B&T Awards 2024 Campaign Awards
B&T Award for Bravery
M&C Saatchi Group
‘UNCLOUD’, Minderoo Foundation
The UNCLOUD campaign by M&C Saatchi took the vaping crisis among young Aussies and flipped the script, ditching the usual faceless warnings for a powerful, youth-led message.
Recognising that typical health warnings weren’t cutting it, UNCLOUD gave a voice to those directly affected by vaping addiction, letting them create their own “warning labels” inspired by classic anti-cigarette packaging.
These personal, hard-hitting messages were shared on UNCLOUD.ORG, giving young people a platform to tell it like it is—and the impact was huge.
Rather than preaching, UNCLOUD met youth where they already are: on TikTok, in video games, and even in physical spaces around schools. It didn’t just talk to them; it spoke their language.
The campaign racked up impressive results, with over 270 million paid media impressions and 54 per cent of viewers intending to quit vaping within three months. Plus, 41 per cent reported a greater awareness of vaping’s risks—proof that real stories resonate.
The campaign’s success even caught the eye of the Victorian State Government, which has now adopted its framework. And all this came together on a lean budget, showing you don’t need a blockbuster budget to make a difference. ‘UNCLOUD’ has set a new benchmark for public health campaigns, proving that authentic, peer-to-peer messaging doesn’t just reach young people—it changes how they think.
B&T Award for Diversity - The Work Presented by GumGum
Eleven
‘The Wheelchair Ballkid’, Mastercard
Australian Open sponsor Mastercard hit a winner with a campaign to enable children with disabilities to become ball kids.
Although wheelchair tennis has long been played at major tennis tournaments, children in wheelchairs were not being selected to trial as ball kids.
Mastercard, which has sponsored the Australian Open for eight years, wanted to change that by making it accessible while meeting UN Sustainable Development Goals to reduce inequality.
Mastercard called on experts, including technology partners, ball kid coach and assessor Diana Sutterby, Paralympic wheelchair tennis gold medallist Heath Davidson, previous world #4 tennis champion Alicia Molik, accessibility consultants and 11-year-old junior wheelchair tennis champion Sonny Rennison.
Together, they created assistive technology that allowed Rennison to move around the court and pick up balls with a specially designed ball collector. Rennison not only showed the tech worked but was enlisted as a ball kid at the Kooyong Classic.
The campaign had a reach of 500 million, including an 87 per cent increase in positive sentiment and the highest earned share of voice for Australian Open sponsors.
The campaign is a masterclass on how championing inclusivity can drive brand love and provide game-changing support for people with disability.
Best Content Marketing Strategy
Howatson+Company
‘I’m Dying Inside’, Modibodi
Modibodi has thought long and hard about how to connect with the next generation of menstruators – Gen Z. Intentionally choosing not to create an ad, Modibodi created a new series built on Gen Z’s favourite platform — TikTok.
The brand faced major challenges – it needed to normalise period underwear as a solution that worked, breaking the autopilot of using tampons and pads. It also needed to engage a generation who are resistant to traditional advertising.
‘I’m Dying Inside’ is a modern period drama created exclusively for TikTok. Across five episodes, four housemates all get their periods at the same time.
The series is a taboo-breaking celebration, tackling issues like endometriosis flare-ups, accidental period sex stains, and more.
Modibodi used TikTok’s algorithm to its favour, which serves content based on users’ topics of interest. The period underwear brand created an ecosystem of additional content that tapped into platform trends to drive visibility, from behind the scenes to Q&As and fit checks to GRWM videos, allowing the brand to connect with different Gen Z audiences and encourage them to engage with the series.
The series was created with the production value of TV, crafted for 9:16. The crew, cast and writer’s room consist of female and nonbinary Gen Z talent, with an original screenplay and music for each episode.
Modibodi’s fresh approach to delivering content achieved huge results, with a 44 per cent increase in website traffic and 75 per cent increase in sales, all while helping a generation of young people feel comfortable in their own skin and fall in love with the Modibodi brand.
Modibodi’s fresh approach and desire to connect authentically with a new consumer base make the brand stand out boldly in this category.
Best CTV Campaign, Presented by Samsung Ads
Howatson+Company
‘Always Free, Always Entertaining’, ABC
Howatson+Company has very quickly made a name for crafting some of the best ads in Australia. But ‘Always Free, Always Entertaining’ for the ABC is among the finest anywhere in the world. It’s a favourite in the B&T office and for good reason. It’s funny and smart, plus delightfully scalable and flexible as an idea.
