Ranked #1: Campaign: How a Soap Brand Created a Global Self-Esteem Movement for Dove by Ogilvy London / Mindshare New YorkCreative agency: AlmapBBDO, São PauloIndependent creative agency: Mischief, New YorkMedia agency: Starcom, Chicago Independent media agency: Streetwise, São Paulo Network: Ogilvy Independent network: GUT Holding Company: Omnicom Brand: McDonald’s  Advertiser: Unilever  
Reach for good, fans become central and effective AI use are key themes   
18 March 2026 – The WARC Effective 100, the ultimate independent global benchmark of the world’s most awarded campaigns and companies for effectiveness, and the third and final of the WARC Rankings, is now released.  

Compiled by WARC, the annual Effective 100 Rankings aggregate the results of the most important global and regional effectiveness awards of 2025. The shows tracked are determined in consultation with the WARC Rankings Advisory Board and by a yearly global panel survey. 

Amy Rodgers, Head of Content, WARC Creative, said: “The WARC Effective 100 Rankings are the pinnacle of marketing excellence, showcasing the campaigns and companies that have truly moved the needle and delivered measurable impact. Setting new standards for effectiveness, they are an invaluable resource for the industry to learn from the very best, help embed a culture of effectiveness and drive future business growth.”   

Three themes stand out from this year’s Effective 100: 

  • Reach for good: The Effective 100 continues to highlight how big brands, such as Dove, Pedigree and Vaseline, with a large reach can both do good and create value for their businesses. 
  • Fans become central: Going further than speaking to customers in places where they spend time, brands in this year’s top 100, including Xbox, eos, and Whirlpool, brought fans into the centre of their campaigns, making authentic shareable content to boost attention and engagement. 
  • Effective AI use: The growth in use of AI in the marketing industry has been exponential in the last couple of years, and that is starting to come through in case studies for effectiveness, for such brands as O2, Volkswagen and An-Nahar. 

#1 Campaign for effectiveness: ‘Real Beauty: How a Soap Brand Created a Global Self-Esteem MovemenThe most awarded campaign for effectiveness of 2025 was ‘Real Beauty: How a Soap Brand Created a Global Self-Esteem Movement’ by Ogilvy London and Mindshare New York for Dove. Over 20 years, the personal care brand’s iconic Real Beauty campaign has consistently continued to reshape global perceptions of beauty, evolving into a holistic brand platform now purchased by 37% of the world’s population. 

In second place is ‘Caramelo: Brazil’s beloved mutt now has pedigree” by AlmapBBDO, São Paulo, for Pedigree. The dog food brand transformed Brazil’s beloved Caramelo into an official breed, driving adoptions and bringing the brand’s purpose to life. The brand’s culturally rooted strategy drove a 23.3% increase in sales year-on-year.  

Third placed ‘Michael CeraVe’ by FCB New York/160Over90, New York, for skincare brand CeraVe, launched a bold “developed with dermatologists” campaign centered around a playful “Michael CeraVe” conspiracy. It leveraged influencer stunts, PR kits, and earned media to make a splash during the Super Bowl, resulting in 25% increase in sales and 5% audience growth. 

#1 creative agency for effectiveness: AlmapBBDO, São Paulo 

#1 independent creative agency for effectiveness: Mischief, New York 

Last year’s third-placed agency, AlmapBBDO São Paulo, tops the Effective creative agency ranking for the first time, with six campaigns in the top 100, including the Caramelo campaign for Pedigree.   

Filipe Bartholomeu, President and CEO, AlmapBBDO, said: “Being recognized as the world’s most effective creative agency by WARC is an extremely proud achievement, that reflects our belief in creativity as the main driver of growth and results for our clients. This recognition aligns with our core mission: to impact the world through brands by generating consistent and lasting growth for them.” 

After another strong year, Leo Mumbai is in 2nd place. Ogilvy London climbs three places to claim third place. Impact BBDO Dubai and Sancho BBDO Bogota not ranked last year have jumped into seventh and eighth places.  

Top of the independents is Mischief @ No Fixed Address, New York, which has featured consistently in the top indie agencies for effectiveness in recent years. Its eos brand campaign is ranked seventh and 11 further campaigns across the full database contributed points. 

Jeff McCrory, Chief Strategy Officer & Partner, at Mischief, said: “Mischief was founded on the belief that creativity, properly channelled and directed is the most powerful force in business. Being ranked the number one most effective independent agency in the world feels like one hell of a proof point for this hypothesis. Thank you to everyone at Mischief for delivering brilliance and to our clients for empowering us to strive for greatness.” 

#1 media agency for effectiveness: Starcom Chicago 

#1 independent agency for effectiveness: Streetwise, São Paulo  

Starcom Chicago, second-placed last year, tops the effective media agency ranking this year. Whilst it has consistently been in the top ten, this is the first year it has taken the top spot since 2018.  

