Let the games begin: Mumbrella Awards 2025 shortlist is here

The marketing, media and PR industry’s best and brightest companies, campaigns and workers have been named in the 2025 shortlist for the Mumbrella Awards.

Advertising agency Thinkerbell has received 11 nominations this year across a broad range of categories. They include Mumbrella Award for Insight; Mumbrella Award for Innovation; Content Marketing Strategy of the Year; Best Use of Retail Media; Best Use of Real-Time Marketing; Best Use of Experiential Marketing; Media Campaign of the Year; PR Agency of the Year; Full Service Agency of the Year; Independent Agency of the Year; and Creative Agency of the Year.

Meanwhile, Special — who picked up a slew of trophies at the 2024 Mumbrella Awards — is once again in the running this year. Special has earned six nominations. Its work on the Shift 20 Initiative Casting Call campaign is nominated for Pro Bono Campaign of the Year and Social Idea of the Year.

Special won Creative Agency of the Year at the 2024 Mumbrella Awards

At the same time, Special’s Uber Eats ‘Get Almost Almost Anything, Maybe Even Andy Murray’ campaign could give the agency the Mumbrella Award for Collaboration. The agency’s name is also in the list of nominees for Independent Agency of the Year and Creative Agency of the Year, and can be found in the TV Ad of the Year category for its ‘Cher Turn Back Too Far – Get Almost Almost Anything’ offering.

The Mumbrella Award for Culture category is a battle between five companies: Akcelo, BMF, Howatson + Company, Sparro by Brainlabs and Wired Co.

Society’s founder and CEO Dena Vassallo; alt/shift/’s CEO Elly Hewitt; Plus Also Studios co-founder and the chief data and technology officer at Howatson + Company, Hoang Nguyen; QMS’s CEO, John O’Neill; and Uber Advertising’s head of advertising sales ANZ, Michael Levine, are all nominated for the highly anticipated Industry Leader of the Year accolade.

This year’s Under-30 Achiever of the Year category features nominations for Atomic 212 senior strategist Sam Bessell; VML creative, Charlie Dejean; Share The Dignity’s advocacy and communications specialist, Brittany Edwards; and Match & Wood’s national strategy and planning director, Ryan Hancock.

As in previous years, teams are part of the Mumbrella Awards shortlist. For 2025, Val Morgan Group, JCDecaux, Broadsheet Sales and Partnerships, Uber Advertising and Cartology are all up for Sales Team of the Year.

Uber & Uber Eats, Domain, BBC Studios, Share the Dignity and Youi Insurance are shortlisted for Marketing Team of the Year; Online Marketing Gurus, BMF and Chello are nominated for Account Management Team of the Year.

Emerging Agency of the Year could go to Born, Supermassive, Time Under Tension, Plus Also Studios or Supersolid.

All finalists are set to take part in the live judging day on May 8, 2025 to determine who takes home the acclaimed accolades at the gala dinner.

The 2025 Mumbrella Awards will take place at The Star, Sydney on July 24. Tickets can be purchased on the website.

The full 2025 Mumbrella Awards shortlist can be found below:

Social Idea of the Year

• Fisher x Bob Marley: ONE LOVE – Hello Social with Wavemaker for Paramount Pictures
• Nedd’s Uncomfortable Challenge – Bursty with TikTok for We Are Mobilise & Nedd Brockmann
• Putricia – Botanic Gardens of Sydney
• Shift 20 Initiative Casting Call – Special with TikTok, PHD Australia & Zebedee Talent for Dylan Alcott Foundation
• The Comments Section – Droga5 Australia, part of Accenture Song with UM, One Green Bean, Kinesso & The Sweetshop for Meat & Livestock Australia/Australian Lamb

Mumbrella Award for Bravery

• Algorithm of Disrespect – BMF for Department of Social Services
• Help Our Highway – Initiative with News Corp Australia for NRMA Insurance
• Shark Week – TBWA\Sydney & Fabric Sydney for Modibodi
• Welcome to Melbourne – TBWA\Melbourne with Initiative & Health Haus for Specsavers

Mumbrella Award for Culture

• Akcelo
• BMF
• Howatson+Company
• Sparro by Brainlabs
• WiredCo.

Mumbrella Award for Insight

• “Give A New Beginning” – ntegrity with Good Grief, Thinkerbell & Robejohn for The Salvation Army Australia
• Know What We Know – Howatson+Company for Domain
• Lamb. The Ultimate Social Device – Droga5 Australia, part of Accenture Song with The Sweetship, ARC Edit, Rumble & UM for Meat & Livestock Australia/Australian Lamb
• The Comments Section – Droga5 Australia, part of Accenture Song with UM, One Green Brean, Kinesso & The Sweetshop for Meat & Livestock Australia/Australian Lamb
• The Inter[NET]vention – BCM Group for LIVIN

