Brands including QVC, Macmillan and Audible have been recognised at the second annual Guardian Advertising Awards, which celebrate scale, influence and integrity across the publisher’s platforms.
The grand prix award was given to QVC for the Menopause Your Way campaign, which the judges called “brave” and praised for its inclusivity in an advertising space that is “not usually inclusive”. The campaign also won in the challenger brands category.
Audible won the award for brands connecting with big moments for the partnership around the launch of an audiobook version of George Orwell’s 1984. The judges called the campaign, Glitching into Culture, “well written and engaging” and noted it was “good to see brands having fun”.
The premium brands winner was the Australian bootmaker RM Williams. Featuring the documentary filmmaker Jack Harries, the campaign was commended by the judges for its focus on sustainability rather than fashion.
Macmillan Cancer Support won the brands doing the right thing award for its work with diverse communities to give the charity’s coffee mornings a 2024 update.
And a campaign encouraging people to dream big and play EuroMillions won the award for everyday brands thanks to its “fun and hedonistic” approach.
The Guardian’s global chief advertising officer, Imogen Fox, said: “It was a real pleasure to see such diversity in our advertising. From QVC on menopause, to RM Williams’ boots, and Macmillan breathing new life into their coffee mornings.”
The awards were judged by a panel of industry experts including Ruben Schreurs, the group CEO at Ebiquity plc; Clarice Metzger, the strategy director at Revolt London; and Ben Malbon, the vice-president of brand and creative at Google.
