Joy of Digital Award: Samsung takes the gold for ‘The Openness Medal’

Created with BBH London, The Openness Medal aimed to strike a chord with Gen Z and spark a social movement celebrating those who share past failures and how they overcame challenges.

The campaign utilised social channels to platform the personal stories of Olympic and Paralympic athletes in Team Samsung Galaxy, with people able to nominate anyone for an openness medal - including coaches, parents and teachers. The campaign also encouraged Gen Z to share their own stories of openness to amplify engagement around the message and take part in the Openness Medal TikTok Challenge. 

“Some things to know about me - I’m extremely competitive, can run up to 40mph with ease and hurl a tree trunk a fair distance (Team GB, call me). But look, this isn’t about me, this is about the amazing athletes, coaches, supporters and fans that truly embody the open spirit that makes the Paralympic and Olympic games so special,” says Joy, the IAB’s Chief Digital Cheerleader and Chair of the Joy of Digital Awards.

“I love how Samsung used social media to spread this message and engage a Gen Z demographic - it’s the perfect place for such a people-driven movement. A super inspiring campaign that deserves a gold medal imo. Congrats to the team at Samsung, as well as BBH London, for bringing this important message to life!”

Joy created the Joy of Digital Award - which is presented monthly - to celebrate campaigns that embody the joy of digital and harness digital channels in innovative ways to enhance creativity, demonstrating a dash of something extra special when it comes to the execution.

Find out more about the Joy of Digital Award and past winners here.