“Waiting to Live” by VML UK Wins 2024 ADCE Grand Prix

“Waiting to Live” by VML UK for NHS Blood & Transplant was awarded this year’s ADCE Grand Prix at the awards gala ceremony, part of the ADCE ’24 European Creativity Festival in Barcelona.

“Waiting to Live” seeks to raise awareness and inspire families to join the NHS Organ Donor Register. With 233 children currently on the waiting list for an organ transplant, the need is critical—yet in 2021/22, only 40 donors were available. To give every child on the waiting list a greater chance at receiving a life-saving donation, the campaign urgently shines a spotlight on this pressing issue, calling for immediate action.

The complete list of 2024 ADCE winners can be viewed here.  

Winners were selected by a jury of 58 leading creative minds from 22 European countries, who convened last month in Barcelona to deliberate and assess the finest creative works spanning across Europe. 

A total of 924 creative works from 24 European countries were entered in the 33rd edition of the ADCE Awards.  There were 375 awarded works: 1 Grand Prix, 39 Gold, 62 Silver, 94 Bronze, 175 Shortlisted, 1 European Star-Johannes Newrkla Award, 1 Genius Loci Award, 1 Equal Star Award, 1 Green Star Award.

The 39 Gold winners are as follows:

Film & Audio

• Craft – Music and Sound: “Oliveira Dos Cen Anos” by Little Spain for Real Club Celta
• Craft – Direction, Cinematography and Editing: “The Square Meter” by HeimatTBWA\ for Hornbach Baumarkt AG

Print & Outdoor

• Special Outdoor: “Big Blue Bag” by Mother for IKEA
• Non-profit / Public Service / NGO: “855-How-To-Quit-(Opioids)” by Serviceplan Germany  for Anzen Health LLC.
• Non-profit / Public Service / NGO: “The Unbreakable Posters” by DUDE Milano for Collater.al & Orgoglio Porta Venezia Milano
• Print Advertising: “Proudly Second Best: Cot, Highchair, Step stool” by INGO Hamburg, DAVID Madrid for IKEA Al-Futtaim
• Outdoor: “Proudly Second Best: Cot, Highchair, Step stool” by INGO Hamburg, DAVID Madrid for IKEA Al-Futtaim
• Direct Marketing: “I Wrote You A Letter” by guts&brains DDB for General Directorate “National Police”
• Print Advertising: “The 100th Edition” by Scholz & Friends for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
• Craft – Photography: “The 100th Edition” by Scholz & Friends for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

Interactive & Mobile

• Digital Service Experience: “855-How-To-Quit-(Opioids)” by Serviceplan Germany for Anzen Health LLC.
• Non-profit / Public Service / NGO: “855-How-To-Quit-(Opioids)” by Serviceplan Germany for Anzen Health LLC.
• Interactive Design: “Made of Nature” by Bürocratik for Kōzōwood Industries SA
• Interactive Campaigns: “Jump ’n’ Hear – A Roblox Hearing Game” by Grabarz & Partner for audibene / hear.com
• Social Media Campaigns: “Summer is coming!” by Windfor’s Tbilisi for Midea Georgia
• Data Visualization: “Climate Realism” by Leo Burnett Germany for WWF Germany
• Any Other: “Unhide The Price” by Jung von Matt for Newsroom der Sparkassen Finanzgruppe

Design

• Illustration: Vöslauer x Sofie Royer: “Rethink” by Demner, Merlicek & Bergmann for Vöslauer
• Graphic Communication: “855-How-To-Quit-(Opioids)” by Serviceplan Germany  for Anzen Health LLC
• Editorial Design: “Solomiya No. 2” by Kollektiv Scrollan for Solomiya Magazine
• Packaging: “Rare by Kids” for Bodegas Arráez and FEDER
• Photography: “Erased Caucasus” by Studio Lars Langemeier for Jan Kath Design
• Corporate Brand Identity: “Purlom ¡A La Mesa!” by Onmi Design for Purlom
• Spatial Design: “The Square Meter” by HeimatTBWA\ for Hornbach Baumarkt AG
• Logotype: “Ski Austria Brand Design” by Scholz & Friends for Österreichischer Skiverband
• Photography: “The 100th Edition” by Scholz & Friends for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
• Any Other: “The Boring Phone” by LePub for Heineken

Brand Experience

• New Use of Media: “New Year’s Robbery” by CYW for Netflix & Hijos de Rivera 
• Live Stunts Brand Activation: “Waiting to Live” by VML UK for NHS Blood & Transplant
• Branded Spaces: “Waiting to Live” by VML UK for NHS Blood & Transplant
• Point of Sale Experience and Activation: “A Few Degrees More” by Wien Nord Serviceplan GmbH & Co KG for Leopold Museum
• Branded Spaces: “The Square Meter” by HeimatTBWA\ for Hornbach Baumarkt AG
• PR / Events: “Rights Against The Right – The First Trademark That Stops 
• Trading Nazi Merch” by Jung von Matt for Laut gegen Nazis e.V. 

