Ad Matters: 22.08.25

I’m excited this week as it’s time to read through this year’s entries into our Campaign Ad Net Zero Awards. It’s the fourth year of the awards, which were set up to help identify and celebrate the work which is helping to build a more sustainable economy and way of life. We already have a tremendous bank of case studies from the first three years, which you can read back through here, but now’s the time to see what’s been achieved over the past 12 months.

We’ve had a record number of entries (the highest ever, and up 29% YOY) and as one of the panel of judges, I’ve got the pleasure of looking at a range of work, recognising brands, agencies, media owners and individuals that are setting the new sustainable standards for creative excellence. The thing I find most rewarding is looking at how and where we are learning as an industry to apply all our creative, strategic and technical skills to help solve the challenge of climate change which affects us all.

The very first wave of winners helped to inform our book, Sustainable Advertising – I’m itching to update that soon by drawing on the progress being made by the passionate practitioners across our industry who want to show they can make advertising  that is both commercially and sustainably successful. The winners will be announced in November and you can find out more details about the award ceremony here.

Our pick of the ads: 

• Our Ad in the A is VCCP’s ‘Made to be enjoyed, not endured’ for Cadbury, offering a witty campaign for dark chocolate lovers.
• Bauer Media Outdoor has launched ‘Acts of Pride’ in Manchester, featuring UK artist Martin Firrell.
• O2 marks England Women’s Rugby with a skydive into Twickenham stadium by VCCP.
• Take a look behind the scenes with Saatchi and Saatchi and Street Doctors’ ‘The Fatal Question’, the campaign educating young people about the dangers of knife crime.
• 4 Creative builds anticipation for the return of the Great British Bake Off on Channel 4.

Our must reads: 

• In light of A-Level and GCSE results, Harley Ilott, Head of UK Marketing at Snapchat, explained how brands can support Gen Z at milestone moments. (Campaign)
• Born Social discusses the importance of brands’ green commitments for business and the planet, with research from Ad Net Zero and Kantar. (LBB)
• ITV offers a £1m airtime prize for ads that spotlight mental wellbeing with the return of their ‘Head First Award’. (Campaign)
• Looking at the rise of Gen Z on the platform, Pinterest reveals its Autumn 2025 Trend Report. (Pinterest)
• The APA will be celebrating 25 years of the much-loved APA show, with the introduction of two new categories. (LBB)
• The IPA’s Laurence Green takes a nostalgic advertising trip via the London Transport Museum to compare creative quality from 40 years ago to now. (Campaign)

And finally, there are only a few days left to vote in the SXSW Panel Picker and there is a brilliant array of proposals from UK Advertising companies that need your support. Check out the submissions here and cast your vote by 24 August.