Leo Australia, BMF, Clemenger BBDO among winners at Effies

October 10, 2025 10:49

Leo Australia took home the grand prize at the 2025 Australian Effie Awards

Leo Australia took home The Grand Effie at the 2025 Australian Effie Awards, while others in adland won accolades for their creativity and effectivness.

Leo won for its “From Recovery to Resilience: How Suncorp Rewrote Insurance Rules and Revitalised Its Business” — an entry that this year’s judges described as a case study in brand and business transformation. Campaigns included “If Your Home Could Talk”, “Resilience Road” and “One House to Save Many”.

“This particular entry was a showcase of effectiveness that all marketers should aspire to,” the judges said in a media release.

“It was a cleverly delivered, disruptive, and fun execution that overcame significant challenges, resulting in fantastic, well-proven, and impressive ROI, increased market share, and consideration gains.”

In a comment emailed to Mumbrella, Leo Australia’s chief executive officer (CEO), Clare Pickens, said winning the Grand Effie “is a tremendous honour”.

Clare Pickens is the CEO of Leo Australia

“What an incredible night! The Effies hold a special place for us at Leo because we believe our creative work should drive real business impact – and continue to do so over time.

“Winning the Grand Effie for long-term effectiveness with our Suncorp partners is a tremendous honour. It reflects the talent and dedication of so many across our team.

“And it speaks directly to our ambition to create ideas that go beyond campaigns – shaping culture, building brands, and delivering lasting value for our clients.”

Meanwhile, BMF won Effective Agency of the Year. It also acquired four silvers and one gold for its client, supermarket chain Aldi Australia, and one silver for the Attorney-General’s Department.

Aldi was named Effective Advertiser of the Year, based on its creative agency partner’s entry, “Proving That Going Extra Needn’t Cost Extra, How ALDI Pushed the Boat out to Bring Aussies in at Christmas”.

“This was an excellent, clearly structured submission,” the judges said. “We appreciate how a fearful subject was skillfully turned into a positive conversation, leading to great work and solid evidence of impact.”

VML and Clemenger BBDO both won two golds for their entries. Specifically, VML won for its Defence Force Recruiting and Nestle entries; Clems won for its Australian Red Cross lifeblood submission.

The Colin Wilson-Brown Award went to Saatchi and Saatchi Australia for “The Ultimate Comeback: How a Seasoned Champion Reclaimed the Crown” — Toyota’s entry.

The awards were held last night at Jones Bay Wharf’s Doltone House. Overall, 24 agencies and 26 clients were acknowledged at the ceremony. Five Special Awards, 28 bronze awards, 21 silver and six gold Effies were handed out.

“The Effies have always been about celebrating marketing that truly delivers. This year, we saw an increased number of winners, reflecting a growing focus across the industry on work that moves the needle, challenges conventions, and demonstrates the value of creative impact,” Advertising Council Australia’s CEO, Tony Hale, said in the same release.

“Congratulations to all who were recognised for their outstanding achievements.”

See below for the gold Effie winners by category

Government

VML Australia — Defence Force Recruiting: “How ADF Careers Drove Effectiveness and Efficiency for Defence Force Recruiting”

Not-For-Profit Organisations

Clemenger BBDO — Australian Red Cross Lifeblood: “Lifeblood Blood Supply: How a Media First Elevated Blood Donation Into a National News Story, Saving Up to 28,848 Lives”

Positive Change

Clemenger BBDO — Australian Red Cross Lifeblood: “Lifeblood Blood Supply: How a Media First Elevated Blood Donation Into a National News Story, Saving Up to 28,848 Lives”

Innovative Media or Channel Solutions (Inc Media Partnerships)