“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory,” military strategist Sun Tzu mused more than 2,000 years ago, adding the important clincher: “Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.”
Simply put, you can’t have one without the other, which is why the Strategy Awards now exist — to recognize the best-laid strategic plans that led to equally effective creative, which were recognized at the Agency of the Year awards gala on Tuesday evening in Toronto.
The inaugural Grand Prix was given to Ontario Women’s Directorate and Leo Burnett for their “Who Will You Help” campaign, which also won two Golds and a Silver Strategy Awards. A total of 18 campaigns received one or more awards at the show, with the full list of winners and links to the case studies below.
Developed in association with the Account Planning Group of Canada, and under the guidance of an advisory board comprised of senior marketing execs, the awards celebrate the insights and ideas that strategists contribute to a brand’s blueprint.
The jury of strategists and planners, from both agency and brand sides, judged the strategy departments’ ability to lead a brand shift in thinking and positioning based on a set of deep insights.
To view all of the winner’s case studies, click here.
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Ontario Women’s Directorate / Leo Burnett
“Who Will You Help”
Grand Prix
Gold: Cause/Public Service
Silver: Game Changer
Creative Catalyst Gold: Brent Nelsen, Tahir Ahmad & Garrett Olexiuk
Skittles (Wrigley’s) / BBDO
“Skittles Holiday Pawn Shop”
Gold: Connection Strategy
La grande guignolée des médias (The Media’s Big Food Drive)
TAM-TAM\TBWA
Gold: Connection Strategy
Spotify Canada
Anomaly
“Music for your world”
Jury Prize: Data Diving
Bronze: Launch Strategy
Nature Valley
Cossette
“Rediscover the Joy of Nature”
Jury Prize: Research Mastery
Bronze: Turnaround Strategy
The Liberal Party of Canada
Bensimon Byrne
Silver: Game Changer
Silver: Turnaround Strategy
Silver: Niche Strategy
Raising the Roof
Leo Burnett
“Coming Soon”
Silver: Connection Strategy
Silver Evolution Strategy: Keeping it Fresh
Bronze: Game Changer
The Canadian Centre for Gender & Sexual Diversity (CCGSD)
Saatchi & Saatchi
“Gay Sweater”
Silver: Cause/Public Service
Bronze: Challenger Strategy
Honey Nut Cheerios (General Mills
Cossette
“Bring Back the Bees”
Silver: Evolution Strategy: Keeping it Fresh
SickKids Foundation
Cossette
“Life Unpaused”
Silver: Cause/Public Service
Tangerine
John St.
“Hard Work”
Silver: Challenger Strategy
Penningtons
Lg2
“#IWontCompromise”
Silver: Niche Strategy
Cineplex
Zulu Alpha Kilo
“Lily & the Snowman”
Silver: Connection Strategy
Interac
Zulu Alpha Kilo
“Be in the Black”
Bronze: Challenger Strategy
Chevrolet Spark
McCann Canada
Bronze: Launch Strategy
Milk West
DDB Canada
“Snack Time”
Bronze: Niche Strategy
Ovarian Cancer Canada
Grey
“Ladyballs”
Bronze: Turnaround Strategy
Ritz (Mondelez)
FCB Toronto
“Cracker Cutter”
Bronze: Evolution Strategy: Keeping it Fresh
