Barry O’Brien, founder and chairman of Atomic 212 has been inducted into the Hall of Fame and Clemenger BBDO’s ‘Clash of Commuters’ for Samsung has won the Grand Prix at the MFA Awards.
‘Clash of Commuters’ was hailed as a campaign that blurred the lines between the virtual and physical worlds. O’Brien was lauded by contemporaries from across the media landscape as a peerless competitor, fearless leader and a selfless mentor.
The glittering black-tie gala in Sydney brought together the brightest minds and leaders from across the media industry, as agencies and brands including IAG, Lion, Mars, Air New Zealand and McDonald’s took home trophies for the most effective and impactful media work of the year.
Alongside Clemenger BBDO, agencies recognised for their work were Initiative, Wavemaker, Starcom, UM Australia, OMD, This is Flow, Them Advertising, WPP Media, Hello, PHD, EssenceMediacom and Avenue C–showcasing a breadth of talent and innovation across the industry.
Judging was once again rigorous and highly competitive, with more than 100 judges–nearly half of them client CMOs–assessing entries against effectiveness, long-term growth and alignment with the industry purpose. Judges praised this year’s work for pushing boundaries, delivering bold ideas and driving measurable impact for clients.
The night also celebrated individual leaders:
Barry O’Brien, founder and chairman of Atomic 212°, was inducted into the MFA Hall of Fame for his unmatched contributions and unwavering belief in media as a force for good.
Elena Giannini (Avenue C), Katy Eng (OMG Diverse) and Luisa Dalli (Havas Media) were awarded the MFA Industry Contribution award for spearheading Project Diverse with Roy Morgan–a landmark initiative modernising Australia’s audience planning data to better reflect today’s diverse society.
Peter Horgan, CEO of Joy, was also invited to the stage for a special acknowledgement of his 10-year service as Chair of the MFA Board. He stepped down from the board earlier this year following his departure from Omnicom Media Group.
“This year’s winners prove, yet again, that Australia’s media agencies are world-class – delivering clever, creative and commercially powerful solutions that transform businesses and make a real difference in people’s lives,” said MFA CEO Sophie Madden.
“The bar has never been higher, and the calibre of work we’ve seen this year is nothing short of extraordinary. Congratulations to all our winners and thank you to our incredible judges and the Awards Steering Committee for helping us celebrate the very best of what our industry can achieve.”
The 2025 MFA Awards winners are:
Grand Prix – Sponsored by Seven – Clemenger BBDO, Clash of Commuters, Samsung OUTCOMES
Brand Impact – Sponsored by Meta – 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
EXECUTION
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
CHANNEL EXCELLENCE
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
PEOPLE & CULTURE
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
The 2025 MFA EX sponsors are:
Grand Prix: Seven
Platinum: Meta, Outdoor Media Association, SBS
Gold: Ad Standards, News Australia, Nine, OzTAM, Pinterest, Samsung Ads, YouTube
Silver: Cairns Crocodiles, Commercial Radio & Audio, Foxtel Media, Nielsen
