Sealed: VML wins Creative Commerce

A CAMPAIGN that reactivated expired food coupons for shoppers grappling with the cost- of-living crisis has won the 2025 Creative Commerce Grand Prix.‘Preserved Promos’ was created by VML, New York, for Ziploc, which is best known for its food-storage bags.

“It doesn’t get more commerce than this!”

A brand that preserves food was now preserving out-of-date food coupons as well. People could visit the campaign’s website and upload photos of their expired coupons to have them rejuvenated tobe used next time they shopped — as long as they also had Ziploc products in their basket.

Ziploc worked with more than 80 retailers with a network of more than 76,000 physical stores across the US where the reborn vouchers could be used, leading to a 5% sales lift for the brand. “It doesn’t get more commerce than this!” said Jury President Gabriel Schmitt, global chief creative officer at Grey, who outlined the mission that this year’s Creative Commerce Jury set itself. “Let’s make sure that whatever is the top [award] here makes us equally jealous but also proud. Proud of being part of an industry that puts ideas like this out in the world,” Schmitt said. There has been talk of coupons making a comeback in the creative sphere this year, but Schmitt had a different take.

Jury President Gabriel Schmitt

“I think coupons never left real people’s lives. The challenge we have is to turn those into things that go much further and are much more wonderful than just coupons,” he said.

Work that helps people save money is a trend this year. “We know the world is not exactly stable from many points of view, including economic. It’s such a good opportunity for us as an industry to show the actual value that we can bring.”

Three Gold Lions were awarded in the category for work from Brazil, India and Thailand.