CHEP Network and Thinkerbell both picked up 11 nominations in the 2023 Mumbrella Awards shortlist, with fierce competition from Special, Howatson+Company and VMLY&R.
Last year’s Independent and Full Service Agency of Year winner, Thinkerbell has again led the charge in nominations, including Full Service Agency of the Year, Best Use of Experiential Marketing, Creative Agency of the Year and PR Agency of the Year.
The Thinkerbell team at the 2022 Mumbrella Awards
This year, however, CHEP Network landed on par with the agency, closely followed by Special.
CHEP Network has 11 nominations across categories including Full Service Agency of the Year, Social Idea of the Year and Media Campaign of the Year. The agency has two nominations in the Content Marketing Strategy of the Year, Mumbrella Award for Data-Driven Marketing, and Social Idea of the Year categories.
Special has racked up four nominations, while its NZ counterpart has five, for it’s ‘Last Performance’ campaign with South Pacific Pictures for Partners Life. Hero has also scored four nominations.
Howatson+Company, Hatched and Zitcha, XPO: The Mars Agency, Wavemaker and Cartology have all secured nominations for the Best Use of Retail Media – a new category introduced to the awards this year.
Last year’s Industry Leader of the Year, Initiative Australia’s CEO, Melissa Fein, is again nominated this year. Other nominees include Sophie Price, chief strategy officer at EssenceMediacom, and alt/shift/’s CEO, Elly Hewitt.
Melissa Fein, 2022 Industry Leader of the Year winner
In the Under-30 Achiever of the Year award, Dalton Henshaw, CEO and founder of Bullfrog is nominated alongside Sasha Smith, head of media at Howatson+Company and Ryvalmedia’s Jonathan Henshaw, head of product and innovation, among others.
The Mumbrella Awards will take place at a gala dinner at the Royal Randwick (Australian Turf Club) on 3 August.
The full Mumbrella Awards shortlist:
Mumbrella Award for Bravery
- Classify Consent – TBWA with Eleven and FleishmanHillard for Consent Labs
- Here for the Horses – M&C Saatchi Group for Racing Victoria
- Last Performance – Special with South Pacific Pictures for Partners Life
- Menulog State Of Origin Response – Thinkerbell with UM for Menulog
- Stick it to Hep C – VMLY&R for Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora
Mumbrella Award for Culture
- Equality Media + Marketing
- Half Dome
- Initiative Australia
- The Royals
- Thinkerbell
- This Is Flow
Mumbrella Award for Insight
- (un)Geddes – CHEP Network for Karicare Toddler
- Exhibit A-I – Howatson+Company for Maurice Blackburn
- Know First Aid – Town Square for St John Ambulance Victoria
- Last Performance – Special with South Pacific Pictures for Partners Life
- R Plates – TBWA with Eleven and FleishmanHillard for mycar Tyre & Auto
- Unleash Your Second Half – It’s Friday for Colonial First State
Mumbrella Award for Innovation
- Audio Ad You Can See – VMLY&R with Squeak E. Clean for Defence Force Recruiting
- Classify Consent – TBWA with Eleven and FleishmanHillard for Consent Labs
- Last Performance – Special with South Pacific Pictures for Partners Life
- Stella the Stargazer – Visit Victoria with Ample and Farmer’s Daughters
- The First Digital Nation – The Monkeys Australia, part of Accenture Song with Collider, MassiveMusic, Accenture Song, Thrive PR for The Government of Tuvalu
- Through Their Eyes – HERO with Google, Wavemaker, Truce Films, Gusto Studios for Maybelline New York
Mumbrella Award for Data – Driven Marketing
- Flipvertising – CHEP Network for Samsung Australia
- Success not to be sneezed at: Telfast’s predictive allergy trigger – Foundation for Sanofi
- MECCA’s Replenishment Program: A Data-Driven Reminder That Anticipates Your Needs – Mecca Brands with Bower House Digital
- Reverse Auction – CHEP Network for Samsung Australia
- Virgin Australia Flight Deck – PHD for Virgin Australia
Mumbrella Award for Collaboration
- Aboriginal Cultures Campaign – Tourism NT with Common Ventures, Atomic 212, Aboriginal Tourism Committee
- FitChix – VMLY&R with AirBag, BCW for Honest Eggs Co.
