In the run up to the B&T Awards, we’re casting our eyes over the work running to take home one of our coveted trophies.
This time, we’re taking a look at one of the new categories for this year’s awards: the Best Creator-Led Campaign. It’s an award that recognises the growing importance of creators and influencers to the world of marketing, as well as the growing sophistication in the planning and measurement of these campaigns. That sophistication is reflected in there being 13 finalists across a range of different categories—from booze brands to dating apps to CPG brands.
Last time out on the B&T Awards Runners & Riders, we looked at the Best Consumer PR Campaign finalists.
As part of each entry, we ask entrants to submit a 300-word condensed version of their entry. So here, in their own words and in alphabetical order only, are the finalists.
2045 Agency, ‘The Longest Runway’, 247 Represent
Fashion shows usually end at the catwalk’s edge. Ours started there – and kept going for 3,800km. “The Longest Runway” turned a capsule drop into a creator-driven epic: one lead creator, ultra-runner William Goodge, crossing Australia while a relay of grassroots creators “paced” the story stage by stage. No studio cheats, no glossy facades – just real conditions, real kit, real stakes.
The insight: creators work best as protagonists, not PA systems. So we architected a format where the plot literally passed from creator to creator. William’s daily vertical diaries formed the editorial spine. At each checkpoint, pre-briefed run-club captains, physios, filmmakers and micro-influencers joined for 5–10km, filming their chapter with our toolkit (hooks, captions, LUTs, sticker pack, music stems). We whitelisted the best of these to scale authenticity, not imitate it.
Friction became content. Heat plans, kit swaps, blisters and breakthroughs were published live; the product was worn-tested in public. A micro-portal pushed daily prompts (“Today’s km count”, “wind strategy”, “sock rotation”), so hundreds of creators could build the plot in sync.
Audience response turned a run into a movement: 68.4m video views, 1.9m engagements, ~220k UGC posts, +176% TikTok and +118% IG follower growth during the run, and 86% positive sentiment around “authentic test”, “durability”, “community”. Community meet-ups snowballed—27 events, median 42 runners, 93% posted at least once.
And yes, it sold. Drop 1 sold out in 42 minutes. Drop 2 hit 91% sell-through in 10 days. AOV +27%. 62% new-to-brand. Blended ROAS 5.5x. Earned attention followed, with 640+ media pieces ($7.3m EMV) and +420% organic search for “247 running”.
Creators weren’t the garnish. They were the dish. We didn’t “use” creators; we built a story only creators could tell—and an audience could finish.
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Akcelo x Amplify, ‘Double Date’, Tinder
The dating lives of Gen Z Australians are constantly evolving due to pressures from work, study and the cost-of-living*. In addition, research had shown that one-on-one interactions with new connections can sometimes feel high-pressure and anxiety-inducing and young Australians are placing an emphasis on education, self-development, and existing friendships, sometimes ahead of their dating lives.
With young Aussies prioritising existing friendship circles and social support, Tinder needed to find a new way to tap into these modern dating norms and offer opportunities to make new connections that felt lower-pressure and fresh, and with friends at the heart of it.
Tinder accelerated the Australian marketing launch of Double Date, a new feature on Tinder that had shown early promise in initial testing overseas. Double Date allows users to team up with a friend and match with other pairs. The strategic direction for Tinder involved highlighting dating as a low-pressure, fun adventure with friends for those intimidated or tired of solo dating. By putting mates at the centre of the experience, the team positioned Tinder Double Date as the ultimate, fun way to explore dating.
To capture attention and speak to audiences in an authentic and engaging way, Tinder engaged AFL star Bailey Smith & 13 other creators. To bring all the fun of Double Date to life in a way that felt native to Gen Z and key social channels, Tinder leaned into the emerging trend of vodcasting. Partnering with the We Mean Well podcast, Bailey and other creators introduced their Double Date besties in snackable content for paid and organic social, and other digital media environments. By innovating within the existing dynamic of online dating in Australia, Tinder’s Double Date launch campaign cut through in culture and delivered tangible business results. *Source: Match Group Consumer Insights, conducted for Tinder in Australia, 2024
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Always Human, ‘Activia’s Wellness Collective’, Activia
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When 31 wellness experts transformed Activia’s Galentine’s Day campaign into a self-care movement, they didn’t just launch a product, they redefined creator collaboration and reinvigorated a declining brand’s relationship with consumers and retailers.
