It was a touchdown/home run/grand slam, as the world of sports marketing celebrated the CLIO Sports Awards on July 7 in New York City. Honoring the most innovative, creative and engaging campaigns, the industry came together to both commemorate this year’s winning work and look ahead to the future.
To relive the exciting evening, Clios.com captured a few of the most memorable moments that got the industry tweeting, talking and ready to continue to create.
Kicking off the 2016 CLIO Sports, awards, the evening’s host, NFL analyst and radio host Boomer Esiason greeted the crowd: “This is the Super Bowl of marketing; the Copa of creativity… While sport creates memorable moments, design and communications amplify those moments to culture touchstones.”
What makes for a Grand Clio? Collaboration and innovation. VML group creative director Glen Scott attributed the ‘Super Bowl Dunk’ Social Media Grand win to “thirsting for opportunities to do something new and different,” while Gatorade senior director, consumer engagement Kenny Mitchell mused that “team work makes the dream work,” referencing the project’s collaboration between brand, agency, Snapchat and millions of consumers.
Celebrating Adweek’s 30 Most Powerful Women in Sports, editor Lisa Granatstein enthused, “These women are the best at their game… They’re setting records and breaking barriers as they win over fans and brands.”
Though presenter Jon Miller, president, programming, NBC Sports and NBCSN, joked, “For 34 years I’ve had to listen to everyone gush,” about his similarly named colleague, he called John Miller, NBC Olympics CMO and this year’s Stuart Scott Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, “a living example of a great brand himself… the epitome of what a leader should be.”
NBC Olympics CMO John Miller noted his Stuart Scott Lifetime Achievement Award among his career highlights, stating, “It is truly an honor to be recognized in any way by the CLIO organization because it is the very symbol of marketing and advertising excellence in creativity… All those here who are blessed enough to walk away with one of those classic, elegant statues, display it proudly.”
Also included in his career highlights are people he has worked with: “What was most special was the creative collaboration and watching people blossom and grow.” As for the future of marketing, he advises, “Use the shifting media landscape as an opportunity… the creative is what will be remembered and will make the execution work.”
Just Not Sports co-host and founder Brad Burke gave one of the evening’s most poignant speeches upon accepting the inaugural Social Good Grand Clio, along with One Tree Forest, for their #MoreThanMean campaign. “I’m so grateful for strong women like Sarah [Spain] and Julie [DiCaro] who are speaking out against harassment… They are working diligently to prevent the next generation of women from dealing with this garbage ever again.”
Sarah Spain, espnW writer, ESPN Radio Host, and SportsCenter reporter who participated in the #MoreThanMean campaign issued a call to the industry: “Let’s make sure the content we provide and the campaigns we do are inclusive.”
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