- LEGO City GOES NITRO! – Initiative with MediaBrands Content Studio, Thrill One Sports & Entertainment (Nitro Circus) for LEGO City
- Nedd’s Record Run – Bursty Company for Puma
- Through Their Eyes – HERO with Google, Wavemaker, Truce Films, Gusto Studios for Maybelline New York
Mumbrella Award for Sustainable Practices
- Alpha – GroupM with EssenceMediacom, Mindshare, Wavemaker
- Belong
- Compass Studio
- Dig
- oOh!media
Marketing Team of the Year
- ALDI Australia
- Belong
- Virgin Australia Group
- Supercheap Auto
- Tourism Australia
Sales Team of the Year
- Broadsheet Media
- Guardian Australia
- Spotify
- The Trade Desk
- Urban List
Media Brand of the Year
- Broadsheet Media
- Guardian Australia
- Man of Many
- oOh!media
- Region Media
- Urban List
Marketing Technology Company of the Year
- impact.com
- Mutinex
- Playground xyz
- The Trade Desk
- Veridooh
Pro Bono Campaign of the Year
- Classify Consent – TBWA with Eleven and FleishmanHillard for Consent Labs
- Nedd’s Record Run – Bursty Company for Nedd Brockmann x Mobilise
- Public Kindness Announcements – Wavemaker with VMLY&R, UnLTD, for Kindness Factory
- The Life Saving List – BCM Group, IVY PR with Life Blood, Red Cross, Strength to Give for Liam O’Brien
Ad Campaign of the Year
- Come & Say G’Day – M&C Saatchi Group for Tourism Australia
- Flipvertising – CHEP Network for Samsung Australia
- Last Performance – Special with South Pacific Pictures for Partners Life
- Un-Australia – The Monkeys Australia, part of Accenture Song with MOFA, Arc Edit, MassiveMusic, UM, One Green Bean for Meat & Livestock Australia
- Through Their Eyes – HERO with Google, Wavemaker, Truce Films, Gusto Studios for Maybelline New York
TV Ad of the Year
- Toyota HiLux, The Visitor – Saatchi & Saatchi Australia with Finch, Atticus, Big Sync Music, Massive Music, Spark Foundry for Toyota HiLux
- House Hunting – TBWA\Melbourne with NAB, Finch Production, Rumble Studios, Squeak E Clean Studios, Alt VFX, Mindshare for NAB Home Loans
- Menulog State Of Origin Response – Thinkerbell with UM for Menulog
- Overcooked Generosity – BMF with Good Oil, Zenith for ALDI Australia
- Un-Australia – The Monkeys Australia, part of Accenture Song with MOFA, Arc Edit, MassiveMusic, UM, One Green Bean for Meat & Livestock Australia
Media Campaign of the Year
- Flipvertising – CHEP Network for Samsung Australia
- Holding out for Help – BMF for Australians for Mental Health
- Macca’s Famous Orders with The Kid LAROI – OMD with Wieden + Kennedy New York, Mango Communications for McDonald’s
- Subdog – Zenith with TeamFresh, Publicis Groupe, Publicis Worldwide for Subway
- The Twelve – Mindshare with SCA for Foxtel
Content Marketing Strategy of the Year
- (un)Geddes – CHEP Network for Karicare Toddler
- FinLit – Year13 for Westpac
- FlipSide – CHEP Network with Entropico, Ogilvy PR, Videohead, Big Sync for Samsung Australia
- Last Performance – Special with South Pacific Pictures for Partners Life
- NAB Business & Private Bank Content Program – Six Black Pens with Mindshare for NAB
Best Use of User Experience
- 2022 Red Cross Clothing Drive – Hello Social with Australian Red Cross, Herd MSL, Mediacom for Uber
- Back to School 2023 Australia – RCJ Group with Leapfrogger and LF Studio for The Athlete’s Foot
- Big Blue Table – ntegrity with Quantum Market Research, Atomic 212, Soda Communications for Beyond Blue
