TED, the non-profit devoted to "Ideas Worth Spreading," announced the winners of its 2011-2012 "Ads Worth Spreading" challenge on Tuesday. The 10 winners were revealed at the TED2012 conference in Long Beach, Calif.
The non-profit stated on its website that the intention of this annual initiative is to find "ads that communicate ideas with consumers in the same way that TED wants to communicate with its audience."
Agencies, producers and brands from 39 countries submitted to the 2012 challenge through an "Ads Worth Spreading" channel on YouTube. Six teams of two judges -- each one made up of a TED speaker and a "rising star" from the advertising industry -- worked together to nominate ads across six categories: talk, social good, cultural compass, creative wonder, brand bravery and storytelling. Additionally, 25 leading voices in the ad industry acted as "Advocates" to make nominations.
This year's winners include Canal+, Chipotle, Engagement Citoyen, L'Oréal Paris, Mazda, Microsoft, NTT Docomo, Prudential, Rethink Breast Cancer and Sharpie.
"We sought out ads that were driven by ideas," said TED Curator Chris Anderson in a press release. "At TED, we've seen the power of imagination and innovation. We want to reward companies that have invested in longer-form, beautifully crafted campaigns that value human attention and intelligence, and take the time to tell a thought-provoking story."