It’s hard for ABC iView to compete with the big streamers on a limited budget. It has cracking content but, sadly, Aunty doesn’t have the ability to dominate national cultural conversations in the way that a Netflix or Amazon Prime Video can, for instance.
But it has one ace up its sleeve. ABC iView is free. As the cost of living rises, that’s something well worth shouting about.
By positioning ABC iView as the solution to the cost of living crisis and filming the campaign to mimic the tropes of popular TV genres, Howatson+Company was able to firmly insert the ABC into the minds of consumers whilst hinting at the quality of the content on offer. After all, if the ads are this good, just imagine how good the shows must be.
The results have been exceptional. Since the campaign launched during the ABC’s New Year’s Eve telecast, active iView weekly users climbed 16.5 per cent year-on-year and it became Australia’s top on-demand free-to-air BVOD service in the first 29 days of the year.
Always free and always entertaining. We hope this campaign’s always with us, too.
Best Data-Driven Marketing
Howatson+Company
‘PetWatch’, Petbarn
Howatson+Company hit the jackpot with ‘PetWatch’.
This clever tool protects our furry friends from pesky parasites such as ticks, fleas and worms across Australia.
Teaming up with Petbarn and Greencross Vets, the agency created an interactive, data-powered platform that turns invisible threats into visible alerts for pet owners.
By analysing four years of veterinary records alongside live weather and satellite data, PetWatch can predict when those pesky parasites are on the prowl and send localised risk alerts based on parameters such as temperature and humidity.
Pet owners can simply search by suburb to check their pets’ risk levels and get personalised prevention tips.
Launched in 200 Petbarn stores and 130 vet practices, PetWatch made waves with eye-catching in-store signage and a robust PR campaign that racked up a whopping 34 million impressions.
The results? Absolutely pawsome! The tool attracted 126,946 unique users, with more than 599,000 suburb searches and an 11 per cent increase in sales of Petbarn’s preventative treatments. Plus, Greencross Vets celebrated a fantastic 13.65 per cent drop in tick incidents—the first reduction in four years.
Howatson+Company truly transformed pet health awareness with this innovative, data-driven approach, making the world a safer place for our beloved pets.
Best Digital Campaign
Dig
‘Margaret – Bulla Chief Cottage Cheese Officer’, Bulla Dairy Foods
Dig worked some serious magic on Bulla’s Cottage Cheese brand identity with a fun and fresh campaign that tapped into the vibrant world of TikTok! The secret sauce? Meet Margaret, Bulla’s delightful “Chief Cottage Cheese Officer”.
This charming, grandmotherly figure quickly became a fan favourite, winning over Gen Z with her authenticity and self-deprecating humour. She effortlessly blended into TikTok’s lively culture, sharing relatable “Everything I eat in a day” videos that made cottage cheese feel trendy and fun.
Bulla set out to shake off the old-school reputation of cottage cheese as just a diet food for older generations. Instead, they reintroduced it as a versatile, modern snack that fits right into today’s lifestyle. With Margaret leading the charge, her engaging content showcased all the delicious and nutritious ways to enjoy cottage cheese, resonating with younger audiences who couldn’t resist her charm.
And talk about results! The campaign took off, racking up an impressive 37 million views and reaching 4.8 million unique accounts, with 65,000 people engaging along the way. But it wasn’t just about media metrics; Bulla saw a significant boost in brand awareness and purchase intent, with an incredible 28 per cent sales increase during the campaign. Plus, a TikTok Brand Recall study showed a jaw-dropping 230 per cent lift above category norms.
This campaign truly highlighted Dig’s creative genius and ability to transform brands through culturally relevant, engaging digital content. Who knew cottage cheese could be this much fun?
Best Direct Response Campaign
The Hallway
‘The Cardboard Cake’, Wholegreen Bakery
Coeliac disease affects more than 1 in 70 Australians with accelerating rates of diagnosis every year.
Getting diagnosed with this incurable autoimmune condition can be stressful and unpleasant with the prospect of having to eat gluten-free food the rest of your life.
Gluten-free food doesn’t have the best reputation; it is often derided for “tasting like cardboard”. But the perception doesn’t live up to reality.
With 2024 Coeliac Awareness Week looming, Wholegreen Bakery, Coeliac Australia and The Hallway wanted to change perceptions and dispel this myth by creating a cake that looks like cardboard but tastes delicious.
The Cardboard Cake took months of R&D, leaning into industrial design and creating a bespoke baking tray to make the pastry look like corrugated cardboard.
With no media budget, a slice of The Cardboard Cake was sent out to more than 100 celebrity chefs and foodie influencers with an invitation to share their feedback on social media.
Celebrity chef duo Colin Fassnidge and Manu Feildel from ‘My Kitchen Rules’ both scored the cake a mark of ‘10’.
