Gold
21Grams
Two Sides of Two Years
Palindrome poetry may not be the natural language of medical copywriters, but 21Grams’ heartfelt use of this mirrored writing technique took our judges’ breath away. Almost by magic, it shifts the perspective on the confusing emotions that have consumed us all during the past two years.
The agency created the poem to run on the cover of MM+M’s issue commemorating two years of the pandemic. Parent company Real Chemistry had cover space for this issue and wanted to make sure that it related to the rest of the content. The goal? To remind the industry that while there is a pessimistic way of looking at this shared experience, there’s also a positive way. While the words don’t change, the meaning does in a way that lifts up everyone who reads it.
On one level, the piece is a trick, surprising readers the moment they realize how the words work in reverse. But more importantly, it’s designed to upend the perspective of anyone who reads it.
“I loved this piece,” writes one judge, “and the intelligence of connecting and tugging on both sides of the emotional roller coaster we’ve been on these last two years. And it’s done in such an authentic and human way.”
Perhaps the most notable feature, especially in a category that’s about self-promotion, is the poem’s generosity, aimed at a target audience that includes absolutely everyone. It’s an ode to anyone who experienced the COVID-19 pandemic — all 8 billion of us.
Silver
Eversana Intouch
Nextmakers
This whimsical self-promotion effort uses animation that’s in some ways classic. There’s a little Monty Python, a touch of Rube Goldberg and a generous slice of cake-baking. It also showcases three amazingly talented artists while still conveying the agency’s digital moxie and its determination to keep the focus on what comes next. Since its launch in the fall of 2021, it’s created more than 1 million impressions.