The Challenge
Activia faced a demographic crisis. The probiotic yoghurt segment was declining, with consumers confused about the difference between regular and probiotic yoghurts. Only 35% of 18-34 year-olds considered the brand versus 60% of older consumers, threatening retail support as major stockists reduced distribution.
The Revolutionary Strategy
Rather than traditional influencer marketing, Activia assembled Australia’s first Wellness Collective for an FMCG brand—31 experts across three tiers: healthcare professionals (dietitians like Rebecca Gawthorne), wellness practitioners (psychologists and meditation coaches), and lifestyle integrators (including Sophie Fisher with 659K followers).
The masterstroke was creative freedom. No scripts or mandatory messages—experts interpreted wellness through their unique lens across multiple initiatives including:
Galentine’s Day Revolution: “Dump Your Regular Yogurt” reframed product switching as self-care, with Sophie Fisher’s TikTok reaching 8 million organically.
Bondi Beach Launch: Viral business ‘Up South’ and dietitian Rebecca Gawthorne created gut-friendly treats, generating 86 posts with 4.97% engagement—double industry benchmarks.
Transformational Results
Activia’s Wellness Collective delivered extraordinary performance: 12.2M+ social reach (+1,944% above target), 275K engagements (+1,276% above target), and 3.35% engagement rate. Instagram followers grew 242% in six months.
Commercially, Woolworths sales volume increased over 40%, with Activia customers growing 53%. Activia Strawberry received additional distribution in 243 Coles stores, establishing Activia as the third fastest-growing yoghurt brand in Australia.
The Wellness Collective proved that assembling genuine experts across wellness disciplines creates deeper connections than celebrity influence, establishing a new model for creator partnerships in FMCG.
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Asahi Beverages 1house, ‘Schweppes x Messina – The Scoop ‘, 1house Asahi Beverages
To launch Schweppes’ new summer Gelato Messina Collab we didn’t use any creator, we tapped the creator famous for being the ‘Schoe-wa-pea-pes guy’.
After a celebrity TikToker mispronounced the Schweppes brand name as ‘Schoe-wa-pea-pes’, Christian Hull turned it into a hilarious viral meme. His Gen Z community loved it, and so did we. When Schweppes asked us to promote their new limited-edition flavours made for Gen Z, we knew he was the perfect fit.
Christian starred in ‘The Scoop’, a ten-part E! News-inspired content series dishing up all the goss on summer occasions, fashion, trends and why sorbet-inspired soft drinks are the perfect way to slay the summer heat.
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Clemenger BBDO, ‘Packed Full of History’, Samsung
Unboxings had become predictable. For the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Samsung needed to break category convention and show off AI features in a way that felt fresh and worth sharing.
The big idea was to go back to Samsung’s roots. Before it was a tech titan, Samsung was a grocery store in Korea. We tapped into that history by shipping the S24 Ultra hidden inside a Korean supermarket hamper, packed with noodles, dried fish and other products Samsung once sold. Every label and instruction was printed only in Korean.
Creators had to use the phone’s live AI translation feature to make sense of the box, demonstrating the product’s most powerful capability in the process.
We hand-picked 22 creators across tech, lifestyle, pop culture and entertainment. Each brought their own spin, from detailed reviews to humour and storytelling. With no brand scripts or restrictions, the creators’ curiosity became the campaign.
The results spoke for themselves. Audiences loved the surprise of finding a flagship smartphone hidden in groceries, and the translation moment became a social talking point. Watch times, completions and engagement were well above benchmarks. Creators posted more than expected, extending the campaign organically, and Samsung amplified the best content with paid support.
The campaign reached 13.8 million people, drove a 10x lift in unprompted social posts versus the S23 launch, and achieved a 4.4% average engagement rate. Major tech and culture publications covered the unusual launch, and brand sentiment spiked, with AI features singled out as the standout.