Shelby Saville, CEO, Starcom US, said: “I am incredibly proud to see Starcom recognized at the top of the WARC Effective 100. This honor reflects the focus our teams bring to driving real business results for clients. It’s a testament to the collaboration, creativity and care our people bring to every idea.”  

Arena Media, Lisbon, moves up to claim second place and Brainchild Karachi is in third. OMD Bogota returns to the top ten (#4) alongside Initiative, Buenos Aires (#8).  EssenceMediacom, Shanghai debuts in fifth place.  

The top three independent media agencies are all new to the top 50 for effectiveness. Streetwise, São Paulo (#1), Media-tique, Bucharest (#2) and Media1, Vienna (#3). 

#1 Network for effectiveness: Ogilvy 

#1 Independent network for effectiveness: GUT 

Ogilvy is the most awarded network for effectiveness for the fourth year in a row. The network has 13 campaigns in the top 100. The network is behind the #1 ranked campaign for Dove and has work for 12 different brands across the top 100 campaigns.   

Mick McCabe, Global Chief Strategy Officer, Ogilvy, said: “To be recognized as #1 four years in a row is a testament to Ogilvy’s enduring culture of strategic thinking, that is vibrant and thriving all around the world, across every office and discipline. Our gratitude to our clients for valuing, asking for and collaborating with us on bold strategic choices that make a difference — on their business and in the world. And we cannot underestimate how much shared commitment, passion, resilience and talent it takes to do this day in and day out. It speaks volumes about our people and how they always rise to the occasion.” 

Leo appears as a new network this year after its rebrand and merger with Publicis Worldwide, landing in 2nd. BBDO Worldwide rises to third place. 

For the second year, GUT is ranked top independent network. It has five campaigns in the top 100 and placed 21st among all networks, driven by work for Mercado Libre, Hertog Jan and Grupo Boticário. 

Rethink appears in the indie networks for the first time, debuting in second place. No Fixed Address retains its third position. New to the top 50 in 2026 are VCCP and Worldwide Partners, in 5th and 8th respectively. 

#1 Holding Company for effectiveness: Omnicom 

The battle for top holding company for effectiveness continues this year with the pendulum swinging back in Omnicom Group’s favour.    

With a margin of less than 200 points, the holdco was represented by nine different networks in the top 50, and a quarter of the top 100 campaigns. 

WPP is in second place, followed by Interpublic, which remains in third.  

#1 Brand for effectiveness: McDonald’s  

McDonald’s has now been the most effective brand for seven years in a row, testament to its global reach and commitment to creative effectiveness transformation across its entire business. The fast food retailer has two campaigns in the top 100, but its success is driven by the depth of wins across shows globally, with a further 66 campaigns in the full effective 100 database, from an impressive 29 different countries across the world. 

Morgan Flatley, Global Chief Marketing Officer and Head of New Business Ventures, McDonald’s, said: “A recognition like this is never about one campaign or moment, it’s about years of our marketers around the world building something bigger together. Seven years as WARC’s number one Most Effective Brand is a reminder – and motivation – of what’s possible when marketing creativity is a driver of business growth.” 

Dove retains its second position for a second year. IKEA climbs to third driven by three campaigns in the top 100 and 18 further campaigns in the full database.   

Yili and Movistar are new entrants to the top 50 this year, through their Olympic Triumph and This is Not a Game campaigns respectively. 

#1 Advertiser for effectiveness: Unilever 

After a few years off the top spot, Unilever returns to first place in the Effective 100 this year, marking a hat-trick across the three rankings and the first advertiser to ever rank first for creativity, media and effectiveness in the same year. The FMCG giant is represented by five campaigns in the top 100, and 29 different brands in the full Effective 100 database. 

Leandro Barreto, Chief Marketing Officer, Unilever and Beauty & Wellbeing, said: “Achieving the #1 ranking in Creative, Media and Effectiveness is an extraordinary validation of our marketing transformation. Proof that purposeful creativity combined with world class media creates impact at scale. Creativity backed by rigour. Media powered by precision. Execution with discipline and reach. This is how we grow. Congratulations to every team member, partner and co-creator who made this achievement possible.” 

McDonald’s was knocked into 2nd place, and drinks giant AB InBev retained its 3rd place. New to the top 50 are Government of China, driven by a high number of Effie China wins, and Uber, which had two top 100 campaigns this year. 

The top ten most highly ranked campaigns and companies in the 2026 WARC Rankings Effective 100 are: 

The WARC Effective 100 has been compiled by applying a rigorous, unbiased and transparent methodology. 

The WARC Effective 100 Ranking can be viewed in full with the campaigns here. It includes the world’s top 100 awarded campaigns for effectiveness, top 50 creative agencies, media agencies, agency networks, brands, advertisers, countries and top holding companies.  

The case studies and summary report are available to WARC members. 

The Effective 100, the final WARC Rankings to be released, follows the publication of the The WARC Creative 100 and the WARC Media 100.