Mumbrella Award for Innovation

• Crop Circles – Initiative with ThrivePR, BrightWorks & SoldOut Events for LEGO Space
• Givewrap Business – Orphan for Givewrap
• Mindography – HERO with Chisel for Instax
• Scene:Scents – Thinkerbell with First Flame for Binge
• The Christian O’Connell Show BinBoards – ARN for GOLD104.3

Mumbrella Award for Data – Driven Marketing

• 7plus AI Factory – Seven Network with Databricks for 7plus
• Codral Cold & Flu Forecast – Team21, part of Publicis Groupe ANZ for Codral
• re.think Skin – Paper + Spark with RoseRX for iNova Pharmaceuticals
• The Inter[NET]vention – BCM Group for LIVIN
• The McSmart Meal Campaign – The Trade Desk with OMD for McDonald’s

Mumbrella Award for Collaboration

• Clash of Commuters – Clemenger BBDO with Livewire, Gamefam, Moisty Media, Revolver, The Glue Society, Sonar Music, Wild Sets, TFCG Events & Ogilvy PR for Samsung Australia
• Fisher x Bob Marley: ONE LOVE – Hello Social with Wavemaker for Paramount Pictures
• Get Almost, Almost Anything, Maybe Even Andy Murray – Special with EssenceMediaCom, Powered Studios & FINCH for Uber Eats
• Levelling the Playing Field – Spark Foundry with News Australia for Westpac
• Nedd’s Uncomfortable Challenge – Bursty with TikTok for We Are Mobilise & Nedd Brockmann
• The Greatest Wine Takeover in History – Emotive with Dan Murphy’s, Liquid Ideas, Darkhorse & Initiative for Pernod Richard Winemakers & St Hugo Wines DR3

Marketing Technology Company of the Year

• Fabulate
• Plus Also Studios
• Smartly
• Vistar Media
• Yahoo DSP

Content Marketing Strategy of the Year

• Bluey’s World Brisbane – BBC Studios with Brisbane Economic Development Agency & Tourism and Events Queensland for Bluey
• Fisher x Bob Marley: ONE LOVE – Hello Social with Wavemaker for Paramount Pictures
• Tested by Olympians – July
• The Comments Section – Droga5 Australia, part of Accenture Song with UM, One Green Bean, Kinesso & The Sweetshop for Meat & Livestock Australia/Australian Lamb
• The New State Anthem – Thinkerbell with Lion, UM & Larchmont for Tooheys

Best Use of Retail Media

• Unlocking Amazon to Reward That Thing You Did – EssenceMediaCom with Thinkerbell & Amazon for Mars Bar, Mars Confectionary
• June Pasta Sauces – Cartology for Mutti Australia
• McDonald’s Restaurant Experience – Akcelo for McDonald’s AU
• Personal Penguin for Love Your Bookshop Day – Penguin Random House Australia
• The Chippelier: Share A Perfect Pairing – Uber Advertising for Red Rock Deli
• The World’s Best Exchange Rate – Frog, part of Capgemini Invent with Banter & Edelman PR for All.com

Best Use of User Experience

• MyTest – GHO Sydney for NSW STI Programs Unit & NSW Ministry of Health
• New Superannuation Join Form – Australian Ethical with Contxtual
• Skill Tester – Droga5 Australia, part of Accenture Song with Nakatomi for Asahi Beverages
• The World’s Best Exchange Rate – Frog, part of Capgemini Invent with Banter & Edelman PR for All.com
• XXXX Locate the Tin to Win – AFFINITY for Lion

Best Use of Real-Time Marketing

• Hey Drake, This Yours? – It’s Friday for Sydney Water
• Putricia – Botanic Gardens of Sydney
• The Appeal Appeal – Howatson+Company for UNICEF Australia
• The Last Season Collection – Orphan with Adhesive PR & TikTok for Jackie Galleghan & Madre Natura
• The New State Anthem – Thinkerbell with Lion, UM & Larchmont for Tooheys

Production Company of the Year

• Chisel
• Clockwork Films
• FINCH
• Plus Also Studios
• Revolver

Best Use of Experiential Marketing

• Banana Gym Pass – Thinkerbell with Australian Bananas & Val Morgan Outdoor for Hort Innovation
• CHOCBUSTER – WiredCo. for Peters Ice Creams
• CityDogs – BBC Studios with Brisbane Economic Development Agency & Tourism and Events Queensland for Bluey
• Macca’s Squid Game Meal – Dare to Play? – Akcelo & OMD for McDonald’s
• The Million Dollar Road Trip Northern Territory – Caravan Industry Association of Australia with Tourism NT, Tourism Top End, Tourism Central Australia & Caravanning NT

Best Influencer Strategy

• Go to Your Room – Match & Wood for Snooze
• Shark Week – TBWA\Sydney & Fabric Sydney for Modibodi
• The Great Flavour Debate – VaynerMedia Asia Pacific with Mango Communications for PepsiCo & Twisties
• The Last Season Collection – Orphan with Adhesive PR & TikTok for Jackie Galleghan & Madre Natura
• The Scoop – Asahi Beverages & 1 House for Schweppes & Messina