In a space crowded with formulaic launches, Samsung delivered something original. We turned history into a hook, gave creators the freedom to play, and made the Galaxy S24 Ultra feel like the first unboxing people wanted to watch in years.
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Connecting Plots, ‘The Week Long Layover’, Changi Airport Group
Changi Airport isn’t just a transit hub. It’s a vital connector between East and West that has redefined what an airport can be, with gardens, pools, entertainment, dining, and seamless access to Southeast Asia. It’s also the world’s most awarded airport.
But for Australian and New Zealand travellers, geography gets in the way. Changi isn’t the fastest route to Europe, the Middle East, or the Americas. That forces a choice: take the shortest path, or choose to stop at Changi.
On top of this, most young travellers hate airports. They see them as stressful, overpriced stopovers to escape as quickly as possible. So how do we show youth travellers that Changi isn’t like other airports… that it’s an experience worth seeking out?
According to social cognitive theory, behaviour changes when people see someone like themselves modelling it. If we could show a relatable traveller not just surviving but thriving inside Changi, the perception of a long layover could flip from burden to aspiration.
That’s exactly what we did. We challenged TikTok star Maddy Macrae to live inside Changi Airport for a week, streaming the entire experience live. Like a real-life Terminal (minus Tom Hanks), Maddy showcased shopping, dining, rock climbing and spa sessions, all while her audience directed her journey in real time. One super-fan was even flown in to join her.
The stunt redefined what an airport experience could be. It sparked global media coverage, turned passive viewers into active participants, and proved a layover at Changi could be as entertaining as a holiday itself. The results: $2.16M in earned media value, a 23,789% PR ROI, 365M impressions, 1.2M live viewers, and 26M views across TikTok and Instagram.
Changi isn’t an airport to escape. It’s one worth going out of your way to experience.
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Contiki, ‘The Contiki Indoventure’, Contiki
In January 2025, Contiki launched Indoventure, a bold creator-led campaign that set out to change perceptions of both Indonesia and the Contiki brand. For years, Indonesia was seen as a “Bali-only” destination, while Contiki was stereotyped as a “party-only” travel company. Indoventure redefined both narratives by putting social creators at the heart – not as amplifiers, but as the story itself.
The campaign had ambitious objectives: launch three new Indonesian trips, deliver 50% of global passenger targets from Australia, reduce negative brand perceptions, and achieve a 7.8:1 ROI.
Five diverse creators – from TikTok dancers to comedy skit-makers and lifestyle storytellers – were selected to reflect different facets of Indonesian travel: adventure, wellness, food, nightlife, and culture. Working alongside Contiki’s crew and four competition winners, they co-created content that captured Indonesia’s pink beaches, volcano hikes, Komodo dragons, and great eats entirely through a Gen Z lens.
The rollout followed three creator-led phases. HYPE: creators launched a competition, building audience anticipation. DISCOVER: they dropped trend-driven videos under the theme “Think you know Indonesia? Think again,” reframing Indonesia as fresh and multi-layered. SELL: creator content was re-cut into ads, amplified through paid media, and anchored to a booking-led landing page.
The results were outstanding. ROI reached 9.37:1 (+20% above target), bookings exceeded expectations with 58% of global Indonesia sales from Australia, and new departure dates were added. Brand perceptions shifted significantly, with an 8pt decrease in the “party-only” association. Paid media impressions hit 27.56M (+175% over KPI), while creator content generated 14.8M organic views and above-benchmark engagement.
Indoventure proved the power of creators as storytellers, characters, and cultural translators. It didn’t just sell trips – it reshaped perceptions and set a new standard for creator-led travel marketing.
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dentsu Queensland, ‘Reimagining Pride Through Creator-Led Storytelling’, Brisbane Powerhouse
MELT 2024 was Brisbane’s open-access queer arts and culture festival, produced by Brisbane Powerhouse and staged across Meanjin/Brisbane. It’s aim: to transform the city’s image from a perceived cultural backwater into to a vibrant queer destination.
Featuring 137 events: from Spencer Tunick’s nude installation on the Story Bridge, a floating River Pride Parade, and Australia’s first vertical restaurant, MELT celebrated inclusivity, joy, and progress under the campaign platform “Welcome to Paradise.”
