Creatives Spent $10,000 on What?!

We see enough ads each day. The best guess right now is between 4,000 and 10,000 every day. With that in mind, two Halifax creatives wanted to give their city the perfect Christmas gift: blank ads. Everywhere. Billboards, bus shelters, the sides of buses, a full-page newspaper ad, Instagram ads, YouTube pre-roll and Facebook ads. They even snagged a radio ad (although for that one the station wouldn't let them run dead air).

Read more: The duo powers the agency Wunder—and they explained to Adweek how they executed this simple, but brilliant Christmas campaign.

Last year’s Grand Prix winners included some classic branding, but the majority of the awarded work attached to causes and purpose. But will that hold up in 2020? We asked 11 jury presidents, including Wyclef Jean and FCB global CCO Susan Credle, for what they're looking for next year. Several key themes emerged: Inclusion, craft and building business. "I hope we see no scam work–either entered or awarded," Credle said. "The Lions have increasingly shifted the emphasis of the awards away from unfettered creativity and toward work that drives business."

Read more: The judges give insight into what will be celebrated during a week where creativity triumphs.

Some of the world's most beautiful destinations are also some of the most vulnerable. Venice is already sinking into the Adriatic Sea. California's stunning landscapes are burning from the forests all the way to the beaches. Glaciers are retreating rapidly (leaving Norway's tourism board to shift its strategy). As part of a new campaign for Greta Thunberg's Friday For Future group, FF Los Angeles created retro tourism posters to highlight what these famous tourist destinations will look like once climate change strikes.

Read more: FF Los Angeles creative director Chelsea Steiger explains how the agency created the posters.

On the topic of sustainability, product packaging is headed toward a revolution. Consumers are demanding less wasteful packaging—activists recommend reducing and reusing is better than recycling. According to survey data from GlobalWebIndex the percentage of shoppers around the world willing to pay more for sustainable/eco-friendly products increased from 49% in 2011 to 57% in 2018. P&G, Coca-Cola and Nestle—some of the world's largest producers of plastic—have listened and are making changes to their supply chains to cut down waste.

Read more: This deep dive into packaging from new retail reporters Paul Hiebert and Richard Collings walks marketers through how packaging will evolve in the 2020s.

Best of the Rest: Today's Top News and Insights

By this point in the season, we’ve seen all kinds of agency holiday cards and greetings. Don’t get us wrong, they are all very nice, and we especially like seeing fun or heartfelt videos, but one Denver agency may have outdone them all.

In an ever-shifting brand landscape innovation, agility and consumer insights can make or break a brand’s success. Gain insights from the world’s most disruptive and legendary brands who are succeeding in the competitive brand landscape at Adweek’s second-annual Challenger Brands Summit, a Brandweek event, Mar. 4-5 in NYC. Don’t wait, ticket prices increase on 12/17 – secure your spot today.

Adweek talked with a lot of impressive people this year on its Inside the Brand podcasts. And as we look back on the year, she drew some of the most insightful, practical pieces of advice from conversations she had with 30 different women who are pushing the boundaries in the field.

Marcie Allen, founder and president of MAC Presents

Be bold and take chances. Great things rarely come to those who wait. Patience may be a virtue in fishing and family life, but it normally has very little to do with success in business.

Kasha Cacy, global CEO of Engine

Be fearless. I always tell my employees that if you do not have a slightly uncomfortable feeling in your stomach every day, you probably are not pushing yourself hard enough. This industry changes so quickly and if you are doing the same thing you did yesterday, the same way, you will 100% fall behind.

Daisy Auger-Domínguez, workplace culture strategist

Don’t wait your turn. You’re ready. … And you don’t have to wait to take career risks such as taking a stretch assignment, launching a side business of your dreams or taking that new role which you think you’re only 60-70% ready, because you’re ready now.

What we've found resonates with readers most is timeliness and a strong take.

Look for trust, audio and transparency to lead the way.

The last mile of buying online and picking up in-store is rife for growth.

German agency Heimat blends dayparting with social.

Thanksgiving also drove the holidays and events category on both platforms.