The launch film was viewed more than 5.6 million times and the campaign delivered an earned media value of $2 million.
Best Integrated Ad Campaign
Football Australia
‘Til Its Done’, The Matildas
Australia’s women’s football team, the Matildas, had been overlooked by sponsors, the media, fans and even government funding. But the Matildas never gave up on their desire to change perceptions of women’s sports and keep fighting for success.
In 2023, Australia and New Zealand hosted the FIFA Women’s World Cup (FWWC) – for the first time as joint hosts.
With help from Ogilvy, Football Australia created a swathe of support for the Matildas, rallying the nation to back the team and women’s sports.
With a powerful mantra – drawing the “til” from Matildas to create “‘Til it’s done” – Ogilvy highlighted the team’s tenacity and everything it stands for. Never settling, never quitting and never backing down – ‘til it’s done.
Using integrated channels to turn the Matildas into a cultural phenomenon and their FWWC games among the most-watched TV broadcast for years, Ogilvy was strategic in building reach and visibility for the team. The campaign included an online video, TVC, in stadia, contextual OOH and PR, plus paid and organic social, which leveraged the high audience engagement in the Matildas’ owned and personal channels.
When the Matildas lost their FWWC semi-final, Ogilvy took that as a challenge to reinstate that their story still wasn’t done. Created in under 24 hours, the agency created an OOH poster listing the Matildas’ achievements, and what was still left to be done.
The OOH poster, the ‘Til It’s Done’ language, and campaign elements like the online video captured the Matildas’ inspirational story and provoked a long-overdue conversation about women’s sport. Days after the poster ran, the Albanese government committed $200 million in funding for women’s sports. The #tilitsdone hashtag generated over 32 million impressions and the poster went viral on TikTok.
Brent Smart called ‘Til It’s Done’ the ‘Just Do It’ of Australia. They might not be done yet, but they’ve sure come far.
Best Media Campaign
Howatson+Company
‘I’m Dying Inside’, Modibodi
Modibodi has had great success getting its period underwear out to older women but it was struggling to connect with Gen Z—a generation resistant to traditional advertising.
The solution was to take the production value of a TV show and distil it into a shorter but taller format: 16×9.
‘I’m Dying Inside’ was created as a modern period (see what they did there?) drama created exclusively for TikTok with five episodes featuring four housemates, all getting their periods at the same time.
It’s a taboo-breaking celebration of life today for young menstruators, exploring issues such as baby-gay hookups, endometriosis flare-ups, accidental period sex stains and more. The cast, crew and writer’s room was exclusively female or non-binary and Gen Z, too.
Howatson+Company also created an entire ecosystem of content around the films, too, with behind-the-scenes vids, Q&As, fit checks and more to help drive further engagement.
The results were huge. The campaign racked up 12 million views in a month across 10 countries, brand engagement nearly doubled, and positive brand sentiment and brand share of voice jumped by nearly a fifth. To top it all off, sales increased by three quarters.
Best Out of Home Campaign
Special
‘The Gravy Train’, KFC
Special scored big with the wildly imaginative ‘KFC Gravy Train’ campaign!
This cheeky initiative transformed New Zealand’s public transport scene just in time for rugby season. Let’s be honest: Kiwis have a bit of a love-hate relationship with public transit, with a surprising number preferring to see their team lose rather than take a bus or train.
So, Special decided to shake things up by hijacking a massive 155-tonne train to create KFC’s first-ever locomotive service. Running from Britomart to Eden Park—home of the All Blacks and Auckland Blues—the “Gravy Train” was all about fun, excitement and a dash of humour.
The campaign was a media sensation, earning a whopping 58 local PR articles and 348 international features, reaching a staggering 3.3 billion impressions worldwide! With an earned media value of $487,707, it was a total game-changer.
The Gravy Train revved up KFC’s “brand buzz” by 66 per cent, achieving a peak increase of 16 points and driving a 2 per cent boost in monthly brand consideration.
But it wasn’t just about the chatter, this campaign delivered real results, too. KFC saw a 9 per cent increase in delivery transactions, with a remarkable 21.6 per cent jump through its app and website. The Gravy Train didn’t just turn heads; it sparked conversations and proved that Special knows how to create unforgettable brand moments with a splash of creativity.
Best PR Campaign
Special PR and PHD
‘Shift 20 Initiative’, Dylan Alcott Foundation
Despite nearly one in five Australians having a visible or non-visible disability, just one per cent are represented by brands in their advertising and marketing communications.
Partnering with the Dylan Alcott Foundation, Special and PHD were tasked with raising awareness around the current lack of visibility of people with disability in mainstream media and inspiring long-term change.
