The global communications and brand agency has secured a Silver Award in the Public Awareness category for its “Ensō” campaign for ANFEVI, and a Bronze Award in the Publicity category alongside Subway for “Think Big – Think Footlong.”
Madrid, 12 February 2024 – MARCO, the agency specialising in brand building and reputation management, can once again count its campaigns and clients among the top international projects of the year. At the latest edition of the prestigious MERCURY Excellence Awards, the consultancy was honoured with two awards for its campaigns with ANFEVI, the Spanish National Association of Glass Packaging, and Subway, with “Ensō” and “Think Big – Think Footlong”, winning in the Public Awareness and Publicity categories, respectively.
In the Public Awareness category, MARCO secured a Silver Award for ANFEVI’s “Ensō” campaign, the first-ever endless short film that brings together glass, circularity, and love in the world of cinema. To strengthen ANFEVI’s brand positioning as a key organisation in the glass industry, while continuing to educate and make a positive impact on society, MARCO executed a 360º campaign under the title “Ensō”. The term Ensō refers to a Japanese calligraphy symbol, representing the concept of infinity within the fullness of harmony. This perfectly illustrates the circular economy of glass packaging: an endless cycle that protects both our planet and the people who inhabit it. The story, presented in a seven-minute circular short film, was directed by renowned filmmaker Nacho Fernández, known as Günther.
Karen Davies, General Secretary of ANFEVI, commented:
«At ANFEVI, we are extremely proud to receive this award alongside MARCO, recognising our continued efforts to promote glass as a healthy and sustainable packaging material. With ‘Ensō’, we have conveyed the sustainability of glass in a unique way, venturing into the world of film and culture for the first time—turning our packaging into the protagonist of a circular story with no beginning or end, just like its life cycle, as glass is a permanent, reusable, and infinitely recyclable material.»
The campaign was structured into three distinct phases: pre-launch, kick-off, and sustained activation. Throughout its 360º execution, the campaign incorporated media relations, influencer marketing, social media, and paid media activities, culminating in an experiential event for the premiere of “Ensō” on 19 October. This was followed by a panel discussion featuring the key figures from the story. After the screening, a roundtable discussion on the glass industry was held, with contributions from Ecovidrio and Hostelería de España, who presented a new study on the circular economy and shared key insights about the sector.
Finally, a 3D street art installation on the importance of glass circularity took over Plaza del Callao in Madrid. Created by a Dutch artist, the piece provided an original representation of the glass packaging production and recycling process, allowing spectators to become part of the artwork through an optical illusion. The installation aimed to raise awareness about the sustainability of glass packaging, encouraging society to use and recycle glass so that each container continues to be recycled indefinitely.
MARCO was further recognised in the Publicity category, where the agency and Subway received a Bronze Award for their “Think Big – Think Footlong” campaign. The campaign aimed to boost awareness of Subway’s Footlong sandwiches among different target audiences by engaging with them through culturally relevant messaging, combining Out-Of-Home (OOH) advertising and digital channels.
As part of the activation, a Quixote-inspired installation was unveiled in Madrid, featuring 1,500 words integrated into a giant “sub” sandwich-shaped poster at Callao Metro station, the busiest underground platform in Spain. Additional activations included a dynamic visual display at Cines Capitol and a guerrilla marketing campaign using digital OPPIs (Optical Promotion and Information Points) located near competitors’ outlets, showcasing provocative and creative messages.
The campaign was further supported by strategic press releases targeting key markets in Spain and Portugal, as well as a social media strategy based on community management to integrate the activations, encourage active participation in Spain, and increase product awareness in other markets. Additionally, influencer marketing was used, enlisting four high-profile figures to enhance visibility and impact.
Diana Vall, Co-CEO of MARCO, commented:
«The MERCURY Awards once again recognise the fusion of creativity and strategic execution in delivering outstanding campaigns. Of course, these campaigns would not have been possible without the trust our clients place in MARCO and the exceptional execution capabilities of our various teams and departments.»
About MARCO
MARCO is the highest-rated independent global communications agency, headquartered in Madrid, as recognised by its clients in the latest PR SCOPE 2023 report.*
Specialising in brand building and reputation management, the agency is led by Co-CEOs Noelia Cruzado and Diana Vall. MARCO comprises a team of nearly 200 consultants and has offices in Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, Paris, Brussels, Milan, Berlin, Munich, London, Miami, Mexico City, São Paulo, Casablanca, Johannesburg, Abidjan, and Nairobi, alongside affiliated MSL offices in over 100 markets.
MARCO is a pioneer in introducing new paradigms in communication, transcending outdated boundaries. It is the first communications agency to produce a docuseries, Las Nuevas Fronteras de la Comunicación, available on Amazon Prime Video and its website. The docuseries is based on MARCO’s patented methodology, known as TFCOM® (Transcending the Frontiers of Communication).
MARCO has acquired the business magazine Ejecutivos and relaunched Ejecutivos.es to position it as a leading Spanish-language online media outlet in the economic and business sectors across Spain and Latin America. It has also acquired the consultancy Africa Communications Group (ACG) to expand its geographical reach in sub-Saharan Africa. Most recently, MARCO acquired the production company Carmela to enhance its capabilities in producing top-tier national and international advertising spots, as well as branded content videos.
MARCO’s Founder and Executive Chairman, Didier Lagae, previously served as Deputy General Manager at Edelman, Head of Reputation Management EMEA at Weber Shandwick, External Communications Manager EMEA at Levi’s, and Global Head of Communications at The Body Shop. In 2019, Didier was named European and Global PR Professional of the Year by PRWeek and the Stevie Awards, coinciding with the publication of his book ‘A Country Brand, a Branded Country’. Didier is also a Climate Leader for Al Gore’s The Climate Reality Project.
For more information, please contact:
Víctor Castell – victor@marco.agency – 626 236 341