And The Winners Are…
Each year, the advertising world recognizes icons and slogans that have withstood the test of time, generated revenue and increased brand awareness—and for the first time ever, the 8th Advertising Week Walk of Fame (AW8) was decided by votes cast through social media outlets!
The Madison Avenue Walk of Fame is located in New York and is dedicated to those advertising icons and slogans that have been most influential. Two icons and two slogans are chosen for commemoration by receiving a plaque or banner along the sidewalk. According to Adweek.com, winners of this prestigious award have exceeded in their ability to have “courage, bravery and thick skin on the campaign trail in the face of tough competition.” While historically, the winners of the Advertising Walk of Fame were chosen by members of the advertising community, this year was an exception. Social media has become more powerful then ever and millions of votes poured in from sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
While there were many, here’s a sample of this year’s competition:
Icons:
- The Man Your Man Could Smell Like
- Flo from Progressive
- Jolly Green Giant
- Mr. Clean
Slogans:
- What Would You Do for a Klondike Bar (Klondike)
- Hungry? Grab A Snickers (Snickers)
- Just Do It (Nike)
- Think Outside The Bun (Taco Bell)
Voting was sponsored by BuzzFeed and gained a large voting audience. With the voters skewing towards younger ages, there were many speculations to whom would win the AW8 award. Candidates such as Smokey the Bear or the Jolly Green Giant, whom have been around for decades were tested, but while the race was close they did not go home with the win. “Rookie of the Year” was awarded to the Kia Hamsters, a fan favorite that may be tough competition for next year’s nominees.
This year’s winners will join the 2010 inductees including The Michelin Man and Vlasic Stork on Madison Ave. While all the nominees were memorable and popular, the winners for the 2011 AW8 were: Allstate’s “Mayhem” and the Coca Cola Polar Bears. The winning AW8 Slogans were: “What Happens Here, Stays Here” (Las Vegas) and “What’s In Your Wallet” (Capital One).
The 2011 AW8 winners will be awarded their plaques and banners and join the honored Madison Avenue Walk of Fame, while next year’s candidates get back to work competing for a spot on the 2012 Advertising Week Walk of Fame.