The study, called Seriously Social, argues that marketers need to be more serious about planning, budgeting and measuring social media campaigns. In an analysis of nearly 800 case studies featuring a social media element from various award entries, it found a lack of quantification by leading brands to prove return on investment in terms of impact on sales, market share or other financial metrics.

The report’s authors, Peter Field, a consultant, and Carlos Grande, editor of Warc, argue: “It is time to bridge the knowledge gap. Social media might not always be the right choice for every context. But in order for marketers to extract more value from their investments in this field, it is time for social media to be taken more seriously.”

Unilever topped Warc’s list of the “most social” brands and brand owners leveraging this channel, with 46 prize-winning initiatives, ahead of Procter & Gamble, from the same sector, on 31. Kraft posted a score of 18 on this metric, beating Mars on 15 and Coca-Cola on 14.