Integrated & Innovation

• Non-profit / Public Service / NGO: “Waiting to Live” by VML UK for NHS Blood & Transplant
• Branded Content: “The Chat” by BMB for Breast Cancer Now
• Best Use of Technology: “Pub Museums” by Publicis Dublin for Heineken
• Product / Service Innovation: “AIZOME Wastecare  Industrial Waste — Certified as Skincare” by Serviceplan Germany for AIZOME
• Non-profit / Public Service / NGO: “The Minefields Honey Project” by Saatchi & Saatchi Ukraine for Kernel, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
• Integrated Campaigns for Commercial Brands: “Can You KFC It?” by McCann Worldgroup Romania for KFC

First European YoungStar

In June 2024, ADCE proudly announced the first edition of the ADCE Student Awards 2024, dedicated to promoting the youngest creative talents across the continent and serving as a springboard for emerging professionals. This initiative reaffirms ADCE’s commitment to one of its core values: spotlighting the next generation of professionals in the creative field. By supporting new talent, ADCE is helping to shape the future of advertising and design.

The inaugural ADCE YoungStar Award has been presented to Fabian Gröger and Sara Rebekka Scholl from Hochschule Wismar University of Applied Sciences, Technology, Business, and Design in Germany for their groundbreaking project, “Memories of My Youth.” 

ADCE European Star – Johannes Newrkla Award:  “The 100th Edition” by Scholz & Friends (Germany) for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

One of Germany’s longest running, and most iconic brand campaigns chooses Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer for the 100th motif for a powerful message of hope and tolerance amidst rising right-wing extremism, racism, and antisemitism. Her face hidden behind the newspaper – true to the brand’s claim “There’s always a brilliant mind behind it” – Friedländer is shown within the awe-inspiring mass of bleak concrete blocks of the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.

The Award was created in 2019 and looks for ideas that reflect European values such as diversity and inclusion, freedom, justice, and peace promotion. In 2020, the Award changed its name from European Star to European Star Johannes Newrkla Award, as a tribute to the founding Member of the ADCE who passed away due to Covid-19.

ADCE Genius Loci Award: “Oliveira Dos Cen Anos” by Little Spain (Spain) for Real Club Celta

This video is the result of intense research and modern pop, fusing tradition and modernity to create what might be the most artistically ambitious football anthem ever. C. Tangana, real name is Antón Álvarez, created this unique piece to commemorate the centenary of the club. Instead of singing on it, he gave the spotlight to the Coral Casablanca choir from Vigo, the female tambourine group Lagharteiras, and the Celta supporters’ club, Tropas de Breogán.

The ADCE Genius Loci Award celebrates the values of Europe’s diverse local cultures. It rewards creative excellence with the power to reveal a European location’s distinctive atmosphere, the spirit of a particular place within the exceptionally rich European cultural heritage.

ADCE Equal Star Award: “Assume That I Can” by SMALL, Indiana Production (Italy) for Coordown

The “Assume That I Can” campaign aimed to shatter stereotypes about people with Down syndrome in a provocative and groundbreaking way. Thousands of people on social media expressed appreciation for how the campaign encouraged them to confront their prejudices and reconsider their beliefs..

This Award has been inspired by the same Award created by the Italian club, and it seeks to reward a work that promotes inclusion, gender equality, fights all forms of discrimination and celebrates the creativity that overcomes stereotypes.

ADCE Green Star Award: “AIZOME Wastecare  Industrial waste — certified as skincare” by Serviceplan (Germany) for AIZOME 

More than 1500 harmful chemicals are used in textile production. Japanese-German startup AIZOME has developed a dyeing method that uses only water, plants, and ultrasound to create textiles that are not only less harmful but even come with health benefits. By presenting waste as skincare, AIZOME proves that even their worst has a positive impact. This started a conversation about sustainability in textile dyeing, ultimately proving the worth of AIZOME’s method.

After a year, 2023, without any projects awarded the Green Star, this year’s Awards proudly includes a project that recognizes and highlights excellence in promoting the circular economy, sustainability, and environmental protection.

The Art Directors Club of Europe (ADCE) is a non-profit association headquartered in Barcelona. It comprises 23 professional clubs and associations of graphic design and advertising from 22 European countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Georgia, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Ukraine.

Founded in 1990, the ADCE strives to foster excellence in graphic design and advertising creativity at a European scale. The association represents more than 7,000 professionals from the field and gives visibility to the best works accomplished locally. The current president is Alexander Schill, Global Chief Creative Officer of Serviceplan Group.