- Middle Seat Lottery – Special for Virgin Australia Group
- Reverse Auction – CHEP Network for Samsung Australia
- The Freedom Condom Project – GHO Sydney for Family Planning NSW
Social Idea of the Year
- (un)Geddes – CHEP Network for Karicare Toddler
- The Uncreakening – CHEP Network for IKEA
- Non-Rapid Taste Test – Howatson+Company for Matilda Bay Brewery
- The Reluctant Shanty – BMF with FINCH for Australians for UNHCR
- TikTok Plot Twisties – VaynerMedia for PepsiCo / Twisties
Best Use of Real-Time Marketing
- Even Harry Styles – VMLY&R for Stats NZ
- Menulog State Of Origin Response – Thinkerbell with UM for Menulog
- Sauce of Origin – WiredCo. for Pizza Hut
- The Mastercard Sonic Trophy – Octagon for Mastercard
- Twisties MAFS Response – Eleven PR and VaynerMedia for PepsiCo / Twisties
- XXXX Postcodes of Origin – Thinkerbell with Taxi Film Production, The Empire Post for Lion, XXXX
Under-30 Achiever of the Year
- Dalton Henshaw, CEO & Founder, Bullfrog
- Jonathan Henshaw, Head of Product & Innovation, Ryvalmedia
- Kate O’Loughlin, Associate Strategy Director, Initiative Australia
- Sasha Smith, Head of Media, Howatson+Company
- Summer Treseder, Strategy Manager, Initiative Australia
- Thomas Grainger, Creator Engagement Manager, Pride Partnerships Lead – North America Campaign
Industry Leader of the Year
- Ben Miles, VP, Executive Creative Director, Brand Design & Consulting, APAC, R/GA
- Elly Hewitt, CEO, alt/shift/
- Jimmy Hyett, CEO and Founder, This Is Flow
- Melissa Fein, Chief Executive Officer, Initiative Australia
- Sophie Price, Chief Strategy Officer, EssenceMediacom
Production Company of Year
- Amplify
- FINCH
- Jack Nimble
- Mushroom Creative House
- Onion TV
Best Use of Experiential Marketing
- Big Blue Table – ntegrity with Quantum Market Research, Atomic 212, Soda Communications for Beyond Blue
- Furphy What The Truck?! – Thinkerbell with Scoundrel for Lion, Furphy
- LEGO City GOES NITRO! – Initiative with MediaBrands Content Studio, Thrill One Sports & Entertainment (Nitro Circus) for LEGO City
- Middle Seat Lottery – Special for Virgin Australia Group
- Rave2Save – Hello Social for Uber Eats
Best Use of Retail Media – NEW
- 35+ – Howatson+Company for Lord Nelson Brewery
- Fat Bastard Launch – Hatched and Zitcha for JOVAL/FAT BASTARD
- Snack to Give Back – XPO: The Mars Agency for Cobs – Kinrise
- Accelerating Brick and Mortar Retail Growth Through Paid Search – Wavemaker for Kiehl’s
- Wonder Recycling Rewards – Cartology with Goodman Fielder
Creative Agency of the Year
- BMF
- Howatson+Company
- Special
- The Monkeys Australia, part of Accenture Song
- Thinkerbell
PR Agency of the Year
- alt/shift/
- Eleven
- Ogilvy PR
- Poem
- Thinkerbell
Media Agency of the Year
- Initiative Australia
- Match & Wood
- OMD Australia
- Ryvalmedia
- Wavemaker
- Zenith Media
Specialist Agency of the Year
- Amplify
- Apparent
- Principals
- Sparro x Jack Nimble
- The General Store
- WiredCo.
Emerging Agency of the Year
- Blue Sense Digital
- Bursty Company
- Howatson+Company
- It’s Friday
- Weld Stories
Promo or Experiential Agency of the Year
- Akcelo
- Havas Blvd
- Jack Morton Australia with Weber Shandwick Australia
- Rizer
- Thinkerbell
Independent Agency of the Year
- Akcelo
- HERO
- Howatson+Company
- Special
- Thinkerbell
Full Service Agency of the Year
- Apparent
- CHEP Network
- Enigma
- Howatson+Company
- Thinkerbell