Marketing communications agency McCann Bristol has won four major European creative industry awards in recognition of its work with book retailer Waterstones to support early years reading.
The Stories That Grow campaign, which was launched for World Book Day, features a series of tales that appear to mature as they are read – with each made up of lines and phrases borrowed from well-known books.
Actors Stephen Mangan and Anne-Marie Duff lent their voices to the audio tracks, taking listeners on a journey from infant to adulthood in just 60 seconds, with the illustrations in the print ads the result of a unique collaboration between schoolchildren and adult artists.
The ambitious campaign, which increased footfall in Waterstones’ 280-plus UK stores after Covid, landed three golds and a silver at the Creative Circle Awards ceremony.
Known as the top event in the UK creative calendar, the Creative Circle Awards – which were this year held at the Dreamland amusement park in Margate, pictured – are the longest-running honours of their kind in Europe, and the only ones run and judged by creatives.
Additionally, McCann Bristol creative Emily Cuthbert was recognised as a finalist in the ‘new talent’ category.
McCann Bristol executive creative director Zane Radcliffe said: “To receive so many accolades is a huge honour. It’s a massive endorsement of McCann Bristol as a major creative player on the national stage.”
McCann Bristol – part of McCann Worldgroup – provides integrated communications and creative across a range of services, including strategy, research and planning, design and creative, broadcast, digital, PR and social, internal comms and employee engagement, activation and media buying.
The agency is no stranger to awards. Two years ago it won four highly coveted Lion awards – a Silver and three Bronzes – at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for its GoAbility campaign with Motability Operations, which operates the Motability scheme for people with disabilities, their families and carers.
The agency has also produced TV advertising for family-owned cider firm Thatchers and Yeo Valley, Britain’s largest organic dairy brand Yeo Valley.
