ADAGE: Clio Awards - Marcel's Women's Soccer Campaign Takes Top Honors as McCann and Mattell Also Win Big

“WoMen’s Football” revealed game highlights of male French soccer players actually featured women.

Credit: FFF and Orange

First Published By AdAge.com

French telecom provider Orange’s “WoMen’s Football” campaign by Publicis agency Marcel took top honors at the 2024 Clio Awards on Wednesday night, picking up four Grand Clios. Three other campaigns picked up two Grand Clios each: Microsoft’s “ADLaM” by McCann New York; Mastercard’s “Where to Settle” by McCann Poland and McCann New York; and “Barbie The Movie” by Mattel for Barbie.

“WoMen’s Football,” which launched in July 2023, featured highlights of what appeared to be men’s soccer players, before revealing it was altered footage of players from the French women’s team, including Sakina Karchaoui and Selma Bacha. The message was that women have just as impressive skills as men. (Marcel agency is separate from the Publicis AI tool of the same name.)

The campaign—which Ad Age named the No. 2 ad of 2023 in December—topped Clio’s Branded Entertainment and Content, Creative Effectiveness, Film and Social Media categories.

“ADLaM,” in which Microsoft digitized the alphabet of Pulaar, the West African language of the Fulani people—a nomadic group whose language was oral rather than written—won in the Design Craft and Digital/Mobile & Social Media Craft categories.

“Where to Settle” from Mastercard topped the Direct and Digital/Mobile categories. The campaign cross-referenced transaction data with salary data from Poland’s Statistics Office and real estate and jobs portals to help refugees fleeing Ukraine to Poland find places to relocate and find opportunities. 

Mattel’s “Barbie” from Warner Bros., which featured 100 marketing partnerships, was awarded Grand Clios in the Integrated and Partnerships & Collaborations categories.

Publicis Conseil was named Agency of the Year; Michelob Ultra, Advertiser of the Year; Rethink Canada, Independent Agency of the Year; Ogilvy, Network of the Year; and Prodigious Paris, Production Company for the Year. Those awards are presented to entrants that collected the most statue points across all mediums.

“As always, the jury had a challenging task this year because the volume of creativity in our submissions was truly inspiring,” said Nicole Purcell, CEO at Clio. “Ultimately, the Grand Clio winners were chosen because they not only showcased exceptional execution, but they embodied breakthrough storytelling and brought ideas to life that stood taller than the rest of the work being discussed.”

A total of 30 Grand Clios were presented to entrants from 15 countries, including Australia, Spain, Colombia, Canada, Japan, Uruguay, Brazil, France and the U.S. A full list of the Grand winners is below.

Audio: Public Service

“You Can Buy a Radio Station”
By Havas Gurisa for Loteria y Quinielas del Uruguay

“Undercover”
By Ogilvy Hong Kong for Women Helping Women

Audio Craft: Product/Service

“Breathe Through It”
By David Madrid for Halls

Branded Entertainment & Content: Product/Service

“WoMen’s Football”
By Marcel for Orange

Creative Business Transformation: Product/Service

“Renault-Plug Inn” 
By Publicis Conseil for Renault

Creative Business Transformation: Public Service

“Working with Cancer” 
By Publicis Groupe for Working with Cancer

Creative Effectiveness: Product/Service

“WoMen’s Football”
By Marcel for Orange

Creative Use of Data: Business to Business

“Nativa Meter” 
By L&C for AB InBev-Bavaria-Cerveza Nativa'

Creative Use of Data: Product/Service

“Life Extending Stickers”
 By Grey Colombia || VML Colombia for Makro Colombia

Creative Use of Data: Public Service

“Cutcakes”
By TBWA\Zurich for Terre des Femmes

Design: Product/Service

“My Japan Railway” 
By Dentsu Inc. for JR Group

Design: Public Service

“The Dropstore”
By Publicis Groupe Benelux for Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Kingdom of The Netherlands

Design Craft: Product/Service

“ADLaM”
By McCann New York for MicrosoftDesign Craft: Public Service

“Channel 4 Idents”
By 4creative + Art Practice for Channel 4

Direct: Product/Service

“Where to Settle”
By McCann Poland & McCann NY for Mastercard

Direct: Public Service

“Waiting to Live”
By VML UK for NHS Blood & Transport

Digital/Mobile: Product/Service

“Where to Settle”
By McCann Poland & McCann NY for Mastercard

Digital/Mobile & Social Media Craft: Product/Service

“ADLaM”
By McCann New York for Microsoft

Experience/Activation: Product/Service

“Driving While Black” 
By Goodby, Silverstein & Partners/Critical Mass for Courageous Conversation Global Foundation

Experience/Activation: Public Service

“Pop Tarts: The First Edible Mascot” 
By Weber Shandwick for Kellanova

Film: Product/Service

“WoMen’s Football”
By Marcel for Orange

Film Craft Music Original: Product/Service

“Play It Safe”
By The Monkeys, part of Accenture Song for Sydney Opera House

Integrated: Product/Service

“Barbie The Movie”
By Mattel for Barbie

Media: Product/Service

“Sans Émission”
By VML Canada / Type1 for Volkswagen Canada

Out of Home: Product/Service

“Coors Lights Out”
By Rethink for Coors Light 

Partnerships & Collaborations: Product/Service

“Barbie The Movie”
By Mattel for Barbie

Print: Public Service

“Prêt à Voter”
By Publicis Conseil for Solar Impulse

Print & OOH Craft: Product/Service

“The One Exhibition”
By DM9 for Leica Photoglobal 

Public Relations: Product/Service

“Aizome Wastecare”
By Serviceplan Germany for Aizome

Social Media: Product/Service

“WoMen’s Football”
By Marcel for Orange

Clio also announced a new direction and visual identity for the 65-year-old brand at the top of its award ceremony on Wednesday.

Beginning May 6, the company will bring its five award competitions and two content platforms under one umbrella, “The Clios.” In the coming weeks, new logos will be implemented for all Clios’ properties, along with a new user experience on MusebyClio.com and AdsoftheWorld.com.