World Retail Congress recognizes Walgreens as Retail Advertising Campaign of the Year

BERLIN — Walgreens was awarded the Retail Advertising Campaign of the Year at the Oracle World Retail Awards here at the German Historical Museum during the annual World Retail Congress held Tuesday.

The Retail Advertising Campaign of the Year celebrates outstanding advertising campaigns undertaken by a retailer to build the brand. Walgreens was selected over the competition and was awarded the prize due to its “Arm Yourself for the Ones You Love” campaign by Arc Worldwide.

Walgreens' winning campaign stemmed from research that uncovered a subset of untapped consumers most receptive to getting a flu shot, who it called “Intender Moms,” who had every intention of getting a shot last year but didn’t. They were so busy doing things for others, so getting a flu shot for themselves became less of a priority.

By repositioning the flu shot as a selfless act — a meaningful way for a mother to show her love for the people she cares about — Walgreens created an iconic heart-shaped bandage where she could write in the names of the people she was protecting. These “Arm Yourself for the Ones You Love” badges prompted others to think about who they would get a shot for, creating a positive viral effect.

The outreach, speed and value of this campaign appealed to the judges, who felt it was a well executed example of advertising that connected with customers and produced results.