Clemenger BBDO wins MFA Grand Prix for Samsung campaign

Clemenger BBDO has taken out the Media Federation of Australia’s Grand Prix award for a highly effective Samsung campaign that used activations across train networks to reach 6 million Australian gamers.

The MFA’s award night – held at Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse – also saw Atomic 212 founder Barry O’Brien inducted into its Hall of Fame and honoured former MFA chair Peter Horgan for his decade of service to the organisation.

MC Claire Hooper gets the crowd going at the start of the night (Mumbrella)

The night’s biggest prize went to Clemenger BBDO for what the MFA described as “a campaign that blurred the lines between the virtual and physical worlds”.

“Clash of Commuters” promoted Samsung’s flagship S26 handset not by emphasising specifications, but drawing in gamers on public transport. Activations allowed gamers to play a custom Australian scenario in Fortnite on the Samsung phones, something not possible on competitor phones because Fortnite was not available at that time on those platforms.

The campaign – masterminded by Chep, which has subsequently been rolled into Clemenger BBDO – saw the custom scenario played by 130,000 people. Far more people, 6 million in total, were reached, and the agency says iPhone and Pixel traffic to the Samsung website surged 59% in the wake of the campaign.

The night also recognised Atomic 212 founder Barry O’Brien for his contributions to the industry.

Barry O’Brien speaks after being inducted into the MFA Hall of Fame (Mumbrella)

IPG Mediabrands CEO Mark Coad recounted O’Brien’s career, from his beginnings as an office boy, to early work with JWT in London, the founding of Total Advertising Australia in the 1990s (sold to Omnicom and rebranded PHD), and a stint at 10 as head of sales before founding Atomic 212. Atomic, where O’Brien remains as chairman, was acquired by Publicis early this year.

“My earliest recollection of Barry was when I first moved to OMD around 20 years ago,” Coad said. “We were in the OMD Pyrmont office and we had a sister company wrapping around the basement called Total, it was owned by Clemenger. We knew that much. It was loosely connected to our group, but it was very clearly Barry’s show.

“There were very younger versions of myself, Peter Horgan, James Greet, Leigh Terry, and we were often greeted with a ‘Hello son, what have you got for me?’

“Of course, we were just starting out in our careers and Barry was well established by then, and a great mentor and a great advisor to us as young fellas back then.”

In his acceptance speech, O’Brien quoted Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi.

Barry O’Brien in London, 1979 (supplied)

“First you need love, and then you need technique,” he said. “I still love to learn and grow even at this age, and there’s a lot to learn and that will continue in our business.

“You see, I’m proud of what I’ve achieved, in the businesses I’ve run and the successful agencies I’ve started … it’s a simple recipe: create momentum, work with good people who become great people. Likewise, clients of all shapes, sizes, and industries. It doesn’t matter how much they spend or how big or little they are, the aim is, and always will be, doing the best work. That’s our job. That’s your job.”

Elena Giannini (Avenue C), Katy Eng (OMG Diverse) and Luisa Dalli (Havas Media) were awarded the MFA Industry Contribution Award for driving Project Diverse with Roy Morgan. The project — the subject of a spoof dramatisation earlier in the day at MFA’s Ex conference — is reshaping Australia’s audience planning data to properly reflect the nation’s diversity.

Clash of Commuters used Fortnite to demonstrate the strengths of a Samsung phone

Clemenger BBDO’s Clash of Communters picked up Best Integrated Campaign, Partnership, Best use of Events and Experiential, as well as the Grand Prix. Clemenger also won two awards for work with the Australian Red Cross on blood donation. Other prize winners on the night included Wavemaker, Starcom, UM, Initiative, OMD, WPP Media and many others. See the full list of winners for prizes and winners.

Full list of winners

Grand Prix
Clemenger BBDO, Clash of Commuters, Samsung

Brand Impact
Initiative and News Corp Australia, Help Our Highway, IAG

Business Impact

Wavemaker, Answer The Call, yourtown

Behaviour Change

Clemenger BBDO, Lifeblood Blood Supply, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood

Data-Led Activation

Starcom, When The Going Gets Tough, The Data Gets Going, Metricon Homes

Long-Term Results       

UM, XXXX Gold: A Legacy Rebuilt: A Long-Term Media Impact Story, Lion

Best Integrated Campaign

Clemenger BBDO, Clash of Commuters, Samsung

Best Use of Small Budget <500K

Wavemaker, Building unshakeable hair confidence through ‘detangling hair’ moments, Lady Jayne

Partnership Award       

Clemenger BBDO, Clash of Commuters, Samsung

Innovation Award        
OMD and Akcelo, Macca’s Squid Game Meal – Dare to Play?, McDonald’s

Best Content Amplification Strategy
This is Flow, Real-Time Runway, MESHKI

ESG Campaign – Sponsored by SBS
Them Advertising, Perfectly Adoptable Campaign, RSPCA South Australia

Industry Change Program – In support of Ad Net Zero  
WPP Media, Digital Sustainability Initiative

Best Use of Screens
Clemenger BBDO, Lifeblood Blood Supply, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood

Best Use of Search
Starcom, Messy Middle, Air New Zealand

Best Use of Social
Paramount ANZ and Hello, A Mountain of Movies, Paramount+

Best Use of Audio
UM, One Talk at a Time, National Office for Child Safety, Attorney-General’s Department, Australian Government

Best Use of Outdoor – Sponsored by OMA Move
oOh!media and PHD, Falcon, ANZ

Best Use of Retailer Owned Media
EssenceMediacom and Amazon, Unlocking Amazon to reward that thing you did, Mars

Best Use of Events and Experiential
Clemenger BBDO, Clash of Commuters, Samsung

Pro Bono/Cause Marketing Incentive (In recognition of Pam Lane)
EssenceMediacom, Go Blue for Dolly, Dolly’s Dream

Agency Talent & Culture (<100)
Avenue C, Where Experience Takes You

Agency Talent & Culture (>100)
WPP Media, Salary Transparency

NGEN Award
Ashley Hill, Match & Wood

Industry Contribution
Elena Giannini (Avenue C), Katy Eng (OMG Diverse) and Luisa Dalli (Havas Media) for Project Diverse

Hall of Fame
Barry O’Brien