Hornbach's 'No Project Without Drama' Wins the Gerety Awards Grand Prix
DIY retailer Hornbach and agency Heimat TBWA have taken the Grand Prix at the 2026 Gerety Awards - the international creative competition judged by an all-female jury - for 'Kein Projekt ohne Drama' ('No Project Without Drama'), the only German Grand Prix in a strong national haul.
The Win
Hornbach and its long-standing lead agency Heimat TBWA won the Grand Prix at the 2026 Gerety Awards for 'Kein Projekt ohne Drama' ('No Project Without Drama'). German entries won 26 trophies in total - one Grand Prix, four Gold, nine Silver and twelve Bronze.
The campaign is one of Germany's most decorated recent works, having previously collected Cannes Lions Gold, a Deutscher Werbefilmpreis and PlakaDiva Gold. The Gerety Grand Prix adds to an already impressive trophy cabinet.
Why It Matters
In an industry increasingly enamoured of tech-led and AI-driven work, an emotionally sharp piece of retail storytelling keeps out-travelling flashier entries on the awards circuit. Craft and human insight still win the biggest prizes.
The Gerety Awards' all-female jury also matters: recognition from a differently-composed jury is a useful signal that the work's appeal is broad, not narrow. Consistent wins across varied juries are the strongest proof a campaign genuinely resonates.
Marketing Minute's Take
The transferable lesson is that a strong, human creative idea has remarkable staying power. 'No Project Without Drama' has been winning for months because it is built on a true, relatable insight about DIY, not on a gimmick that dates.
For brands chasing the newest tech in their advertising, Hornbach is a useful counterpoint: the fundamentals - a sharp insight, emotional storytelling, consistent craft - still deliver the effectiveness and the acclaim. Buy the shiny tools if they serve the idea, but never at the expense of the idea itself.
Quick FAQ
What won the 2026 Gerety Awards Grand Prix?
Hornbach and Heimat TBWA won the Grand Prix for 'Kein Projekt ohne Drama' ('No Project Without Drama'), the only German Grand Prix in a haul of 26 German trophies.
Why is the Gerety Awards win notable?
The Gerety Awards are judged by an all-female jury, so recognition there signals broad appeal, and the campaign has now won across multiple varied juries including Cannes Lions.
What is the lesson for marketers?
A sharp, human creative idea has staying power - emotional storytelling and consistent craft still out-travel flashier tech-led work on the awards circuit and in effectiveness.
In a year obsessed with AI-driven work, a piece of emotionally sharp retail storytelling keeps winning the biggest prizes. That is not nostalgia - it is a reminder that the fundamentals still deliver. Buy the shiny new tools if they serve the idea, but never at the expense of the idea itself. - Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
A sharp, human creative idea has remarkable staying power - emotional storytelling and consistent craft still out-travel flashier tech-led work, on the awards circuit and in effectiveness.
Is your advertising built on a true human insight that lasts - or a tech gimmick that will date by next year?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: HORIZONT, marketingscout.
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Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
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