Innovation shines at PANATA Brand Effectiveness Awards 2024

McDonald’s wins Grand PANATA Brand of the Year for ‘Ride the Arches’ campaign

Celebrating creativity and strategic execution in modern marketing, the PANATA Brand Effectiveness Awards 2024 gave the spotlight to several of the country’s most impactful marketing campaigns, highlighting innovation and strategic excellence across various categories.

Held by the Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA), this year’s PANATA Brand Effectiveness Awards marks 15 years of unparalleled Brand Excellence and Effectiveness. The awards seek to illuminate the industry with the brightest brands that will pave the way for the future of advertising and brand building.

Golden Arches Development Corp. (McDonald’s Philippines) was a standout, winning multiple accolades for campaigns like “Ride the Arches,” which not only won the Grand PANATA Brand of the Year but also demonstrated the brand’s commitment to customer experience and sustainability. The campaign saw McDonald’s transforming its stores into cyclist-friendly hubs, inviting riders to embark on a unique journey from one golden arch to another. More than just an innovative marketing campaign, it also encouraged an active lifestyle while promoting environmental awareness. The campaign also took home a total of five accolades, including Gold in Marketing Communication Channels — Single Medium — BTL, Gold in Customer Experience, and Bronze in Disruptive Innovation.

The team behind “Ride the Arches,” composed of the seasoned Meryl Adiel Hernandez, Cathleen Denise Barrameda, Gita Manuel, Jann Caitlin Jao, and Isabel Christina Leyeza, was also awarded the Brand Team of the Year.

Moreover, McDonald’s Philippines Corporate Communications Manager Cathleen Denise Barrameda was rightfully honored as the Rookie Brand Builder of the Year.

In addition, the brand’s “Night Classroom” campaign also secured a Gold in the Corporate Sustainability and Brand Trust category. It also won the Most Effective Use of Brand Ambassador for its campaign featuring Vice Ganda and Paolo Ballesteros in “Better Chicken McDo” by Leo Burnett Manila.

Meanwhile, the Media Agency of the Year was awarded to Intersections Communications, Inc., while Meta (Facebook) was named Media Network of the Year.

For the People’s Choice Awards, Watsons Philippines was named Favorite Brand, with its “Watsons Playlist: The Feel Great Concert” campaign by Gobo Creative, Inc. taking the title of Favorite Campaign. Anne Curtis, featured in “Project Care — Do More with BPI” by the Bank of the Philippine Islands, was recognized both as Favorite Brand Ambassador and Favorite Celebrity Endorser.

Special Awards included the Innovative Execution Through Mobile Award, which was given to the Bank of the Philippine Islands for its “May BPI Dito” campaign. The PANATA x Meta Excellence Award went to International Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for Dr. S. Wong’s Sulfur Soap and its “Project Bakwit.”

Celebrating strategy and innovation

This year’s PANATA Brand Effectiveness Awards recognized several other outstanding campaigns across various marketing communication channels.

In the category of Marketing Communication Channels — Single Medium — OOH, for instance, Smart Communications, Inc. won Gold for its “FIBA World Cup 2023: Smart Ball of Asia” campaign, executed by Metropolis Evolving Media Solutions Corp. Mitsubishi Motors Philippines took Bronze with its “Excess Baggage Allowed” campaign managed by Beginnings Communications, Inc.

For Marketing Communication Channels-Single Medium-Digital, McDonald’s Philippines secured Gold with the “McDonald’s Kami Naman, Ma” campaign by Leo Burnett Manila. Unilab, with Neozep, through Omnicom Media Group, won Bronze with its “Neozep Meta Precision Campaign.”

The Marketing Communication Channels — Integrated category saw multiple Gold winners: McDonald’s Philippines was recognized for its “Lovin All,” “Our Best Everrr Burgers,” and “Best Me at McDo” campaigns, developed in collaboration with TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno Advertising, Inc. and Leo Burnett Manila. Nestlé Philippines with Nescafé won Gold for “Kape’t Bisig Sa Pagbangon” by Dentsu Creative Philippines. FWD Life Insurance (FWD Philippines) took Gold with “FWD: The Gamer Insurance” by MullenLowe Treyna, and Colgate-Palmolive Philippines won for “Missing Smiles” with Dentsu Creative Philippines. Coca-Cola also secured Gold with its “Coke Christmas 2023” campaign by WPP Open X – Bates 141 Philippines.

Silver winners included PJ Lhuillier, Inc. with Cebuana Lhuillier and Watsons Philippines for their respective campaigns “Kanegosyo Center” and “Vaxxed Office Hits,” both by Gobocreative, Inc. Watsons Philippines also won Bronze for “Watsons Him-Tayan Club.”

In the Business Growth — Large Enterprise category, PepsiCo Philippines, with Sting, won Gold for the “Sting Hataw Ang Energy Sa Mind and Body Campaign” by DDB MNL, Inc. WeFund Lending Corp., with JuanHand, also took Gold for its “Sagot Ka Ni JuanHand” campaign. Additionally, McDonald’s Philippines continued its success with Gold for “Better Chicken McDo” by Leo Burnett Manila.

Colgate-Palmolive Philippines, with Tender Care, won Silver with “Mint in Box” by Dentsu Creative Philippines; while Nutri-Asia, Inc., with Mang Tomas, and International Pharmaceuticals Inc., with Efficacent Oil, each took Bronze for their respective campaigns, “Mang Tomas Congtv Campaign” and “Trusted Ginhawa.”

In the Corporate Sustainability and Brand Trust category, SM Prime, SM Supermalls, and SM Cares won Gold for their “Rainwater Project” campaign executed by Havas Media Ortega, Inc. PJ Lhuillier, Inc., with Cebuana Lhuillier, took Silver for its “Kanegosyo Center” campaign.

For Disruptive Innovation, FWD Life Insurance, with The Gamer Insurance, received Silver for the “FWD: The Gamer Insurance” campaign by MullenLowe Treyna. The campaign also won Silver in the Product Innovation category.

In the Customer Experience category, Watsons Philippines also won Gold for its “Watsons Playlist: The Feel Great Concert” campaign by Intersections Communications, Inc. Nestlé Philippines, with Nescafé, secured Gold for the “Kape’t Bisig Sa Pagbangon” campaign by Dentsu Creative Philippines; and Bank of the Philippine Islands won Gold for its “May BPI Dito” campaign handled by MullenLowe Treyna.

Meanwhile, Unilever Philippines, with Closeup, received Silver for the “Ride Closer” campaign by Dentsu Creative Philippines, and Coca-Cola took Silver for “Coke Christmas 2023” by WPP Open X – Bates 141 Philippines. Finally, Unilab’s Corporate Branding Group won Bronze for the “Alagang Unilab Bayan Kalusugan” campaign managed by Omnicom Media Group Phils, Inc.

This year’s PANATA Brand Effectiveness Awards underscored brands’ resilience in a challenging economic climate, as it continued to push boundaries and set new standards for consumer engagement.