Why Great Work Needs a Great System: Building Creative Councils to Surface Award‑Winning Ideas
For all the buzz about “killer case studies” and polished entry videos, the best awards entries are decided long before the entry form is filled out.
They’re decided by whether someone recognizes an idea’s potential and champions it or lets it disappear under day‑to‑day work.
During my time at Havas Media, I helped build the Creative Media Council (our media‑side answer to the creative council), and I saw first‑hand how a system can turn hidden gems into winning campaigns.
The evolution: from internal awards to councils
Before we built the Creative Media Council, we experimented with a different system: an internal awards festival. Twice a year, every media agency in our network could enter its best work. Judges drawn from across agencies, strategists, planners and creatives, evaluated the cases and selected the winners.
While this approach improved visibility, key people within the agency weren't part of deciding which ideas were awards‑worthy. Even so, it moved the needle: we went from winning only two global awards in 2015 to more than 400 by the time I left Havas Media Network.
Towards the end of my time at Havas Media, I helped design and launch a second system: the Creative Media Council which was based on the experience of our creative network’s Creative Council.
The solution: the Creative Media Council system
A creative council isn’t just a meeting; it’s a framework that consistently surfaces and improves work. Here’s how it works:
Regional councils: Each region hosts a monthly review where local agencies upload and present their best campaigns. Council members debate and vote on whether each case is awards‑worthy. Only the work deemed worthy at this stage is advanced to the global council.
Global council: Representatives from all regions meet to consider a long list of cases that have passed regional review. They discuss, refine and narrow it to a shortlist. After the meeting, participating agencies receive feedback on whether their case is shortlisted, needs reworking or is ultimately not selected.
This approach helps in three ways:
Consistency: Monthly regional reviews create a routine for surfacing work; nothing relies on luck.
Collaboration: Local agencies and regional leaders collaborate on cases, sharing feedback and building on ideas rather than competing in isolation.
Quality: By the time a case reaches the global council, it has been vetted and refined through at least two rounds of feedback.
A few unique benefits of this council approach stood out:
Early case development: Cases do not have to be finished campaigns. As soon as a client has approved a campaign (even if it hasn’t launched) teams can submit it to the regional council. This early entry provides months to gather results, craft the narrative and build a compelling case study video before festival deadlines.
Diverse perspectives: Regional and global council members aren’t just creatives; they include strategists, media leads and other key network leaders who know what’s coming out of their markets. This diversity ensures decisions are well‑rounded and not based solely on creative intuition.
Proof it works
Havas was not the only one doing this; several of the most awarded organisations have built similar systems:
AB InBev uses a programme called Creative X with training, a Creative Council to assess work and internal Creative X Awards to celebrate the best ideas. This has helped them turn campaigns like Michelob Ultra’s “McEnroe vs McEnroe” into award magnets.
Unilever runs a company‑wide Creative Council of CMOs, brand leaders and agency heads, and local creative councils meet quarterly to pitch and challenge ideas. The result? 230+ Lions and back‑to‑back Creative Marketer of the Year titles.
FCB holds global creative councils twice a year; every office brings its work and collaborates to strengthen it. Former global CCO Susan Credle credits these councils for creating a culture of inspiration instead of internal competition.
DDB Worldwide has a “Bullseye” Global Creative Council that now includes rising creative talent. Their 2025 Network of the Year win was powered by this programme.
What I’ve learned
Building a council system isn’t about adding bureaucracy; it’s about creating space for great work to be seen and championed. A few key lessons:
Make it routine. Councils should meet regularly, not just before award deadlines. This keeps the creative bar high all year long.
Mix perspectives. Include strategists, media leads and client‑side stakeholders, not just creatives. Diverse voices spot opportunities others miss.
Celebrate internally. Mini‑awards and critique sessions motivate teams and teach them what “great” looks like. AB InBev’s internal Creative X Awards are a great model.
Be brave. Councils create safe space to test bold ideas. Encourage risk‑taking and learn from failures as much as successes.
Final thought
Building a council system isn’t about adding bureaucracy; it’s about making space for great work to be seen and championed.
A few takeaways: make the process routine, mix perspectives beyond creative teams, celebrate internally to motivate teams, be brave by welcoming bold ideas, and ensure leadership sponsors the process.
Without backing from the CEO and senior leaders, councils struggle to take root. A clear, consistent system ensures your best ideas don’t fall through the cracks.
