These Are the Campaigns That Won Gold at the 2019 Clios

How do you define an ad? With each passing year, the answer gets more complex—and more interesting. A burger coupon that sends you to a rival's restaurant? A set of tampons sold as literature? Hieroglyphics that describe a guitar amp going to 11? Looking at the gold winners at this year's Clio Awards, it's clear that today's most celebrated advertising often doesn't sound like advertising at all. And for consumers exhausted by a lifelong, nonstop blitz of branded messaging, that's probably a good thing. The awards program this week announced 105 golds doled out by its 2019 jurors. Below, you can check out some of the top winners from the U.S. and around the world. Burger King's "The Whopper Detour," which was the year's most celebrated campaign at the Cannes Lions (taking home Grand Prix honors in Titanium, Direct and Mobile) continued its awards dominance at the Clios, where it won five golds. [kickout id="11"] The campaign from FCB New York, which counterintuitively offered a 1-cent Whopper coupon to those willing to drive up to rival McDonald's and activate it via the BK mobile app, won two gold Clios in Digital/Mobile, one in Digital/Mobile/Social Technique, one in Experiential/Events and one in Direct. Burger King global CMO Fernando Machado has also described it as one of the brand's most effective campaigns ever. Tying for the most golds at five was Berlin agency Scholz & Friends' "The Tampon Book: A Book Against Tax Discrimination." The clever packaging campaign drew attention to unfairly high 19% "luxury" taxes on everyday feminine products such as tampons and evaded Germany's tax by selling tampons inside a book (taxed at just 7%). [kickout id="3"] The campaign, which is part of a recent trend in protest packaging aimed at calling out discriminatory taxes, won three golds in Public Relations, one in Branded Content and one in Direct. Racking up four golds was Tribeca Film Festival's "Great Stories Are Timeless" from DDB New York, which converted three modern pop-culture icons into hieroglyphics. Working with an Egyptologist, the agency retold the stories of Apocalypse Now, The Simpsons and This Is Spinal Tap through ancient artistic techniques. [kickout id="6"] [kickout id="7"] "Great Stories Are Timeless" won three golds in Print & Out of Home Technique and one gold in Out of Home. Adidas' "Billie Jean King Your Shoes" campaign, which partnered with the tennis legend to encourage more women and girls to take up sports, won a total of four golds. [kickout id="8"] Honoring the 45th anniversary of King's “Battle of the Sexes” win against Bobby Riggs in 1973, the campaign from TBWA\Chiat\Day New York took home golds in Branded Content, Direct, Experiential/Events and Innovation. Winning three golds in the Public Relations category was Aeromexico's "A World Without Borders," best known for the "DNA Discounts" offered by the airline for some Americans whose DNA tests showed signs of a Mexican lineage. Also taking home three golds was Leo Burnett Madrid's "The Time We Have Left" from Pernod Ricard liqueur brand Ruavieja. The campaign estimated the number of times two people would see each other again while both are alive (based on life expectancy, current frequency of visits, etc.), highlighting that there's always less time together than we think. [kickout id="1"] The Ruavieja campaign won golds in Branded Content, Social Media and Public Relations. Continuing its successful streak at this year's awards circuit, AMV BBDO's "Viva La Vulva" from Essity feminine brands (sold under Bodyform, Libresse and other brand names around the world) won three golds: Branded Entertainment, Film and Integrated Campaign. [kickout id="2"] For its Super Bowl-adjacent "Broadway the Rainbow" stunt, which staged a one-time branded musical centered on Skittles, DDB Chicago took home three golds, one each in Audio Technique, Branded Entertainment and Experiential/Events. [kickout id="13"] FCB Chicago was again recognized for its advocacy work in partnership with the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence. "The Gun Violence History Book," which told the history of Chicago's gun violence in a tome that was then shot with a real bullet, won three golds: two in Design and one in Direct. [kickout id="9"] Droga5's "The Truth Is Worth It" campaign for The New York Times, which dominated the Film and Film Craft categories at this year's Cannes Lions, won three golds at the Clios: two in Film and one in Branded Content. [kickout id="10"] Here's a look at the other U.S. gold winners: CVS Pharmacy | "Beauty Mark" Agency: Digitas One gold in Fashion & Beauty Burger King | "Big Mac Vs. Big Mac" Agency: Miami Ad School One gold in Student Integrated Campaign Patagonia | "Blue Heart" Agency: Farm League One gold in Branded Entertainment Microsoft | "Changing the Game" Agency: McCann New York Two golds: Design and Innovation Tourism Australia | "Dundee: The Son of A Legend Returns Home" Agency: Droga5 One gold in Integrated Campaign Dunkin' | Rebrand Agency: Jones Knowles Ritchie One gold in Design Budweiser | "Dwyane Wade’s Last Swap" Agency: VaynerMedia One gold in Social Media Samsung | "Folded Logo" Agency: Ogilvy One gold in Design HBO's Game of Thrones | "Joust" Agencies: Droga5 and Wieden + Kennedy New York One gold in Partnerships & Collaborations March for Our Lives | "Generation Lockdown" Agency: McCann New York Two golds: Branded Content and Social Media The New York Public Library | "Insta Novels" Agency: Mother New York Two golds in Design Wendy's | "Keeping Fortnite Fresh" Agency: VMLY&R Two golds: Branded Entertainment and Direct Kraft Heinz | "Kraft Now Pay Later" Agency: Leo Burnett Chicago One gold in Public Relations Daughters of the Evolution | "Lessons in Herstory" Agency: Goodby Silverstein & Partners One gold in Digital/Mobile Merck for Mothers | "Reverse" Agency: Whitelist One gold in Film Technique (Editing) Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence | "Most Dangerous Street" Agency: FCB Chicago One gold in Design Snickers | "One for Two" Agency: BBDO New York One gold in Film Bud Light | "Philly Philly" Agency: Wieden + Kennedy New York One god in Social Media Popeyes | "12 Hour Drive-Thru" Agency: GSD&M One gold in Out of Home The New York Times | "Read More. Listen More." Agency: Droga5 One gold in Partnerships & Collaborations Apple | "Share Your Gifts" Agency: TBWA\Media Arts Lab One gold in Branded Entertainment Street Grace | "Stop Traffick" Agency: BBDO Atlanta One gold in Out of Home Pepsi | "Uncle Drew" Agency: PepsiCo Creators League Studio One gold in Branded Entertainment Bud Light | "Victory Fridge" Agency: 3PM Agency One gold in Public Relations In the Clio Music awards, also announced this week, the big winner was adam&eveDDB's "The Boy and the Piano," telling an emotional and brief life story of Elton John for John Lewis & Partners. The spot won four golds in the music awards. You can learn more about the story behind "The Boy and the Piano" in Adweek's interview below with agency CCO Richard Brim: [kickout id="12"]