Objectives included: attracting 5,000 participants for Spencer Tunick’s installation, 50 river parade vessels, 100 artist registrations, 250,000 website visits, and strong competition engagement.
Our strategy began by listening to queer voices, uncovering a contrasting insight: while Pride often celebrates extroversion, many in the LGBTQIA+ community seek quieter, more personal connection. So, we flipped the playbook, shifting from spectacle to authentic storytelling.
Our idea, Sounds Like Progress amplified trusted queer voices. Courtney Act delivered impact across social, radio and audio. Nova’s Ricki-Lee and Joel Creasey brought energy and intimacy, while podcasters Alright Hey! and Brooke Blurton reached underrepresented audiences with warm, authentic storytelling. Co-voiced radio spots and strategic social amplification ensured connection across touchpoints.
With a modest $100K media budget, results exceeded targets:
• 5,425 joined Spencer Tunick’s artwork (+8.5%)
• 57 river parade vessels (+14%)
• 137 artist registrations (+37%)
• 400K+ website visits (+60%)
• 523 competition entries (+35%)
Engagement metrics soared, reflecting true connection with audiences; podcast sponsorship delivery (+165%), email opt-ins (+22%), and CTR (+34%).
Our campaign sparked national media attention, with PR coverage across key news stations. MELT helped drive a record-breaking 2024 for Brisbane, including a 42% increase in Sydney visitor nights and 68% from Melbourne. MELT didn’t just promote Pride; it helped shape the story of a city embracing it.
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EssenceMediacom & WPP Media ‘My Kind of Independence’, Mable
The “My Kind of Independence” campaign redefined creator-led content by not only partnering with influencers living with disabilities to tell authentic stories of empowerment but doing so through a team with lived experience of disability. Designed to elevate Mable’s brand and drive sign-ups, the campaign addressed the fragmented disability sector by showcasing how Mable empowers users to choose their own support workers tailored to their needs.
Research revealed that 90% of Mable’s audience follows influencers who share their lived experiences, making social media a powerful channel for connection. This insight inspired Australia’s first influencer program featuring people with disabilities, leveraging creators’ real-life journeys to foster emotional resonance and engagement.
High-profile influencers like Jimmy Jan, The Brother Boys, Robert and May, and The Lombardo Family shared personal stories of independence enabled by Mable. Content was distributed across Instagram, TikTok, and Mable’s owned channels, supported by amplification efforts on Meta and TikTok platforms.
The results were extraordinary: organic reach exceeded forecasts by 127%, engagement soared 1596% above expectations, and sign-ups increased significantly, contributing 3-10% of new users during the campaign period.
By celebrating diversity and empowerment, “My Kind of Independence” not only elevated Mable’s brand but also set a new benchmark for inclusivity in advertising, demonstrating creativity, engagement, and measurable business impact.
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Herd MSL, ‘Pour It, Mix it, Hack It’, Nescafe
NESCAFÉ Espresso Concentrate: Pour It. Mix It. Hack It.
THE INSIGHT:
Gen Z aren’t entering coffee culture through lattes in cafés — their first coffee is more likely to be iced, sweet, and shared online. Yet the at-home aisle had no solutions that matched their needs or price point. NESCAFÉ saw an opportunity: launch its first new format globally in Australia and establish an entirely new iced coffee ritual.
THE IDEA:
Pour It. Mix It. Hack It. was a campaign designed to be hacked by creators across every touchpoint. Heartbreak High star Ayesha Madon fronted a creator mix spanning coffee experts, lifestyle voices, and niche talent. Each created their own iced coffee hacks in their own style, fuelling TikTok and Instagram content that powered PR headlines, paid assets, retailer comms, and even the Hack-Café; a Bondi pop-up where fans could taste the recipes IRL.
THE AUDIENCE IMPACT:
The campaign delivered over 9M social views, 10%+ engagement rates, and hundreds of organic shares. Repurposed content smashed YouTube benchmarks with a 70% view-through rate, while the Hack-Café drove 100% positive sentiment.
