See the Emmy noms for Outstanding Commercial

Ad Council: Love Has No Labels, “We Are America”

While most of the Emmy Awards broadcast audience will be on the edge of their seats watching House of Cards duke it out with The Handmaid’s Tale and Westworld, there will be another audience – advertisers and their agencies – who will be watching, with baited breath, to see who will win the Emmy for outstanding commercial.

While no Chicago agencies made the list of five nominations, two on the list do have prominent offices in the Windy City – R/GA and McGarryBowen.

R/GA and the Ad Council won last year’s Emmy with the original Love Has No Labels skeleton spot, and they will like their odds this year with two nominated spots — with Love Cam and We Are America. McGarryBowen is represented by The Women’s March spot, Why I March.

Rounding out the nominees are two brand spots: Squarepace’s Super Bowl ad Calling JohnMalkovich.com and Google’s Year In Search 2016. 72andSunny made the Google ad. Startup shop, John X Hannes developed Squarespace. The Google and Squarespace campaigns each won two silver Lions and one bronze Lion in Cannes last month.

Watch all five spots below:

Ad Council: Love Has No Labels, We Are America

Agency: R/GA | Production Company: MJZ


Ad Council: Love Has No Labels Love Cam

Agency: R/GA | Production Company: Tool of North America


Women’s March on Washington, Why I March

Agency: McGarryBowen | Production Company: Hungry Man Productions


Squarespace, Calling JohnMalkovich.com

Agency: John X Hannes | Production Company: Smuggler


Google, Year In Search 2016

Agency: 72andSunny | Production Company: Hecho en 72


The winner will be announced on September 16 during the Creative Arts Emmys telecast on FXX. The ceremony will be held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Follow Colin Costello on Twitter @colincostello10.