BEST OF THE BEST 

Time to take a break from the daily grind to celebrate Adweek’s Best Media Plan winners across thirty-two categories.

The following represent the winner, category and client.

The envelope please ….

SMG,Campaign, $5-10MM,P&G Always

SMG,Best Social, $4MM +, P&G Always

W+K/Razorfish/Mindshare, Campaign $15MM +, Nike

W+K/Razorfish/Mindshare, Best Int’l Campaign $15MM +, Nike

UM, Campaign $10-15MM, Media Markt

SMG, Campaign $1-5MM, Newcastle Brown Ale

PHD, Campaign $500K-1MM, Oreo

DigitasLBi, Campaign Under $500K, Taco Bell

DigitasLBi, Best Social Under $500K, Taco Bell

UM, Best Programmatic, Neutrogena

Team One, Best Use of Data, Lexus NX

DigitasLBi, Best Use of Insights, American Express

Hill Holiday, Best Mobile $4MM +, John Hancock

DigitasLBi, Best Mobile $1-2MM, Taco Bell

Essence, Best Mobile $500K-1MM, Google Search App

Media Storm, Best Mobile Under $500, Fox: Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Mindshare, Best Social $2-4MM, Dove

Horizon Media, Best Social $1-2MM, Burger King

Zenith, Best Social $500K-1M, FX: AHS/Freak Show

The Grid, Branded Content $4MM +, GE

W+K, Branded Content $1-2MM, Old Spice

Carmichael Lynch, Branded Content $500-1MM, Subaru

John St., Branded Content Under $500K, Canadian Safe School

Mediacom, Alternative Media $4MM +, Shell

Zenith, Alternative Media $2-4MM, Kohl’s

Van Wagner Group, Alternative Media $1-2MM, Hendrick’s Gin

Spark, Alternative Media $500K-1M, Delta Faucet

Ignition Factory, Alternative Media Under $500, Porsche

Mediacom, Int’l Campaign $1-5MM, Coca-Cola

UM, Int’l Campaign Under $1MM, H&M

Mediacom, Best Native Adv $1-2MM, Shell

Team One, Best Native Adv Under $500K, Lexus

LET'S MAKE A DEAL

As the dust settles on the Publicis / Razorfish deal one overriding question remains concerning the "strategic alliance" between Publicis and Microsoft.

As part of the deal, Publicis is committed to spend hundreds of millions on Microsoft search and display ad inventory, over a five year term, at favorable rates. It is unlikely that details concerning favored nation rates will be made public.

As an advertiser I might question the inclusion of Microsoft's media on a buy as a potential conflict of interest, stemming from the commitment Publicis made to Microsoft. According to David Kenny, managing partner at Publicis, the "deal presents no conflict". It is not, however, Kenny's call to make. That's for the advertiser to decide.

The alliance seems to miss the growing participation of advertisers in ad exchanges, developed to provide a bidding platform that can take advantage of hyper-targeting, leveraging a huge data pool for optimal returns. How does stepping out of that framework work to the advantage of Publicis' clients? Was this an oversight?

If search and display rates for Microsoft are below par, will Publicis be allowed to dump the inventory into the exchanges as a broker? Will Microsoft allow it and risk setting rate precedents?

This was a good deal for Microsoft. It remains to be seen if Publicis will fare nearly as well.