Best Campaign with a Small Budget

• Fisher x Bob Marley: ONE LOVE – Hello Social with Wavemaker for Paramount Pictures
• July’s Australian Open Campaign – July
• Keen For A Cool Change – LCC Group for Coxons Group Australia
• The Big Bloody Survey 2024 – Share the Dignity
• The Last Season Collection – Orphan with Adhesive PR & TikTok for Jackie Galleghan & Madre Natura

Pro Bono Campaign of the Year

• “Can’t Bin It, Bag It” – Havas Host with Lily Kate Design Studio & Kuki for Tourism Fiji
• Get NT Kids to the Hydrogen Grand Prix 2024 World Finals – True North Strategic Communications with NDA Communications for TE H2 & NT Christian Schools
• Shift 20 Initiative Casting Call – Special with TikTok, PHD Australia & Zebedee Talent for Dylan Alcott Foundation
• The Appeal Appeal – Howatson+Company for UNICEF Australia
• The Inter[NET]vention – BCM Group for LIVIN

TV Ad of the Year

• Cher Turn Back Too Far – Get Almost, Almost Anything – Special Group
• Fresh Fuels the Best In All of Us: The Paris 2024 Games – M+C Saatchi Group for Woolworths
• Piano – Humble for Anglicare
• Puppies + Kittens – Howatson+Company for Petbarn
• Toyota HiLux ‘In A Pickle’ – Saatchi & Saatchi Australia with Scoundrel & Spark Foundry

Media Campaign of the Year

• Blood Supply – Clemenger BBDO with Seven Network for Australian Red Cross Lifeblood
• Unlocking Amazon to Reward That Thing You Did – EssenceMediaCom with Thinkerbell & Amazon for Mars Bar, Mars Confectionary
• Honing In When Small Business Owners Tune In – Avenue C with RGA for Intuit QuickBooks
• Macca’s Squid Game Meal – Dare to Play? – OMD & Akcelo with Mango & Netflix for McDonald’s
• Woolworths Olympics & Paralympic Games – Dentsu with M&C Saatchi & Woolworths IDX for Woolworths

Ad Campaign of the Year

• Footy. Made by Fans. – Youi Insurance
• Go A Little Extra – BMF for ALDI Australia
• If I Can Do It, Youse Can Too – Emotive for Google Marketing AUNZ
• Water Wasn’t Made for This – Akcelo for Gatorade
• Welcome to Melbourne – TBWA\Melbourne with Initiative & Health Haus for Specsavers

Media Brand of the Year

• Boss Hunting
• Broadsheet Media
• Junkee
• Man of Many
• QMS

Account Management Team of the Year

• BMF
• Chello
• Online Marketing Gurus

Marketing Team of the Year

• BBC Studios
• Domain
• Share the Dignity
• Uber & Uber Eats
• Youi Insurance

Sales Team of the Year

• Broadsheet Sales and Partnerships
• Cartology
• JCDecaux
• Uber Advertising
• Val Morgan Group

Under-30 Achiever of the Year

• Brittiny Edwards, Advocacy & Communications Specialist, Share the Dignity
• Charlie Dejean, Creative, VML
• Ryan Hancock, National Strategy & Planning Director, Match & Wood
• Sam Bessell, Senior Strategist, Atomic 212º

Industry Leader of the Year

• Dena Vassallo, CEO & Founder, SOCIETY
• Elly Hewitt, CEO, alt/shift/
• Hoang Nguyen, Chief Data and Technology Officer & Co-Founder, Howatson+Company & Plus Also Studios
• John O’Neill, Chief Executive Officer, QMS
• Michael Levine, Head of Advertising Sales ANZ, Uber Advertising

PR Agency of the Year

• Eleven
• Poem Group
• SOCIETY
• Supermassive
• Thinkerbell

Specialist Agency of the Year

• Amplify
• Anchora
• Sparro by Brainlabs
• The General Store
• WiredCo.

Emerging Agency of the Year

• Born
• Plus Also Studios
• Supermassive
• Supersolid
• Time Under Tension

Full Service Agency of the Year

• Apparent
• Howatson+Company
• Thinkerbell

Independent Agency of the Year

• Akcelo
• Howatson+Company
• Special
• Supermassive
• Thinkerbell

Media Agency of the Year

• Atomic 212º
• EssenceMediaCom
• Havas Media
• Howatson+Company
• Nunn Media

Creative Agency of the Year

• Bear Meets Eagle On Fire
• BMF
• Droga5 Australia, part of Accenture Song
• Special
• Thinkerbell

Editor’s note: Mumbrella has changed the way it deals with company names. House style is now to use standard proper noun capitalisation on all names regardless of brand typography. Brand typography may be retained in direct quotes from releases.

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Matthew Leong

Matthew is the editorial assistant at Mumbrella. He joined the company at the end of September 2023.

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topics Atomic 212 BMF Dena Vassallo Howatson+Company Mumbrella Awards Mumbrella Awards 2025 Society special supermassive Thinkerbell Uber Youi Insurance

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