Nominees Announced, Vote until April 18th
Honoring the Best
of the Internet Enter

The Webby Awards

Webby Rankings November 16, 2021

The 2021 Webby Agency Index

Back
Meet the top 5 Advertising Agencies honored at the hallmark 25th Annual Webby Awards.

Since 1997, creative work that has been entered in—and recognized—in The Webby Awards has set the standard for innovation. More than 25 years later this still holds true, as many creative shops worldwide have stacked their teams to merge new technologies with existing strategic and creative capabilities. They also demonstrate that they understand the value of awards to honor their team’s hard work, win new business and make their agency a household name. 

It has become abundantly clear that the future belongs to agencies who are able to push the boundaries in emerging technology and marketing.

The 5 companies featured in our 3rd Annual Webby Agency Index represent creatives who are doing just that. Our index showcases the 5 advertising agencies with the most Webby-recognized projects across all categories in the 25th Annual Webby Awards (2021). In addition, we’ve highlighted a few pieces of work by each of the featured companies. 

HOW IT WORKS: To start, we analyzed which industries over indexed in the 25th Annual Webby Awards. We then ranked which companies produced the highest-performing projects honored in The Webby Awards. *Companies are listed with the highest-performing projects top to bottom. Webby Wins are weighed more heavily in calculations.*

The 2021 Agency Index

BY THE NUMBERS 

  • The five agencies featured in our annual index demonstrate that the future belongs to teams that are pushing the boundaries in emerging technology and marketing. The following companies and their teams are the best in the business!
  • McCann New York received 10 wins, 2 nominations and 3 honors during last year’s Webby Awards, moving up from its second place ranking in our previous index. 
  • During the 25th Annual Webby Awards, agencies competed with a wide range of work, most notably purpose-driven campaigns, branded content and virtual experiences.
  • Droga5, McCann, and R/GA made the index for the third consecutive year. BASIC for the second consecutive year.

BEHIND THE RANKS

1. McCann New York

For over a century, the advertising agency has let three simple words lead the way: Truth Well Told. It’s their belief that consumer insights based in truth are crucial to building brands that last. McCann New York’s honored work reflects the agencies pivot to crafting campaigns that drive tangible social impact—from tackling gun laws to banks’ systemic bias against transgender persons. View the work below.

  • True Name – 2021 Winner, Corporate Social Responsibility Campaign, Brand Strategy and Best Caught Related Campaign (PR)
  • Unfinished Votes – 2021 Winner, Public Service & Activism in Social, Nominee, Social Video in Advertising, Honoree Best Video Campaign 
  • #IStayHomeFor – 2021 People’s Voice Winner, Real-Time Response Campaign, Public Service & Activism, Health, Wellness & Pharmaceutical and Best Viral PR Campaign 
  • Acceptance Street – 2021 People’s Voice Winner, Diversity & Inclusion, and Best Event Activation

2. Droga5

The global advertising agency creates communications and experiences that ignite business growth with brand purpose at the core. Founded by David Droga, the agency tackles unique business challenges by bringing multidisciplinary creative thinking to every stage of the engagement. Droga5’s work also over-indexed in purpose-driven categories, with work tackling teen suicide, misinformation and system racism. The work also performed well in craft and media strategy-focused categories. View the work below.

  • Life Needs Truth – 2021 Winner, Best Use of Video or Moving Image, Nominee, Best Copywriting, Honoree, News & Politics
  • Never Lost – 2021 Nominee, Viral Marketing, and Best Video Editing 
  • Misinformation – 2021 Nominee, Best Copywriting, Honoree, Best Use of Video or Moving Image
  • #LaborDayOn – 2021 Nominee, Viral Marketing, Best Use of Earned Media, and Best Use of Social Media
  • Grounded – 2021 Nominee, Live Experiences, and Events
  • Survive – 2021 Honoree, Video Ad Longform

3. BASIC®

BASIC® is a global branding and digital design agency building products, services, and eCommerce experiences that turn cultural values into company value. Last year, their team performed well in our product-focused categories, for both client-commissioned and internal projects. View the work below.

  • Google Store – 2021 Winner & People’s Voice Winner, Best Mobile Visual Design – Function, Nominee, Best User Experience, Honoree, Best Visual Design – Function
  • Crafted™ – 2021 Winner, Corporate Social Responsibility, Nominee, Best User Interface, and Best Mobile Visual Design – Aesthetic
  • BASIC® — MOVES. – 2021 Nominee, Professional Services & Self-Promotion, and Best Visual Design – Function
  • Furrion – 2021 Nominee, Best Mobile Visual Design – Function
  • Silver Oak – 2021 Honoree, Best Practices, Best User Interface, and Best Responsive/Adaptive Design for Mobile
  • Futuremood – 2021 Honoree, Best Visual Design – Aesthetic, and Best Mobile Visual Design – Aesthetic
  • KFC.com – 2021 Honoree, Best Mobile User Interface

4. R/GA

R/GA is a global network built for radical collaborations that does future-facing brand, marketing and customer experience work. R/GA’s entered work reflects the agency’s well-rounded capabilities, namely their use of new technologies for creative executions, and strategy-led clients for projects to drive engagement. View the work below.

  • Ally r/Bank – 2021 Winner, Experimental & Innovation, People’s Voice Winner, Promotions & Contests
  • Nike – Mamba Week – 2021 Winner & People’s Voice Winner, Sports Series & Campaigns, People’s Voice Winner,  Best Social Community Building and Engagement in Advertising

5. Wieden+Kennedy

Wieden+Kennedy is an independent, global creative company. Their work influences culture and builds business value. Their work entered in last year’s awards program featured the use of augmented reality, as well as the well-crafted video and branded work W+K is known for. View the work below.

  • McDonald’s Famous Orders – 2021 People’s Voice Winner, Best Influencer Endorsement, Honoree, Culture & Lifestyle Series & Campaigns

 

To join the best agencies in the advertising industry, enter the 26th Annual Webby Awards. New categories include Installation or Experience, Best Social Commerce/Shopping Campaign, Best Social Campaign, and more. The Final Entry Deadline is on Friday, December 17th!

READ THE FULL SERIES

The Webby Podcast Industry Index is part of our larger Webby Industry Index Series that showcases the companies who have made the highest caliber of work across their respective industries. Read the full series to see this year’s best Brands, Game Creators, Media Companies, Podcast Companies, Production Companies and Tech Companies.

More from Features

Drag