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WARC, the global authority on effective marketing, has released an insights report examining effective marketing trends following an analysis of the winning case studies from the 2022 IPA Effectiveness Awards, an international biennial competition rewarding campaigns that link marketing effectiveness to business success.

Lena Roland, Head of Content, WARC Strategy, WARC, says: “We’ve analysed the metadata of the winning entries to drill-down into the themes and trends that are driving marketing success. Included in the report are many winning case studies showcasing long-term brand building activity or effective activations that deliver short-term goals, demonstrating how marketers can rise to current challenges.”

Harjot Singh, Global Chief Strategy Officer, McCann and Convenor of the 2022 IPA Effectiveness Awards, commented: “The winning entries from 2022 prove that we have the power to turn around and reinvigorate struggling brands. We can create new habits. We can transform a brand’s point of view and keep it current and enduring.” 

Alexandra Green, Head of Effectiveness Programme, IPA, added: “IPA Effectiveness Award-winning cases are so rich in evidence and thinking that it can be hard to know which ones to read. WARC's report does a fantastic job of identifying key insights and related cases from among the 2022 Award winners valuable to strategists and marketers working on a wide range of brands and communications challenges.”

The key insights from the winning campaigns of the 2022 IPA Effectiveness Awards uncovered by WARC are:

• Against a backdrop of uncertainty, brands like KFC, Cadbury, McDonald’s and Tesco were able to rediscover their voice and their role in culture, by going back to their core values, drawing strength from their heritage and replaying existing associations, leading to renewed growth.

• Distinctive brand assets, which anchor brands firmly in consumers’ memory and trigger faster, more emotional decision-making, are back in vogue. Whether it’s in a refresh of brand assets, or continued investment in assets or characters, this approach has been successful for a wide range of brands, including Aldi, Schmackos and Sick Kids. 

• In the context of COVID-19, several brands such as Barclays and The British Beer and Pub Association, invested in initiatives that supported consumers, communities or small businesses, growing their brand reputation and bottom line.

• Brands are moving from words to action when it comes to marketing for societal impact, which in turn is driving brand equity. Brands including Tesco stepped up and delivered.

• Identify new usage occasions to drive relevance and growth beyond established sales periods. Baileys, Boursin and Cherries from Chile found ways to incorporate new moments that unlocked a fresh period of growth.

• With many of these campaigns running during the COVID-19 pandemic it is perhaps unsurprising that WARC data shows a decline in the use of humour as a creative strategy. While sensitivity is required, research shows that people look to adverts for fun and escapism in difficult times.