Click here to read the full list of winners from the event, which was held at Hawker House in East London on Wednesday (1 May).
Dear Dorothy for Jaguar Land Rover
Entered by Commotion
Described by one judge as a "beautiful story with authentic emotion at its heart", the Best of the Best-winning Dear Dorothy for Land Rover shuns the usual vehicle marketing tropes – dramatic landscapes, voiceovers about engine performance – for something truly engaging. The film stars Dorothy Peters, who joined what was then Rover in 1946 to work in the factory aged 15. Flash forward to the present, and Dorothy is re-united with the sixteenth Rover vehicle that she worked on many decades ago. The video was praised for being "shot simply, contrasting old and modern footage and letting Dorothy's personality shine through". One judge said it’s a "smart way of not only demonstrating the family values of Land Rover's culture, but also the longevity of the vehicles from 1946 to today".
Nothing Beats a Londoner for Nike
Entered by Riff Raff Films, other credits: Wieden & Kennedy London, Final Cut, 750MPH, Time Based Arts
This film, which celebrates sporting competition in London and features cameos from star athletes such as Olympic legend Mo Farah and England captain Harry Kane, was singled out for the "creativity", "vibrancy" and "joy" it provided. In particular, judges’ comments included: "This is truly magnificent - makes me proud of London. Great mix of animation, celebrities, humour and cool"; "So much thought, craft and ingenuity has gone into making this film sing"; and "a real achievement in distilling the dynamism, diversity and energy of London's youth culture. With humorous scripted moments, as well as the insertion of Nike's brand ambassadors, the film is well put together to be sharable and achieve organic reach on social platforms. A great expression of how inherent Nike is within youth culture and speaks to the target audience in a credible and authentic way."
Small Talk Saves Lives: Everyday Small Talk for Samaritans, Network Rail & British Transport Police
Entered by Pegasus, other credits: The Progress Film Company
This Best of the Best winner is the latest iteration of the Samaritans campaign that stresses the importance of talking to strangers to potentially interrupt someone’s suicidal thoughts and start them on a journey to recovery. The film shows a woman in various light-hearted situations discussing the weather with strangers. The final shot takes a more serious tone, as she approaches a clearly distressed man at a train platform and raises the same topic. It’s based on statistics that for every life lost on the railways, six are saved by those around them. "Simple, thoughtful and what at first seems quite passive ad leads to very poignant ending," said one judge.
Viva la Vulva for Essity
Entered by AMVBBDO, other credits: Somesuch & Co, Ketchum, Poke, Zenith, Trim Editing, Time Based Arts
The taboo-breaking three-minute film, set to the track Take Yo Praise, shows a series of colourful objects resembling female genitals – including a grapefruit, conch shell and fortune cookie – and singing along to the lyrics. The judges’ comments included: "[The film] taps into the body positivity movement and 'shines a light' on a part of the female body usually very much hidden and misunderstood. I love the visual metaphors and the soundtrack makes it. Witty, celebratory and empowering"; "Really continues to push the boundaries of female body positivity. The art direction and style is really beautiful"; and "outstanding, brave and one of those rare pieces of communication that doesn't just make you think differently about the product, it makes you feel differently about the world."
