The Truth About Marketing Awards (And Why They Don’t Matter as Much as You Think)
Shaziya Fathima
Product Marketer | Digipivot '24 | Aspiring Speaker | Literature | Marketing | Technology
Let’s be honest—most marketing awards are just marketers clapping for each other.
We all love a good creative campaign. The high-production ads, the emotional storytelling, the brand campaigns that make us say, “Wow, this deserves an award.” But here’s the real question:
Does an award-winning campaign actually drive business results?
Let’s break it down.
1. Pepsi’s Kendall Jenner Ad (2017) – Cannes Lions Winner, Public Relations Nightmare
Award: Cannes Lions (Silver in Brand Experience & Activation)
Business Impact: Zero. The ad was pulled within 24 hours.
The Reality Check: The infamous ad showed Kendall Jenner resolving a tense protest by handing a cop a Pepsi.
What the industry saw: “Wow, great production! Celebrity endorsement! Cultural relevance!” What the public saw: Corporate trivialization of real-world activism.
The backlash was so severe that Pepsi pulled the ad within a day and issued a formal apology.
Yet, somehow, it still won a Cannes Lions award. Because… reasons?
2. Fyre Festival – The Most Award-Winning Scam in History
Award: Shorty Award for Best Influencer Campaign
Business Impact: Bankruptcy, lawsuits, jail time.
The Reality Check: The Fyre Festival campaign was legendary. It roped in A-list influencers, promised a luxury festival experience, and created a masterclass in FOMO marketing.
The problem? The actual festival was a humanitarian crisis. Attendees arrived to find emergency tents, no food, and total chaos. The founder, Billy McFarland, is now in jail for fraud.
The campaign itself was genius—but the product behind it didn’t exist. And yet… it won an award for best influencer campaign.
Let that sink in.
3. Burger King’s “Real Meals” (2019) – Cannes Lions Winner, Zero Revenue Impact
Award: Cannes Lions (Bronze in Creative Strategy)
Business Impact: No sales boost, minimal cultural impact.
The Reality Check: Burger King launched "Real Meals" to rival McDonald’s Happy Meals, featuring different moods like "Blue Meal" (sad), "Salty Meal" (angry), and "DGAF Meal" (disconnected).
What the industry saw: “Brilliant! Mental health awareness! Bold positioning!” What customers saw: "Okay… but where's the actual new product?"
It made headlines for a few days but didn’t drive revenue. The campaign was more about winning industry praise than actually connecting with customers.
McDonald’s, meanwhile, just kept selling Happy Meals.
4. Audi’s Chinese Wedding Ad (2017) – Cannes Lions Winner, But a PR Disaster
Award: Cannes Lions (Silver in Film)
Business Impact: Immediate backlash, apology, and stock drop.
The Reality Check: Audi’s ad showed a Chinese groom’s mother physically inspecting her son’s bride on their wedding day—checking her teeth, ears, and face. The tagline?
"An important decision must be made carefully."
What the industry saw: “Clever analogy! Buying a car is like choosing a life partner!” What the public saw: "Uhh… are you comparing women to used cars?"
The backlash was instant. Audi had to pull the ad, issue an apology, and saw its stock dip. But Cannes still handed it an award.
Because, you know, creative storytelling or whatever.
5. BrewDog’s “Beer for Girls” (2018) – D&AD Winner, PR Backlash Magnet
Award: D&AD Pencil for PR Stunt
Business Impact: Negative. Customers called it out for being tone-deaf.
The Reality Check: BrewDog, known for its rebellious marketing, launched a pink-labeled “Beer for Girls” as a parody of gendered marketing. They claimed it was a sarcastic take on how brands market products to women.
What the industry saw: “Brilliant satire! Challenging stereotypes!” What customers saw: "Why are you literally doing the thing you’re mocking?"
The campaign did more harm than good, and BrewDog ended up clarifying their intent after backlash.
At this point, they should’ve just handed out free beer and called it a day.
6. Dolce & Gabbana’s Chopsticks Ad (2018) – Grand Prix Winner, Brand Ban in China
Award: Grand Prix at the FAB Awards
Business Impact: Major boycott. D&G products pulled from Chinese markets.
The Reality Check: D&G ran an ad featuring a Chinese model struggling to eat Italian food with chopsticks while a voiceover mocked her.
What the industry saw: “A fusion of East and West! Fun and playful!” What China saw: "Blatantly racist and condescending."
The backlash was so severe that D&G had to cancel their Shanghai fashion show, issue public apologies, and deal with ongoing boycotts. But somehow, the campaign still won an award.
Marketing awards: Celebrating PR disasters since forever.
So… Do Marketing Awards Actually Matter?
Here’s the hard truth: The best-performing campaigns aren’t always the ones that win awards.
What Do You Think?
Should marketing be judged on creativity or actual business impact? Have you seen an award-winning campaign that completely missed the mark?
Drop your thoughts in the comments—let’s discuss!