72+ of the best social media campaigns worldwide

social media

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

Citroën DS5 Twitter Race

Netherlands

Nike Black Mamba

United States

Nike EPIC

United States

*** WINNER ***

Twitter Army

South Africa

 

Best Use of Social Media Platform

Drugs Set Your Timeline

Israel

Ford Focus – DIY Zlaty rucicky

Czech Republic

R/GA The Social Interview

United States

*** WINNER ***

The Generous Store by Anthon Berg

Denmark

Ariel Fashion Shoot

Sweden

 

Best Use of Mobile

Showtime’s The Franchise Fan Cave Catch

United States

*** WINNER ***

Carling Black Label – Be the Coach

South Africa

Defy the darkness

Sweden

 

Best Use of Alternative Tools

Nog Pong 2

United States

Keep The Meter Running

Bennett Austin (based on work at Miami Ad School)
United States

*** WINNER ***

Ariel Fashion Shoot

Sweden

 

Best Use of Ad Banners on Social Media Platform (NEW!)

Klipdrft and Cola – Ngena Facebook Fan Growth

South Africa

*** WINNER ***

EA Battlefield 3 YouTube banner

Germany

 

Best Use of Analytic Tools

*** WINNER ***

The Camry Effect

United States

Barcel Play

Mexico

 

Best Engagement with Customers

Prius Goes Plural Campaign

United States

*** WINNER ***

Quicar – The Volks-Campaign

Germany

The Generous Store by Anthon Berg

Denmark

Ariel Fashion Shoot

Sweden

 

Best Relationship with Blogs

*** WINNER ***

Prius Inspired Bike

United States

Microsoft Lync Test Drive

United States

Danone Activia “Healthy habits”

Romania

 

Best Reputation Management

100 Cars for Good

United States

*** WINNER ***

Ideas for Good Campaign

United States

 

Best Crisis Management

*** WINNER ***

“Like This”: American Airlines Responds Socially to Alec Baldwin Incident

United States

McDonald’s China 315 Crisis Management Leveraging Social Media

China

 

Best Social CRM

Compass Visa Social CRM campaign

Hong Kong SAR China

*** WINNER ***

eBay India Wins With Social CRM

India

 

Best Branded Viral Video

Yaris – It’s a Car!

United States

*** WINNER ***

Go Beyond the Cover

Canada

YouTube Interventions

South Africa

K-Swiss MFCEO Funny or Die

United States

 

Best Marketing Within Social Games

*** WINNER ***

Gears Of War 3- Butcher Shop

Canada

Sobe Try Everything Challenge

United States

Ariel Fashion Shoot

Sweden

 

Best use of Geo-Location for Social Media Marketing (NEW!)

*** WINNER ***

MasterCard Food Truck Feast

United States

McDonalds – Kung Fu Panda II

China

 

Best use of App for Social Media Marketing (NEW!)

Heineken Music Matcher

United Kingdom

FedEx Shazam the Super Bowl

United States

*** WINNER ***

Tweet-a-Beer

United States

Durex – Get in Sync Game

United Kingdom

 

Best Tool or Technology for Social Media Marketing (NEW!)

*** WINNER ***

Network Against Breast Cancer

Spain

Kraft Drives Offline and Online Word-of-Mouth Buzz with 10,000 House Parties

United States

VO5 – Pliktisijiteur Pageant iAd

United Kingdom

 

Best Student Work

Spotify Jukebox

Canada

Amazon Kindle_Story Maker

United States

*** WINNER ***

Keep The Meter Running

United States

Hire Us Or We’ll Marry Each Other

United States

Visit Japan – Post from Japan

Sweden

 

Best Social Media Marketing Theory

Mass media to mash media

Sweden

*** WINNER ***

Love (and Sex) in the Age of Social Media

United States

 

Best Innovation

*** WINNER ***

Drugs Set Your Timeline

Israel

Tweet-a-Beer

United States

Haikus For Humbugs

United States

 

Best Copywriting

Yaris – It’s a Car! Campaign

United States

*** WINNER ***

K-Swiss: MFCEO

United States

 

Best Art Direction

Bokeh & Art on Valentine (Samsung NX Lens)

South Korea

United Colors of Benetton – UNHATE

Italy / Netherlands

*** WINNER ***

Go Beyond the Cover

Canada

 

Best Campaign

United Colors of Benetton – UNHATE

Italy / Netherlands

cafe scandinavia

Japan

Go Beyond the Cover

Canada

Chevrolet Super Bowl XLVI Campaign

United States

*** WINNER ***

K-Swiss: MFCEO

United States

 

Agency of the Year

*** WINNER ***

Saatchi & Saatchi Los Angeles

United States

MWW Group

United States

360i

United States

 

Bees Team Mention

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 – UNHATE

Italy / Netherlands

 

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

 

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