From digital marketing of the early aughts, think: rich media ads for Snakes on a Plane and banner ads like Just in Time by DDB Brasil, to immersive brand activations like BMW’s metaverse Joytopia, digital advertising has experienced enormous innovation as both a craft and an industry. Today’s agencies and creative shops have revamped their offerings, combining emerging technologies in Web3, immersive and augmented reality and metaverse with the strategic and creative capabilities they’ve honed. It’s become clear that the future belongs to agencies that are experimenting with new tech to solve issues in marketing and society at large. 

The 4th Annual Webby Agency Index is a roundup of five advertising agencies that are the best in creating digital advertising and experiences, including their notable recognition. Ranked in order, the index highlights the agencies with the most success during/most Webby-recognized projects during the 26th Annual Webby Awards, across Webby wins, nominations and honors. Additionally, we’ve highlighted a few pieces of work by each company.

*Companies are ranked in order of performance. Webby Award and People’s Voice wins were weighed more heavily in our calculations.  

BY THE NUMBERS 

• R/GA was the top-performing agency in the 26th Annual Webby Awards, making it the 2022 Webby Agency of the Year, with 7 wins, 6 nominations and 4 honors. 
• Driven by purpose: In line with recent industry shifts, more agencies and their clients are investing time and resources into impactful projects to solve important global issues. R/GA’s Uber Vaccinate The Block, Jung von Matt AG’s The [Uncertain] Four Seasons, and SERVICEPLAN’s Meltdown Flags are a few examples. 
• During the 26th Annual Webby Awards, agencies competed with a wide range of work, including spots, social videos and campaigns, and virtual experiences.  

BEHIND THE RANKS

1. R/GA

R/GA is a global creative network that defines itself as a company of reinvention. With a foundation as a computer-assisted filmmaking company, it has embraced technological innovation to offer services across communications, brand design, customer experience and customer relationships. Making the index for the third consecutive year, this time as the 2022 Webby Agency of the Year, R/GA was honored for work that reflect’s the agency’s well-rounded capabilities. 

A standout project was Nike – For Everybody, its in-store experience, leveraged 3D photogrammetry and Snapchat AR technology in Nike stores to help shoppers view clothing items on a diverse range of body types. R/GA’s real-time response campaign, Reddit – Superb Owl, swept the competition. Without enough time to develop a blockbuster Super Bowl ad, R/GA and Reddit’s less-is-more solution to flash an ad for five seconds of air-time showed ingenuity. 

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• Nike – For Every Body
  2022 People’s Voice Winner for Augmented Reality in Advertising, Media & PR
  2022 Honoree for Installation or Experience in Advertising, Media & PR
• Reddit – Superb Owl
  2022 Winner and People’s Voice Winner for Real-Time Response Campaign in Advertising, Media & PR
  2022 Winner, Best Viral PR Campaign in Advertising, Media & PR
• Doritos – Duet Roulette
  2022 Winner for Promotion & Contests in Social
  2022 People’s Voice Winner for Best Launch in Advertising, Media & PR
• Uber – Vaccinate The Block
  2022 Winner for Integrated Campaign in Advertising, Media & PR
  2022 Honoree for Best Cause Related Campaign in Advertising, Media & PR
• Sephora – Black Beauty is Beauty
  2022 Winner and People’s Voice Winner for Corporate Social Responsibility in Advertising, Media & PR

View their full list of Webby Award-winning work here.

2. BBDO New York

Coming in second is BBDO New York, the former Webby Agency of the Year. As a global network, it combines its talent and resources with the agility to adapt quickly in a changing world. 

The agency’s accomplishments reflect an industry-wide shift to prioritize impactful work, with projects like Pedestal Project and The Breakaway: the first eCycling team for prisoners winning big at the 26th Annual Webby Awards. Their other work included integrated campaigns to support women creatives and connect underserved communities with vaccine access. See a few examples of their work below. 

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• Pedestal Project
  2022 Winner for Augmented Reality in Advertising, Media & PR
  2022 Winner for Best Use of Filter/Lenses in Social
  2022 Winner for Public Service & Activism in Virtual & Remote
• Bacardi | Music Liberates Music Mixtape
  2022 People’s Voice Winner for Best Use of Online Media in Advertising, Media & PR
  2022 Honoree for Best Cause Related Campaign in Advertising, Media & PR
• The Academic – Not Your Summer
  2022 Winner for Best Use of Animation or Motion Graphics in Advertising, Media & PR
  2022 Nominee for Experimental & Innovation in Social
  2022 Nominee for Technical Achievement in Video 
• The Breakaway: The First eCycling Team for Prisoners
  2022 Winner for Best Media Strategy in Advertising, Media & PR
  2022 Nominee for Best Cause Related Campaign in Advertising, Media & PR 

View their full list of Webby Award-winning work here.

3. Jung von Matt AG

Jung von Matt is an owner-led creative agency that touts being the most successful agency in the German-speaking world, both in terms of creative awards and efficiency. Since launching its Hamburg office in 1991, the agency has grown to have offices in nine countries with full-service offerings. 

Last year, the agency performed well across our video categories with digital spots, such as DocMorris – Kettlebell and Nivea – Twins. Moreover, agency received recognition for experimental projects that leverage immersive tech, like building BMW’s metaverse through Joytopia and the Hypnopolis podcast. See a few of its recognized projects below. 

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• The [Uncertain] Four Seasons
  2022 Winner for Public Service & Activism in Virtual & Remote
  2022 Honoree for Best Cause Related Campaign (PR) in Advertising, Media & PR
• DocMorris – Kettlebell
  2022 Winner for Viral (Branded) in Video
  2022 Nominee, for Scripted (Branded) in Video
  2022 Nominee for Health, Wellness & Pharmaceutical in Advertising, Media & PR
• Joytopia
  2022 Winner for Best 360-video in Virtual & Remote
  2022 Honoree for Best Realtime Experience in Virtual & Remote
• Make the Invisible Visible
  2022 Winner for Best Social Campaign

View their full list of Webby Award-winning work here.

4. Serviceplan Germany

With a vision to build sustainable and successful brands for its clients, Serviceplan Germany uses innovative communication strategies and engaging campaigns to spark consumer emotions. 

Like other agencies included in the index, last year Serviceplan Germany focused its efforts on creating work that supports worthy causes, like conservation projects The Last Day Pass and Meltdown Flags.

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• Meltdown Flags
  2022 Winner for Best Use of Data Driven Media in Advertising, Media & PR
  2022 Honoree for Best Data Visualization in Advertising, Media & PR
• The Last Day Pass
  2022 Winner for Sustainability & Environment in Social 
• #NotComingHome
  2022 Winner for Social Video in Advertising, Media & PR
  2022 Winner for Public Service & Activism in Social
  2022 Honoree for Public Service & Activism in Video
• The Dark Side of Sugar
  2022 Winner for Health & Wellness in Social

Read the Full Series

This is part of the 2022 Webby Industry Index series, which ranks companies with the highest-performing work in the 26th Annual Webby Awards. Read the full series for insights into the year’s best brands, game creators, media companies, podcast companies, production companies and tech companies.

Show that you’re the best in the advertising industry, like those honored in the 2022 Webby Agency Index. To join their ranks, enter the 27th Annual Webby Awards before the Extended Deadline on Friday, February 10th.