Grand Clio Sports Award Winners Revealed at 9th Annual Celebration
Clio Sports, the competition that honours creative excellence in sports marketing and advertising on a global scale, announced the entrants that earned prestigious Grand Clios and Of The Year awards at the ninth annual Clio Sports Awards from Warner Bros. Discovery Offices and Theatre in New York City tonight.
The Grand Clio Sports statues, which are awarded to work that is deemed 'head and shoulders' above all other submissions in a given medium, were handed out to 11 winners, including:
- Digital: 'Jersey Pay' by VMLY&R Commerce for Corona
- Social Media: 'Michelob Guy' by Wieden+Kennedy for Michelob ULTRA
- Fan Engagement: 'Overtime Deal' by The Martin Agency for Buffalo Wild Wings
- Social Good: 'Corona Plastic Fishing Tournament' by We Believers for Ab InBev - Corona
- Branded Content: 'McEnroe vs McEnroe' by FCB New York for Anheuser Busch Michelob ULTRA
- Film: 'Stepfather's Day' by Sra. Rushmore, SA for Atlético de Madrid
- Innovation: 'McEnroe vs McEnroe' by FCB New York for Anheuser Busch Michelob ULTRA
- Direct: 'Ability Signs' by Rethink for Decathlon Canada
- Experiential: 'Corona Plastic Fishing Tournament' by We Believers for Ab InBev - Corona
- Integrated Campaign: 'McEnroe vs McEnroe' by FCB New York for Anheuser Busch Michelob ULTRA
- Public Relations: 'No More Red' by Iris for Adidas Football
Clio Sports Awards were also given out on stage for the Clio Sports Agency of the Year, Brand of the Year and Team of the Year. These winners were determined by identifying the entrants with the most statue points earned for work submitted across all medium types. The 2022 Clio Sports Of The Year Winners are:
- Agency Of the Year: FCB New York
- Brand Of the Year: Michelob ULTRA
- Team of the Year: Los Angeles Rams
The ceremony, hosted by Bleacher Report’s Ari Chambers and attended by leading team executives, advertising creatives, brand leaders, athletes and other industry titans, also celebrated athletes at the top of their game in both their sport and in building their personal brand.
The Clio Sports Impact Award, presented by AT&T, is given to a person or organisztion that has made a significant impact on popular culture by channelling their platform in innovative ways that move their industry forward and bring about social change. 2022 recipient and WNBA Champion Breanna Stewart was recognized for her dominance on the basketball court and her efforts to use her platform to advocate for causes bigger than herself. When she won the 2016 ESPY for Best Female Athlete, she gave a speech calling out the media for its lack of coverage of women’s sports. That same year, she joined her colleagues across the league in standing up for Black Lives Matter. In 2017, she stood up for the LGBTQ community and proudly championed the inclusive culture of the WNBA, and in October 2018 she came forward as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse with a moving first-person essay with The Players Tribune, going on to launch a national campaign to help other victims and their families. In 2022, Stewart has been a staunch and persistent voice in the call for the safe return of WNBA athlete Brittney Griner. Stewie also signed with PUMA in a ground breaking deal that made her the highest paid footwear and apparel endorser in the WNBA, with her signature shoe launching earlier this year.
The Clio Sports Rising Star Award, presented by Nissan North America, was a new addition to the program this year following the NIL policy changes in 2021. The award, which honours emerging athletes who are simultaneously breaking barriers in their sport and in pursuit of building a unique personal brand, was bestowed on Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young and Stanford Cadinal guard Haley Jones. Young earned the 2021 Heisman Trophy and appeared in campaigns for Nissan's 'Heisman House' and Dr. Pepper’s 'Fansville'; most recently, he teased a Crimson Tide-styled Beats by Dre partnership. Jones, for her part, is the Most Outstanding Player of the 2021 NCAA tournament, a podcast host for the Player’s Tribune and a brand partner for Nike, SoFi, Beats by Dre, NBA2K, ProCamps, Uncle Funky’s Daughter and more.
In partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, the event’s official sponsors were Nissan North America, AT&T, Octagon, Ally, and Columbia Care; with supporting sponsors Definition 6 and MOCEAN.
The full list of previously announced Clio Sports Gold, Silver, Bronze and Shortlist recipients is available here.
