Microsoft’s Kathleen Hall Wins The One Show 2020 CMO Pencil

Honoring the CMO behind the single most impactful idea on a brand’s business from among this year’s top-scoring One Show winners.

A jury of 13 leading global CMOs selected Kathleen Hall, chief brand officer at Microsoft, as winner of The One Show 2020 CMO Pencil, honoring the brand marketer behind the world’s single most impactful idea on a brand’s business from the past year.

Hall picked up the prestigious award for “Changing the Game” by McCann New York, a big winner at this year’s show. Overall, the work won Best of Discipline in Design, 10 Gold Pencils, two Silvers, two Bronze and six Merits. Microsoft and McCann Worldgroup also picked up the coveted One Show 2020 Penta Pencil, awarded to the brand and agency who together have created stellar creative work for the last five years.

“ ‘Changing the Game’ truly brings Microsoft’s mission of empowering every person and organization to life,” said Hall. “The Xbox Adaptive Controller was developed to help gamers with all abilities play, and by featuring it in this campaign, along with amazing children like Owen, we brought awareness to the power of inclusive design and the impact it can have on individual’s lives.”

She added “The success of the campaign stems from the XAC being true to our DNA, from how the product was developed at a hackathon to sharing it with the world at the Super Bowl through the stories of real children, showcasing that ‘When everybody plays, we all win.’ We are incredibly honored to receive this award and grateful for the recognition from other CMOs, and of course, The One Show.”

The CMO Pencil jury met online on August 19 to discuss and choose from among the 18 highest-scoring entries in The One Show 2020, which this year received 19,688 pieces from 71 countries. Normally judged each May during Creative Week and awarded at The One Show, CMO Pencil judging was this year held separately in August due to the pandemic and transition to a streaming awards show.

All entries under consideration for this special award already won a Best of Discipline or Gold Pencil, as judged by more than 200 of the world’s top agency and brand creatives on this year’s One Show juries. In accordance with One Show judging rules, jury members abstain from voting on and discussing work done by or for their own company.

CMO Pencil jury member Rachel Ferdinando, SVP, CMO, Frito-Lay North America, said about the winning work: “ ‘Changing the Game’ rose to the top as a prime example of a brand’s purpose in action to make a true difference, and is an incredible example of a brand rising to its aspirational values in a framework that aligns with the brand’s DNA. What also stood out was the creativity used to bring this to life: co-creating it with their consumer and the community. That was brave, and resulted in a much more authentic outcome that really moved people.”

“All of these top One Show 2020 winners under consideration featured an extraordinary level of creativity that would make any brand envious,” said Kevin Swanepoel, CEO, The One Club. “With an eye toward the one piece of work that took an innovative, bold stance and would be remembered for driving a brand’s business, our jury of leading CMOs felt ‘Changing the Game’ met that criteria. We congratulate Kathleen and McCann New York for this prestigious win”.

Past CMO Pencil winners include David Rubin, CMO, The New York Times for “Truth is Worth It” created by Droga5 New York, and Stephen Tisdale, CMO, State Street Global Advisors for “Fearless Girl”, also by McCann New York.

The One Show 2020 CMO Pencil jury is as follows:

Elizabeth Brady, EVP, Chief Marketing, Customer and Communications Officer, Allstate

Rankin Carroll, CMO, Mars Wrigley Confections

Frank Crowson, CMO, Best Buy

Rachel Ferdinando SVP, CMO, Frito-Lay North America

Stacey Grier, CMO, Clorox

Sophie Kelly, SVP, North American Whiskeys Portfolio, Diageo

Fernando Machado, Global CMO, Restaurant Brands International, The One Club Board member

Marcel Marcondes, U.S. Chief Marketing Officer, Anheuser-Busch

Leland Maschmeyer, CCO, Chobani, The One Club Board member

Rob Matthews, Chief Integrated Marketing Officer, Xbox, Microsoft

David Rubin, CMO, The New York Times