A BLUE PRINT FOR FUTURE:
By treating creators as co-creatives, not amplifiers, NESCAFÉ transformed a heritage instant brand into a Gen Z trend engine, and created a blueprint now guiding future Nestlé creator campaigns.
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Publicis Groupe, ‘Zyrtec Storytime’, Kenvue
Zyrtec faced a challenge: allergic rhinitis affects over half of children, yet few are diagnosed or treated. Parents, already overwhelmed by constant external “parenting advice,” were unlikely to welcome another brand message. With only 14% of mums trusting advertising, the solution had to come from someone parents already trusted: other mothers. Research showed 70% of mums valued the lived experience of peers over advertising or blogs.
Enter Phoebe Burgess, a relatable Australian mother of two children with allergic rhinitis and a highly trusted influencer. Her audience aligned with Zyrtec’s target, predominantly mothers aged 25–44. Instead of another “do better” message, Zyrtec reframed its approach around a positive, trusted moment: Story Time. This nightly ritual, shared by 79% of parents, offered an intimate setting to educate without intrusion.
Together, Zyrtec and Phoebe created Zack & Zoe’s Hide and Sneeze, a children’s book blending entertainment with education about allergy triggers and symptoms. Written by Burgess and illustrated by Simon Greiner, the story gave parents a natural way to learn while bonding with their children.
The campaign launched in August 2024 with a high-profile event at The Grounds of Alexandria, generating wide media attention across outlets such as Mamamia, Stellar and Daily Mail. Distribution included free downloads, gift-with-purchase redemptions, and limited hardcover editions.
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Wavemaker, ‘Bref x City2Surf – A Poodium Finish’, Bref / Henkel
Bref’s “Flushing out the competition” campaign for City2Surf redefined brand engagement by moving beyond traditional advertising to embrace creator-led content. Recognising the common, yet unspoken, reality of runners needing public restrooms post-race, Bref identified an untapped “second race” insight. This allowed them to pivot from dry product messaging to an emotional connection, transforming an unglamorous topic into a memorable brand moment.
The campaign’s success hinged on a creator-first approach, essential for tackling the taboo nature of public bathrooms and “the runs” with authenticity and humour. Creators were not just an amplification channel but the core storytellers, making an embarrassing subject shareable, funny, and positive.
The strategy involved partnering with comedic influencers @LukeandSassyScott and @MollyLeeClancy, who were integrated into the campaign’s narrative. Their role was to embody the campaign’s spirit and generate authentic content that alleviated the awkwardness of post-race bathroom needs. This involved a two-phased content strategy: pre-race anticipation, where creators humorously “installed” Bref products, and race-day relief, where they documented the City2Surf experience from a runner’s perspective, normalising the conversation around bathroom habits.
This approach generated a groundswell of conversation both on-site and online. The creator content was genuine, comedic storytelling that drove significant engagement and extended reach far beyond the physical event. This emotional connection primed consumers with a positive, humorous association with the brand, making subsequent product sampling more impactful.
The campaign achieved remarkable success in increasing brand power and driving sales. It significantly boosted brand salience and affinity, demonstrating genuine brand love for a toilet cleaner. The impact on sales was substantial, proving the campaign’s effectiveness in driving demand beyond mere price sensitivity. The campaign also achieved exceptional reach and video plays, with high engagement rates and overwhelmingly positive sentiment, making Bref unforgettable.
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We Are Different, ‘The Moment Club’, Fujifilm
To drive awareness and consideration for Fujifilm cameras, we gave Gen Z the only thing they love more than their smartphone – bragging rights.
The strategy was simple: hand over your smartphone for access to the most exclusive, sought after events this party season. The hottest ticket in town became smartphone free with Fujifilm capturing exclusive content for all to share.
Fujifilm’s Moment Club was born – a photogenic playground full of nostalgia, music and creativity.
But this was more than an event.
The Moment Club was a real-time product induction and content shoot broadcast across owned social and influencers channels. Influencer content was suddenly phone free, swapped out for the super stylish Fujifilm camera.
We gave social-obsessed Aussies a chance to live in the moment with Fujifilm – driving organic hype across earned, influencer and social.
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