Marketing Disruptors - Products

This award honors efforts that grew their business / brand by changing the marketing model in ways that drive the industry forward. 

2023 SILVER

iShares Future Baller$

Young investors were racing into the stock market, taking risks to get rich overnight. They found long-hold iShares Exchange-Traded-Funds (ETFs) boring compared to risky short-term gambles like Memestocks. Our “Future Ballers” campaign got those most publicly stereotyped as short-sighted investors - NBA-rookies - to take a public stance against player bankruptcies; and teach investors to play the long-game. By disrupting the profit-first model of the investment category, addressing a real threat to people’s progress instead, iShares got 22M investors to think longer-term, and scored a record-breaking $1.1Billion in New Business.

Brand: iShares
Client: iShares
Agency: DDB San Francisco
Language: English

2023 BRONZE

Taco Bell and Doja Cat: the Anti-Hero

Taco Bell announced the discontinuation of Mexican Pizza, causing swarms of fans to flood the brand with demands the product come back. They did everything they could, from petitions to funerals, to get it back. One of the biggest fans was Doja Cat, who organically tweeted the brand threats demanding the pizza back. Instead of ignoring it, we turned Doja into the voice of the people, serving as an unlikely brand ambassador who rallied Mexican Pizza fans around its return, eventually leading to a 1220% increase in Mexican Pizza sales.

Brand: Taco Bell
Client: Taco Bell
Agency: Deutsch LA
Language: English

2022 SILVER

The Lil Jif Project

As peanut butter became a more commoditized category, Jif faced huge pressure from competitors both undercutting and outspending the brand. Jif tackled this threat by reinventing the traditional CPG marketing model. Rather than shouting product benefits to moms in traditional media, we used culture itself as our media and message. Tapping into a rap rivalry, Jif created a completely new sound from hip hop legend Ludacris, while keeping the brand at the center. And the results spoke for themselves with increased share, and leading online chatter, traffic, and consideration.

Brand: Jif
Client: The J.M. Smucker Company
Agency: Publicis New York
Language: English

FINALISTS

Coors Light Patrick Mahomes & The Coors Light Bear

Motorola razr Motorola razr #HangUpOnIt

Tropicana Tropicana Cereal. The first cereal made to be eaten with orange juice, not milk.