Warc Awards 2024: Leo Burnett Wins Two Grand Prix

India etched its name in glory at the Warc Awards for Effectiveness 2024, bagging two Grand Prix. The awards, held in association with LIONS, celebrate the best marketing campaigns from across the globe that drive commercial success.
Leo Burnett Mumbai clinched both the Grand Prix awards won by India. The agency's campaigns for Whisper and Lay's were handpicked from 22 regional gold-winning entries by a super jury comprising 12 regional jury chairs representing Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Latin America and North America.
Susan Irving, Chief Marketing Officer at Kruger Products, Canada, and Chair of the Global Grand Prix jury, commended the rigorous judging process, stating, "It was my privilege to lead such a disciplined, accountable jury that held work to the highest standards. Our decisions were guided by the data and the Creative Effectiveness Ladder, and we were rigorous in seeking only to recognise those campaigns that unquestionably connected their objectives to strong results and demonstrated long-lasting impact for brands and society. Anyone awarded a Grand Prix by this jury is a true Grand Prix winner, the best of the best, and I congratulate them all."
Leo Burnett Mumbai's 'Changing the education system to keep girls in school' campaign for Whisper, the feminine hygiene brand, bagged the Cultural Impact Grand Prix. The campaign tackled the societal taboos surrounding menstruation, which had led to the omission of the topic from school science books in India. Through an educational lobbying effort, the agency successfully influenced the Indian government to commit to adding the missing chapter, ensuring girls remain in school during their periods.
Kevin Mercer, Director of Brand Strategy at Expedia Group - UK, lauded the campaign's strategic simplicity, stating, "Rather than directly advertise feminine hygiene products, it filled a gap in education about menstruation for young women and girls that the jury found incredibly smart. There was real care and craft in how Whisper and Leo Burnett got it to market, which made it a clear Grand Prix winner."
The agency's second Grand Prix win came in the Use of Data category for its 'Democratising technology to help farmers fight climate change' campaign for Lay's. To grow preference and penetration in India, Lay's created a data-driven initiative to protect its supply chain by helping farmers identify and respond to weather hazards, preventing crop loss. As a result, potato yields increased by 25 per cent.

Sindhuja Rai, CEO of Wavemaker - Singapore, praised the campaign's powerful concept, noting, "Leveraging their data has driven immediate value for farmers in their supply chain, but the potential if this technology were cascaded across the globe is immense. They defined the objectives clearly and over-delivered on almost all KPIs. That, and the greater good this could do for humanity, made this a clear Grand Prix winner."
John Bizzell, Awards Lead at WARC, expressed excitement about sharing the Grand Prix winners with the world, stating, "The six Grand Prix winners that our super jury lasered in on from the hundreds of entries judged this year are superb additions to WARC's library of effectiveness and really set the bar for the quality of work brands and agencies need to create to compete for these awards. I'm excited to share them with the world and see what they inspire in the future."
With these Grand Prix triumphs, India has once again demonstrated its prowess in delivering impactful and effective marketing campaigns that resonate globally, cementing its position as a creative powerhouse on the international stage.