UM, a leading global media network within IPG Mediabrands, won gold at the prestigious Campaign Global Agency of the Year Awards. This recognition celebrates the outstanding work and dedication of all teams across the UM network worldwide, including agencies in the Southeast Europe (SEE) region operating under the AMA Group. IPG Mediabrands, UM’s parent network, also celebrated success by winning the silver award, further confirming the strength and influence of this global media family.
UM: Gold for Outstanding Performance and Innovation
A key part of UM’s strategy in 2024 was the new global positioning “Full Color Media,” which redefines media planning by focusing on cultural relevance and deep consumer understanding. This strategy, under the slogan “Stand Against Bland,” was developed in collaboration with the University of Oxford through a three-year study involving over 10,000 brands. “Full Color Media” emphasizes the creation of media campaigns that are authentic, diverse, and deeply rooted in cultural context, with the smart use of artificial intelligence to deliver personalized and impactful results. The jury particularly praised this innovation, highlighting UM’s distinction in an industry overwhelmed by data.
It was a performance-driven 2024 for UM, in which the agency reported an 11% year-over-year increase in billings, fuelled in part by the onboarding of General Mills and expansion of its Levi’s partnership to a global remit. In the US, key wins included HelloFresh, Nutribullet, and the Alaska Air Group, while in Asia-Pacific, wins included Target (agency of record for Australia), L’Oréal (influencer agency for Singapore/Malaysia), and Tata Steel (agency of record for India). In Europe, wins and retentions across 2024 included Triumph International, 3 Mobile, Schwarz Group, and Vinted.
IPG Mediabrands: Silver for Impressive Growth and Creativity
IPG Mediabrands, the parent network of UM, won the silver award thanks to its outstanding performance in 2024. Within the IPG Mediabrands network, Initiative’s Dove campaign “Real Textures” was the first Unilever campaign starring, directed, and produced by Black women. The work drove a +90% increase in brand sentiment and reached a record high in brand affinity, with more than +195 million views.
Meanwhile, Mediahub’s Ōura smart ring campaign drove a rapid increase in both brand awareness and sales in the US, UK, Canada, Germany, and Finland, which led to Ōura achieving a major milestone as the first smart ring brand to reach 2.5million global sales.
RECMA, which evaluates and rates media agencies qualitatively and quantitatively, credited IPG Mediabrands with the highest growth rate (+45%) over the past three years, according to its overall activity volume report.
This award holds special significance for the UM agencies operating in the Southeast Europe region under the umbrella of AMA Group. “This recognition is a testament to the strength of our collective efforts and the innovations we bring to our clients every day. We are proud to be part of the UM family, and we will continue to push boundaries in the media industry,” said Predrag Guberinić, Director of UM Belgrade.
