The awards, given to those advertisers that can demonstrate payback from their advertising campaigns, saw John Lewis recognised for its ability to tap into shopper emotions and increase sales and customers in the process.The ads were created by Adam & Eve and Manning Gottlieb OMD.

The retailer cited research from Neuro-Insight and Millward Brown that helped it come up with the idea of running highly emotive Christmas ads, beginning in 2009. For the Grand Prix-winning campaign, John Lewis said that the research agencies had helped it to convey the message of “reminding everyone what makes John Lewis special and the emotional role it plays at milestone occasions in our lives”.

Since 2009 the campaigns have generated £1.074bn in incremental sales and £261m in profits. John Lewis stores have also increased customers by 10%, leading to 6% growth in annual spend from new and existing shoppers. This in turn led to a large increase in the number of supplier brands – premium ones in particular – being distributed throughout stores. In total, supplier funding has more than doubling since 2009.

“This campaign combined wonderfully emotive creativity with evident effectiveness to return the brand back to national treasure status,” said former United News and Media chief executive and chair of the judges Lord Clive Hollick.

“It demonstrates the power of acknowledging and rallying other audiences behind the brand, including employees and stakeholders, to really shift consumer behaviour and perceptions.”

Eight other ‘special prizes’ were awarded on the night, including ‘Effectiveness Company of the Year’ which went to Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO. Ogilvy & Mather India scooped the prize for ‘Best Use of Insight’ for its work for Cadbury Dairy Milk (sponsored by Future Foundation), while Bartle Bogle Hegarty and Waitrose picked up the award for ‘Best Dedication to Effectiveness’.