TED’s 10 Ads Worth Spreading winners announced today

Today’s guest blog post comes from Ronda Carnegie, Head of Global Partnerships at TED.

Last October, we at TED set out to recognize the best in advertising with a program called Ads Worth Spreading. We wanted to find and honor clever, engaging ads that clearly communicated a company’s ideas, sparked thoughtful conversation about advertising, and advocated for audiences, who want to be entertained, not interrupted. Agencies and industry luminaries were invited to submit nominations via YouTube.

The winners of the second Ads Worth Spreading initiative were announced moments ago at the TED Conference in Long Beach, CA. This year’s 10 winners were carefully curated to shine a spotlight on ads that break the mold through longer-form, idea-based storytelling; were driven by ideas; value human attention and intelligence, and take the time to tell a thought-provoking story.

Entries ranged from 30-second spots to five-minute mini-documentaries, as well as several custom-made TED Talk-like pieces humanizing companies and causes. The winning work will be showcased at TED2012 as well as on TED.com and you can watch them all here on YouTube. Enjoy the full list of winners below!

The 2011/12 Ads Worth Spreading are:               

Chipotle: Back to the Start; Company: Chipotle; Agency: Creative Artists Agency
As he regrets the mass production and artificial methods of his industrial animal factory, a determined farmer opts to return to sustainable farming methods for the future and betterment of society.

Citizen Engagement: The Return of Ben Ali; Brand: Engagement Citoyen; Agency: Memac Ogilvy Tunisia
Although former Dictator of Tunisia President Ben Ali was ousted amidst the chaos of the Tunisian Revolution, many quickly lost interest in politics. In order to galvanize the Tunisian people out of hibernation, La Goulette shocked residents by warning the return of tyranny. 88% turned up for the October 23rd vote.

NTT Docomo Mobile Phone: Xylophone; Brand: NTT Docomo, Inc.; Agency: Drill Inc.
Organic and imaginative, NTT Docomo captures the essence of their new mobile phone to redefine nature and technology.
                                                                                       
Microsoft/Xbox: Kinect Effect; Brand: Microsoft / Xbox; Agency: Twofifteenmccann
Pushing the realm of imagination and technology, the Kinect takes a leap into the future of education, gaming and interaction

Sharpie: Start with Sharpie; Brand: Sharpie; Agency: Draftfbc - Chicago  
Cheeming Boey, builds a career around drawing on cups with Sharpies. His inspirational story is one of creativity and drive, challenging those who tried to taint his dream.

Mazda: Defy Convention; Brand: Mazda; Agency: Team Cosmos/JWT Germany/Team Mazda Europe     This moving advertisement shows how their heritage helps Mazda to see things differently and overcome adversity.

L'Oreal Paris: Aimee Mullins; Brand: L'Oreal Paris; Agency: R/GA and McCann Erickson
L’Oreal’s new beauty ambassador knows a lot about challenging notions of perceived beauty and achievement, as the wearer of double prosthetic legs.

Rethink Breast Cancer: Your Man Reminder; Brand: Rethink Breast Cancer; Agency: john st.
A tongue-in-cheek assertion that women are more likely to watch a video if it features a ‘hot guy’ underpins the serious message of this video.

Prudential Day One: Linda;  Brand: Prudential; Agency: Droga5  
Linda Gutherie reveals the thought process and life changes behind retirement as she shares her first day of retirement.

Canal +: The Bear; Brand: Canal+; Agency: BETC Euro RSCG
A bear skin rug that becomes a movie director? Just watch it ;-)

Guest to the YouTube Blog Ronda Carnegie, Head of Global Partnerships at TED, recently watched “Back to the Start”.