• by Karl Greenberg , June 19, 2012

Unilever won big in Cannes, grabbing the most-effective advertiser title in the second annual Effie Effectiveness Index. The multi-category awards are based on an aggregated analysis – with the help of London-based global marketing firm Warc – of 39 worldwide Effie competitions from the past year.

McDonald's was the most effective brand for the second year in a row, while WPP Group was the most effective advertising holding company. Ogilvy & Mather was awarded the most effective advertising agency network, with Ogilvy & Mather (Mumbai) the most effective individual agency office. Durham, N.C.-based McKinney was recognized as the most effective independently held advertising agency.  

For the inaugural year of the index, 2011, Procter & Gamble was most effective company; McDonald's most effective brand; Omnicom most effective holding company; BBDO best agency network; Sancho BBDO in Bogota, Colombia the best agency office; and Wieden+Kennedy in Portland, Oregon the best independent agency. 

“The 2012 Effie Index rankings, when compared with 2011’s inaugural rankings, clearly demonstrate the global shifts in business performance over the past year,” said Matt Seiler, Effie Worldwide Chairman of the Board and Global CEO of IPG Mediabrands. “As an industry, we should be using this invaluable tool to identify the year’s best performers, and learn how their best practices can make us better marketers in the future.”

The top five global most effective advertisers after Unilever were Procter & Gamble, Nestlé, McDonald's and PepsiCo. Following McDonald's on the Most Effective Brands list were IBM, Coca-Cola, Axe and Pepsi. Omnicom, Interpublic, Publicis Groupe and Havas Advertising followed WPP Group as most effective holding companies. BBDO Worldwide, DDB Worldwide, Leo Burnett Worldwide, and McCann Worldgroup were most effective global agencies. 

In the North American market Procter & Gamble (advertiser), IBM (brand), WPP (advertising holding company), Ogilvy & Mather (agency network), Ogilvy & Mather, New York (agency) and McKinney (independent agency) won in their respective categories.