Digital is experiencing a creative renaissance. Teams are embracing new formats, with agencies producing long-form, unscripted work and production houses creating great commercial work. Brands’ in-house teams are leveraging more humor and big pop culture moments. And podcast companies are passing the microphone to underrepresented talent to share nuanced stories. The Webby Awards Industry Index 2024 is a very special project to us—and, we’re sure, to the rest of the industry. Our annual project puts the best of the Internet into context by analyzing insights from the highest-awarded organizations in the 28th Annual Webby Awards.
Explore insights into what trends are shaping creative work across advertising, branding, media, production and podcasting—and learn what it takes to make best-in-class work.
Methodology
Our list of key industries to analyze for each index was derived from entries in The Webby Awards. Our team looked at which industries over-index in our competition. We then found the five companies with the highest-performing work across each respective industry. Each company is ranked by the number of Webby Awards, People’s Voice Awards, nominations and honors their work received in last year’s competition. Webby Award and People’s Voice Award wins weigh heavier in our calculations.
Advertising agencies are embracing a more human-centric approach to creative work, with purpose-driven projects taking a front seat.
Consumers still demand that brands act in more human-centric ways. Across categories, we see purpose-driven campaigns take center-stage, especially from European agencies. Jung von Matt AG’s RESISTRUMENTS campaign turns repurposed weapons into musical instruments to uplift Ukranians. DEPT’s collaboration with Google Jigsaw, Info Interventions is an experiment to protect users against misinformation.
Immersive, personalized experiences are still in demand. We see interactive projects like the See Yourself in Sound experience by DEPT for Bang & Olufsen.
In a digital age marked by speed and oversaturation, agency networks are foregoing traditional formats in favor of longform ads that feel less scripted.
As today’s consumers navigate cognitive fatigue with fast-paced ads, agencies are shifting towards slower, long-form content. TBWA’s four-hour ad, Powerfully Peaceful (Lofi Girl), taps into the niche interests of this radio station’s audience. The network also crafted Another Birthday—an unscripted campaign that shows real people celebrating a second chance at life.
Tapping into the power of fandom and community are recurring themes in the work by agency networks. Teams executed this by plugging into big pop culture moments and fostering connection, from Wieden + Kennedy’s Close Friends – Lil Yachty social campaign to Accenture Song Germany’s Lufthansa – The World Says Yes to You Pride campaign that showcases travel destinations where queer spaces are thriving.
The rise of AI in creative production was evident in the work created by production companies, matching an industry-wide effort to embrace the technology in creativity.
Tool’s Coke AI Studio is the first AI-powered studio that helps music lovers create original music and album art. Monks’ Make It Real campaign partnered with AI influencer Lil Miquela to blend physical and virtual experiences. mss ng peces crafted HolidAI, a campaign that uses RunwayAI to turn our holiday memories into whimsical, AI-driven scenes.
Production teams are also leaning into non-traditional formats and collaborations to build hype. Modern Post’s Hello You is a love letter to New York City, celebrating the influence of Vogue and Sex and the City.
B2B work is settling into its creative renaissance. More brands are injecting humor into their campaigns and social content.
Standouts include Google’s Best Phones Forever series showcases the friendly rivalry between the Google Pixel and the iPhone, Duolingo’s Living with Lily social series, and Squarespace’s absurdist Super Bowl ads, The Singularity and Backstage with Adam Driver.
This season, we are recognizing culture-defining brand work by recognizing the inaugural Brand of the Year. All work entered on behalf of the brand—from its in-house team and agency partners, to collaborators—will contribute to its overall score. Tell your partners, and may the best brand win!
Video and social video still reign supreme for media companies.
Media companies are investing more into visual projects that tell stories of resilience and solidarity. Projects include What Happens When a Queer Muslim Meets a Lesbian Reverend by PBS and Nkashi: Race for the Okavango by National Geographic.
Just shy of magazines making a comeback, media companies and streaming are embracing more editorial formats and verticals to connect with their audience with deeper dives. Netflix Queue and Tudum offer fans deep dives into conversations with directors and industry talent behind the shows they love.
Amidst rising attacks on Queer and Trans communities, podcasters are centering stories of resilience in their content.
From iHeartMedia’s Black Fat Femme Podcast to Audible’s Dykes to Watch Out For, which tells the story of the iconic weekly comic strip on the lives and loves of a tight-knit lesbian community.
What also became clear is that celebrity-driven podcasts are here to stay, with some of the year’s biggest programs including Audible’s The Light Podcast, hosted by Michelle Obama, Baby, This is Keke Palmer by Wondery, and SirusXM’s programs Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend and LeVar Burton Reads.
Join the Winners Circle, and Enter the Webby Awards
Entries are officially open for the 29th Annual Webby Awards, which honors excellence on the Internet. We accept work across Websites and Mobile Sites; Video & Film; Advertising, Media & PR; Apps & Software; Social; Podcasts; AI, Immersive & Games; and new this year, a dedicated suite of honors for Creators!
Anyone can win big at the Webby Awards—podcast networks to global brands, and production houses to media companies. The only requirement is to do great work. Join a legacy of the most exciting creatives and companies; take advantage of early entry pricing and submit your projects by our Early Entry Deadline on Friday, October 25th.
