On Thursday evening, the Swedish marketing community gathered at Stockholm City Hall for 100-wattaren 2026. Beyond the celebration itself, the evening served as a timely reminder of something the industry too often struggle with: communication only matters when it can demonstrate what it actually delivers.
That principle sits at the heart of 100-wattaren – and it is precisely why Nepa is a partner to the awards. This is not a competition that rewards ideas for their own sake. It rewards work that proves its value, drives change and contributes to real growth.
100-wattaren and the discipline of effectiveness
100-wattaren stands apart from many other awards by consistently judging communication on outcomes rather than optics. In an industry still prone to confusing attention with impact, the competition maintains a clear focus on what ultimately matters:
- Measurable value
- Behavioural change
- Commercial and societal impact
This focus is not just refreshing – it is necessary. As marketing budgets come under greater scrutiny, the ability to explain not only what was done, but why it mattered, is becoming a prerequisite rather than a bonus.
That is also why the cases presented on stage resonate so strongly. They are not built on hindsight or selective metrics, but on structured thinking, continuous measurement and a clear link between communication and effect.
From creativity to consequence
This year’s winners made one thing clear: the strongest work is created where creativity and accountability reinforce each other.
Several brands stood out by consistently delivering high wattage across categories, including Nepa’s clients:
- Lantmännen
- IF Insurance
- Orkla Foods
- Telia
Across areas such as Employer Branding & Recruitment, Consumer, Long-term, Society & Opinion, Strategic Design and the overall 100-wattaren Grand Prix, the winning entries showed that effectiveness is rarely the result of isolated brilliance. It is the outcome of disciplined strategy, clear priorities and sustained effort over time.
What effective communication has in common
Despite differences in category and expression, the most successful cases share a common mindset.
Effect is designed, not reported
In the strongest entries, effect is not something added at the end of a presentation. It is embedded from the outset. The work explains why choices were made, how performance was followed up and what changed as a result. Measurement is part of the brief – not an afterthought.
Strategy, creativity and measurement move together
The creative idea is never isolated. It is connected to objectives, tracked consistently and evaluated against outcomes that matter to the business. Data is not used to justify decisions after the fact, but to guide them throughout the process.
Long-term thinking outperforms short-term spikes
Many of the most awarded cases are not one-off activations, but the result of sustained investment. They come from brands that treat communication as a long-term system – continuously refined, evaluated and adjusted – rather than a sequence of disconnected campaigns.
The pattern is clear: brands that succeed at 100-wattaren are not guessing. They are managing effect deliberately and systematically.
Why this matters – and why Nepa partners with 100-wattaren
For Nepa, partnering with 100-wattaren is about more than supporting an industry event. It is about standing firmly behind a shared belief: communication should be evaluated on what it actually changes.
We align with 100-wattaren on three fundamental principles:
- Marketing must be accountable to business outcomes
- Measurement must go beyond media metrics to capture real behaviour and brand impact
- Insights should be used proactively – to plan, steer and improve – not merely to explain what has already happened
While 100-wattaren looks back to recognise the most effective work of the year, our role at Nepa is forward-looking: helping brands create more of that work, more consistently, by replacing gut feel with connected, always-on insight.
Published on: 13TH FEB 2026