GSD&M Wins Big at 2025 Effies with Impactful, Culture Driven Campaigns

​GSD&M has won four 2025 Effie Awards—two Gold and two Silver—for standout campaigns created for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Ad Council, and Stanley 1913. These wins reflect the agency’s strong belief in work that makes a difference and drives real-world outcomes.

The Effie Awards are among the industry’s most prestigious honours for marketing effectiveness. Judged by senior marketing leaders from brands, agencies, and media, Effie winners must demonstrate that their work not only had a strong creative idea but also delivered measurable results.

The agency’s honours span two very different campaigns: a public service effort that helped connect millions of veterans with life-saving mental health resources, and a rapid-response brand moment that turned a viral TikTok into Stanley’s most successful sales quarter in its history.

'The Question,' developed in partnership with the VA and the Ad Council, earned two Silver Effies in the Government & Public Service and Disease Awareness categories. The campaign addressed a difficult truth that’s not talked about enough—veterans are often the first to jump in and help others but rarely ask for help themselves. The work flipped that narrative and asked one powerful question to this group: 'When was the last time you asked for help?' That simple prompt sparked something real. The campaign helped connect over 3.3 million veterans with life-saving mental health resources.

In contrast, GSD&M’s work for Stanley began with an unexpected moment: a TikTok video showing a Stanley tumbler intact after a car caught fire. The agency quickly helped the brand craft a smart, culturally attuned response that elevated the moment from a one-off post to a viral phenomenon. The campaign earned Gold Effies in two categories: Real-Time Response and Engaged Community, delivering 275% year-over-year sales growth and Stanley’s biggest quarter ever.

“These winning campaigns could not be more different, and that’s the point,” noted Lee Newman, GSD&M CEO. “They’re a testament to the kind of thinking our teams bring every day: strategic, bold, and built to get results.”

GSD&M has recently been amassing industry recognition for its effective and results-driven campaigns. In 2024, Campaign US named GSD&M’s media group Team of the Year, and the Jay Chiat Awards recognised the agency as Agency of the Year. So far in 2025, the agency was honoured with Strategy Team of the Year by Campaign US and was named an Ad Age A-List Standout.