Win for OVAL at the Golden Giraffe Awards

Amsterdam, 15 April 2026 - On 13 April, during the 26th edition of the Gouden Giraffe Awards, OVAL took home one of the trophies of the same name. The Gouden Giraffe is a Dutch award for the best live communication and event projects. OVAL received a Golden Giraffe in the 'strategy' category for the #UNFREEZE project for Canon.

"When I look back at Canon #UNFREEZE, I am especially proud of our decision to do things differently. To dare. Instead of a classic product launch, we gave creators the freedom to create the story themselves. And that created impact across Europe. Proud of the team and the collaboration with Canon."
​- Bart van Wanrooij, Managing Director Netherlands & Belgium at OVAL

Rethinking pays off

What if... instead of sending out a press release, we staged one? By having the target group creating the buzz? We activated them with a compelling story to test a new product line in practice. It was a simple idea we had for Canon's product launch. Simple yet powerful; because this strategy enabled us to achieve something we could never have achieved with a standard product launch.

Creators from 27 countries got carried away in film-like scenes through Amsterdam. From saloon boats and walking along the canals, they shot the best videos and created their own storyline. Which they then shared en masse online themselves. The result was unprecedented impact and a gigantic reach: 113.5k interactions, 368k earned media and 14.7 million views. And still counting…!

We took a risk by deviating from a traditional product launch. And flipping it completely. Instead of telling people what Canon can do, we let the European creator community experience it for themselves. Creators became true brand ambassadors: they told the Canon story in their own way and shared it with their followers. Canon #UNFREEZE proves: rethinking pays off.

Want to know more about this project? Read the story and watch the video on our website.

About OVAL

OVAL is a creative event and brand experience agency that puts people's experiences at the heart of every campaign. With a team of 95+ experts, we work from our offices in Amsterdam, Antwerp, Düsseldorf and Paris. Through thoughtful strategies, inspiring creativity and impactful productions, we bring people and brands together. We excel in Employee Experiences, Consumer & Citizen Experiences and Business Experiences. OVAL works with leading brands and organisations, including Adobe, Aéroports de Paris, B&B Hotels, BMW, Bol, Canon, Decathlon, Delhaize, Fundis, Google, Henkel, le Ministère de la Culture, National Lottery, Nintendo, Pluxee, Proximus, SNCF, TikTok and the Flemish Government. More info at weareoval.com