The latest edition of the World Advertising Research Center’s annual Media 100 rankings offers a snapshot of where media creativity and effectiveness are converging globally. For India’s advertising and media ecosystem, the results carry particular significance: the country retains its third position globally while delivering the most-awarded campaign in the world.
Compiled annually by WARC, the Media 100 aggregates results from the most important global and regional media awards of the previous year. The awards tracked are selected in consultation with the WARC Rankings Advisory Board and through a yearly global panel survey.
This year’s list underscores the evolving role of media thinking in campaigns that move beyond placements and platforms to shape culture, behaviour and advocacy. India’s presence in the rankings is led by Mindshare Mumbai, whose campaign ‘Beauty Test Stops With Me’ for Dove emerged as the most-awarded campaign globally.
The work challenged entrenched beauty biases within India’s matchmaking culture by empowering mothers to reject discriminatory ‘beauty tests’ often imposed on women. The campaign used a multi-channel strategy designed to spark conversation around entrenched social norms while positioning the brand within that cultural context.
“Ranking #1 in the WARC Media 100 with the Dove ‘Beauty Test Stops with Me’ campaign is a proud moment for all of us,” said Vinish Mathews, head – team Fulcrum, WPP Media South Asia. “We are grateful to partner with Unilever on work that not only builds brands but also sparks meaningful cultural change in India. This recognition reflects the power of combining deep consumer insight, bold thinking, and innovation. Together with our clients, we continue to create ideas that push boundaries, redefine categories, and harness the possibilities of technology and AI to drive real, lasting growth.”
India’s agencies strengthen their global footprint
The campaign’s success also contributed to a strong showing for Indian agencies in the overall rankings. Mindshare Mumbai climbed to second place among the world’s most-awarded agencies, up from sixth last year.
Additional Indian agencies also appeared in the top 50. Wavemaker Mumbai ranked 16th, Leo Mumbai placed 26th and Havas Mumbai came in at 42. The top position globally went to PHD London.
Amin Lakhani, president – client solutions at WPP Media South Asia, said the ranking reflects the growing interplay of creativity and data in media strategy. “To see Mindshare India (Mumbai) recognised as the second most-awarded agency globally in the WARC Media 100 is both humbling and inspiring. It highlights the impact of our teams’ relentless focus on delivering ideas that combine creativity, data, and technology to create real value for our clients. Moments like these reaffirm our belief that when bold thinking meets strong collaboration, it can shape not just brands but the future of our industry.”
Mindshare’s performance also strengthened its parent network’s standing. Mindshare Worldwide was named the most-awarded media network for the fifth time, with 15 campaigns featured in the top 100 and contributions from agencies in cities including Mumbai, New York, London, Shanghai, Sydney, Warsaw and Jakarta.
“The work our clients and teams do to earn these WARC recognitions requires extraordinary courage and relentless ingenuity,” said Prasanth Kumar, CEO South Asia at WPP Media. “Alongside our clients, we are focused on accelerating business growth and inspiring our entire industry to embrace real transformation. This bold vision combined with masterful execution is what drives our collective efforts to continually redefine possibilities and reshape every part of the media landscape.”
At the holding company level, WPP retained the top position in the rankings, a place it has held since the Media 100 launched in 2018. Brian Lesser, global CEO of WPP Media, said it was a “honour” to lead the WARC Media 100 for a ninth straight. “In a world where media is truly everywhere and in everything, these awards powerfully show how we create captivating work that's strategically brilliant, culturally relevant, and deeply impactful,” he added. “At the heart of every truly successful client partnership lies a powerful idea – one that doesn't just meet objectives but fundamentally transforms a business. Congratulations to our clients and our teams for consistently delivering outstanding work that moves audiences to think and act.”
Campaigns reflect shifting media playbooks
Beyond the top campaign, several other Indian entries made the Media 100 list. Havas Mumbai’s ‘The Ink of Democracy’ for The Times of India ranked 21st. Mindshare Mumbai’s ‘Transforming 1.9 Billion UltraTech Logos into 1.9 Billion Home Building Experts’ for UltraTech Cement appeared at 36.
Other entries included ‘Turf Finder’ by Leo Mumbai for Gatorade at 45, ‘Words of Pride’ by Mindshare Mumbai for JioStar at 60 and ‘Story of Us’ by Wavemaker for Cadbury at 66. The broader campaign trends reflected in the rankings point to a media landscape that is increasingly shaped by audience participation, subtle storytelling and advocacy.
Amy Rodgers, head of content at WARC Creative, said the list captures how the media ecosystem continues to evolve. “The rapid evolution of the media landscape driven by technology, shifting consumer behaviours and new platforms is reshaping how brands and their partner agencies engage with audiences in meaningful and impactful ways. The WARC Media 100 celebrates the most awarded campaigns and companies at the forefront of these changes and will spark inspiration and new opportunities for the industry.”
Three themes stand out across this year’s Media 100. The first is tapping into fan communities. Many of the most-awarded campaigns speak to audiences in their own language and appear in the spaces where those audiences already spend time. Rather than interrupting attention, campaigns increasingly embed themselves within existing cultural environments.
The second trend involves what the industry describes as “hidden ads”. With consumers exposed to thousands of marketing messages daily, brands are experimenting with subtler storytelling techniques designed to trigger curiosity and surprise before revealing the commercial message.
The third theme centres on advocacy. Many campaigns demonstrate how media ideas can be used to champion social issues or support underrepresented communities. Campaigns across the rankings highlighted issues affecting women, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities and younger audiences.
India holds steady in global rankings
At a country level, the United States retained its top position, a rank it has held since the Media 100 was introduced in 2018. Sixteen of the top 100 campaigns originated from the US, including two within the top 10. The United Kingdom generated 11 campaigns in the top 100, maintaining its second place globally.
India remained third, followed by Canada and Germany. India's continued presence in the top tier reflects both the market’s scale and the growing sophistication of media-led ideas emerging from it. The broader takeaway from this year’s rankings, however, extends beyond geography.
As the boundaries between media, creativity and cultural relevance continue to blur, the campaigns that rise to the top increasingly rely on ideas that resonate beyond the screen or platform. That shift is redefining the role of media itself—from a delivery mechanism for messaging to a strategic lever shaping the narrative around brands.
