Judges
AdNews Agency Of The Year Awards judges were collectively impressed with this year’s entries, with a double-digit increase in submissions increasing the competitive pool.
Unsurprisingly it was not easy for client-side judges to separate winners from the pack.
ANZ executive manger of marketing strategy and capability Kate Young said while overall the calibre of work was impressive, the industry can further elevate its impact by embracing data rigour and honing the ability to clearly articulate the full journey from insight to activation to results.
"What set the winners apart was their commitment to commerciality and evidence-based marketing. these campaigns demonstrated excellence in through-the-line (TTL) execution, linking strategy seamlessly to activation and measurable results," Young said.
"Winning entries stood out for their ability to balance creativity with a strong strategic foundation and clear commercial outcomes, offering a blueprint for impactful marketing.
"However, there remains room for improvement, particularly in the use of data-driven insights. The strongest submissions used data not only to inform strategy but also to craft narratives that clearly linked insights to activation and measurable success.
"Additionally, some entries could benefit from sharper storytelling, ensuring clarity in how they connect challenges, strategies, and outcomes."
Woolworths MarketPlus chief marketing officer Ryan Gracie this year's submissions were colourful with many agencies showing off their bells and whistles but entries still need to cut out fluff.
"The submissions which were most impressive had more meat on the bones, demonstrating clear objectives and got to the point," Gracie said.
"Judges look through dozens of submissions and we have to cut out the fluff to get to the outcomes - highly ranked submissions made this easier for judges.
"Specifically for agency categories judges care most about client performance rather than employee initiatives. While there has to be a balance with both, as of course judges want to know that companies do right by their teams, but that's what impresses us more."
Victoria University chief marketing officer David Llewellyn said those which stood out demonstrated they were strategic business partners, not just agencies.
“As a CMO, we know how critical building a business case is around marketing investment and being able to talk to and demonstrate the ROI. This is often a challenge for agencies, gaining a clear understanding from their client on the commercials and thus capturing in their case studies.
“When this is missing from the case studies it’s difficult to rate the submission highly as it does not contain the detail regarding impact and performance required to evaluate.
“The winners were those agencies that showed an understanding of the business problem or opportunity first and sought to provide a commercial solution through powerful creative executions."
Amaysim director of integrated marketing Jeddah Ryan said efficiency, doing more with less, thinking smarter were key trends that emerged in submissions this year.
“Distinctive, creative and effective solutions - plus work that will have lasting outcomes for clients, consumers and the industry - won our hearts,” Ryan said.
“There is an art to award entry writing and pairing clear, measurable objectives with tangible outcomes. This skill is helpful to an award judge, sure, but more so it is critical agencies are flexing this same muscle to understand and reflect back client goals and the solution that is going to get them there.
“Secondly, adland should be keeping the spirit of innovation alive – budgets can sometime feel like the enemy of creativity but often it can be an opportunity to think differently, clients don’t always want to walk the well trodden path (spoken like a true client I am sure!).”
Optus director of customer marketing Roxanne Tyler said DE&I took centre stage in agency categories this year, with agencies adopting a more authentic and meaningful approach.
“For agency categories clear purpose and market differentiation were the standout submissions,” Tyler said.
“When an agency is clear on its purpose and lives it every day, it shines through in everything they do. Most agencies offer the same suite of capabilities, so they need to clearly define what makes them unique.
“For campaign categories, meaningful creativity was the most important aspect.
“Metrics like earned media, views, and clicks matter, but they don’t define campaign success. A great creative idea is only impactful if it drives business results. The winning campaigns showcased standout creative ideas that delivered real business impact.”
Bonds Hanes Australasia head of marketing Kedda Ghazarian said she was particularly impressed to see work focused visibility and representation, industry initiatives, or disruptive ideas that push the boundaries of how we think about advertising.
“Great, effective work – and the agency culture and performance to back it up was the best submissions,” Shazarian said.
“It’s one thing to create award-winning work, but in a burnout prone industry, it was re-assuring to see so many agencies centering these initiatives within their business model.
GWM head of marketing and communications Steve Maciver said the quality of work being produced by Australia’s leading agencies this year has been nothing short of outstanding.
“It’s been encouraging to see important social causes at the heart of some of these campaigns, really tapping into the sense of community and social conscience that we hold as Australians. And that’s what the winners have been able to harness allowing them to stand out against some very strong competitors,” Maciver said.
“As always, there are some areas for improvement with investment in people and culture needed through 2025 and beyond to retain talent and ensure that Australian creative remains amongst the best in the world.”
Entries are judged by clients from over 60 brands across Australia.
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