweden |
Best Relationship with Blogs
| WINNER : Prius Inspired Bike | Saatchi & Saatchi LA | United States |
| Microsoft Lync Test Drive | Microsoft | United States |
| Danone Activia “Healthy habits” | STANDOUT | Romania |
Best Reputation Management
| 100 Cars for Good | Saatchi & Saatchi LA | United States |
| WINNER : Ideas for Good Campaign | Saatchi & Saatchi LA | United States |
Best Crisis Management
| WINNER : “Like This”: American Airlines Responds Socially to Alec Baldwin Incident | Weber Shandwick | United States |
| McDonald’s China 315 Crisis Management Leveraging Social Media | Slam PR | China |
Best Social CRM
| Compass Visa Social CRM campaign | Media Contacts Hong Kong | Hong Kong SAR China |
| WINNER : eBay India Wins With Social CRM | MSLGROUP | India |
Best Branded Viral Video
| Yaris – It’s a Car! | Saatchi & Saatchi LA | United States |
| WINNER : Go Beyond the Cover | Agence Tuxedo | Canada |
| YouTube Interventions | Ogilvy Cape Town | South Africa |
| K-Swiss MFCEO Funny or Die | 72andSunny | United States |
Best Marketing Within Social Games
| WINNER : Gears Of War 3- Butcher Shop | MacLaren McCann | Canada |
| Sobe Try Everything Challenge | OMD | United States |
| Ariel Fashion Shoot | Saatchi & Saatchi / MSL Nordic | Sweden |
Best use of Geo-Location for Social Media Marketing (NEW!)
| WINNER : MasterCard Food Truck Feast | R/GA | United States |
| McDonalds – Kung Fu Panda II | Slam PR | China |
Best use of App for Social Media Marketing (NEW!)
| Heineken Music Matcher | TBG Digital | United Kingdom |
| FedEx Shazam the Super Bowl | OMD | United States |
| WINNER : Tweet-a-Beer | tenfour | United States |
| Durex – Get in Sync Game | Euro RSCG London | United Kingdom |
Best Tool or Technology for Social Media Marketing (NEW!)
| WINNER : Network Against Breast Cancer | Contrapunto Barcelona, S.L. | Spain |
| Kraft Drives Offline and Online Word-of-Mouth Buzz with 10,000 House Parties | House Party | United States |
| VO5 – Pliktisijiteur Pageant iAd | Euro RSCG London | United Kingdom |
Best Student Work
| Spotify Jukebox | Miami Ad School | Canada |
| Amazon Kindle_Story Maker | Miami Ad School | United States |
| WINNER : Keep The Meter Running | Miami Ad School | United States |
| Hire Us Or We’ll Marry Each Other | Miami Ad School | United States |
| Visit Japan – Post from Japan | Berghs School of Communication | Sweden |
Best Social Media Marketing Theory
| Mass media to mash media | Prime | Sweden |
| WINNER : Love (and Sex) in the Age of Social Media | Euro RSCG Worldwide PR | United States |
Best Innovation
| WINNER : Drugs Set Your Timeline | Mccann Erickson, tel-aviv | Israel |
| Tweet-a-Beer | tenfour | United States |
| Haikus For Humbugs | G2 San Francisco | United States |
Best Copywriting
| Yaris – It’s a Car! Campaign | Saatchi & Saatchi LA | United States |
| WINNER : K-Swiss: MFCEO | 72andSunny | United States |
Best Art Direction
| Bokeh & Art on Valentine (Samsung NX Lens) | inmD | South Korea |
| United Colors of Benetton – UNHATE | Fabrica / 72andSunny | Italy / Netherlands |
| WINNER : Go Beyond the Cover | Agence Tuxedo | Canada |
Best Campaign
| United Colors of Benetton – UNHATE | Fabrica / 72andSunny | Italy / Netherlands |
| cafe scandinavia | saatchi and saatchi fallon tokyo | Japan |
| Go Beyond the Cover | Agence Tuxedo | Canada |
| Chevrolet Super Bowl XLVI Campaign | Big Fuel | United States |
| WINNER : K-Swiss: MFCEO | 72andSunny | United States |
Agency of the Year
| WINNER : Saatchi & Saatchi Los Angeles | Saatchi & Saatchi LA | United States |
| MWW Group | MWW Group | United States |
| 360i | 360i | United States |
Bees Team Mention
| ROYAL JELLY : United Colors of Benetton – UNHATE | Fabrika / 72andSunny | Italy / Netherlands |
