M&C Saatchi has won the Global Warc Prize for Innovation Grand Prix for Optus Clever Buoy in London.

Virgin Mobile Australia also took home a Gold for its ‘Game of Phones’ execution. The Warc Prizes recognise excellence in marketing.

Clever Buoy beat a record 98 entries (28 shortlisted) from all over the globe for best in show at the third annual awards that reward innovative thinking to deliver tangible results.

The project that created breakthrough shark detection technology to demonstrate the power of the Optus network, also won the Gold Product or Service Innovation Award for best use of media, one of only six Golds handed out by the distinguished panel of international judges chaired by LEGO Group head of community co-creation Peter Espensen.

Shortlisted entries came from 12 countries – including the UK, Australia, China, India, Brazil, the UAE and Peru.

The Grand Prix and Gold wins also came with US$6,500 worth of prize money.

The WARC win continues a hot streak of global Innovation awards for Clever Buoy that includes the Spikes Asia Innovation Grand Prix, the LIA Most Innovative Use of Digital and IAB Mixx Awards Special Gold Innovation gong.

The Clever Buoy team is currently working on a commercially viable product for 2015 which it is looking to test further on one of Australia’s iconic beaches.