The Shift 20 Initiative gathered some of Australia’s biggest brands, including ANZ, AAMI, Bonds, Kia, McDonalds, Oral-B, nib, Tourism Australia, Pantene, TikTok, Uber, Virgin Australia and Weet-Bix, to create ads featuring people with disabilities on Channel 10’s The Project through an ‘Unignorable Ad Break’.
To continue the momentum, the campaign was supported by nationwide OOH, press and radio spots, making it one of the largest coordinated advertising, media and PR efforts undertaken in Australia.
The campaign secured over 600 million impressions with an estimated combined reach of 96 per cent among Australian adults. It achieved 144 pieces of media coverage in Australia and 467 pieces of coverage in the US, giving a huge 434 million opportunities to see.
Meanwhile, members of the disabled community with personal stories expressed gratitude for raising awareness and fostering positive change.
Best Regional Media Campaign, Presented by Boomtown
Assembled Media
‘More Horses’, Kioti – PFG Australia
Kioti turned around what was a loss of sales and an overcrowded agricultural products market to not only carve out its own space but engage with farmers like never before, driving results and connection across regional markets.
As a brand, farmers saw Kioti as a low horsepower option, tending to opt for the highest ‘horsepower per dollar’. With an all-new high horsepower range of tractors, built tough for what the modern Australian farmer needs, Kioti was ready to claw back its market share.
Kioti wanted farmers to know it had ‘More Horses’ to offer.
But it also wanted to connect more personally with Australia’s farmers. Kioti respected that farmers are complex and that buying a tractor is one of the biggest decisions they make. Paying attention to what makes farmers different across the country and what binds them together, Kioti drew out themes that drove the campaign.
Reaching farmers isn’t easy, with their media consumption fragmented and unique due to their working lifestyle. Kioti focused on media placements with selectivity and longevity.
Focusing on farmers’ communities and their sports, Kioti leveraged the Kayo platform to allow anyone to watch at their leisure, targeting farmers in regional Australia. Key sports highlights on YouTube were injected with the ‘More Horses’ platform. Digital, radio, and regional press delivered a complete cut-through. Kioti even appeared in the Super Bowl.
The campaign reached more than one million people in premium sports environments across Kayo, Nine and Seven and also saw 1.7 million views of the ‘More Horses’ content on YouTube. Engaged web traffic increased by 23 per cent YoY and market share increased by a massive 31 per cent.
Best TV Campaign
BMF
‘Go Big on the Little Things’, ALDI Australia
When you think of Christmas, you think of big hunks of expensive meat—turkeys and hams—as the centrepiece of the festivity’s feast.
But as the cost of living soars, consumers are increasingly torn between balancing budgets and plating up expensive, crowd-pleasing mains.
Instead of trying to outcompete the other two with messaging shouting about the specials on offer, ALDI, with the help of BMF, thought differently (as they often do)—flipping category and Christmas norms on their head by making sides the star of the show. After all, nearly two-thirds of us say that Chrissie dinner is “nothing” without the sides and trimmings.
The campaign was made for TV and encouraged Aussies to bring the “sides of their lives” to Christmas lunch, all set to “Time of My Life” (y’know, the one from Dirty Dancing). It was a show-stopper, to say the least, and showed the lengths that people go to when cooking up a side dish.
The results were brilliant. ALDI’s seasonal and core range sales exploded and BMF more than doubled its sales uplift target. ALDI’s consideration grew even further and perceptions of its quality grew again. In possibly the hardest segment and at a time of flagging consumer confidence, BMF has more than shown that going big on the little things can pay off, big time.
Best Use of Social Media Presented by MiQ
Howatson+Company
‘I’m Dying Inside’, Modibodi
Howatson+Company absolutely rocked the social media scene with its ‘I’m Dying Inside,’ a hilarious and relatable TikTok series that speaks directly to Gen Z’s experiences—including that oh-so-fun time of the month.
Modibodi, Australia’s go-to brand for period underwear, wanted to connect with younger audiences who might still be clinging to traditional products. Instead of a boring old ad, it rolled out a five-part “period drama” featuring four housemates, all experiencing their monthly moments at the same time.
This series was crafted with TV-quality production and fit perfectly into TikTok’s vertical format, showcasing a talented female and non-binary Gen Z cast and crew. Understanding TikTok’s quirky algorithm, Howatson+Company also created a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes content to keep the buzz alive, tapping into popular trends like engaging Q&A videos to reach all corners of Gen Z culture.
The results? Absolutely stellar! The campaign sent website traffic soaring by 44 per cent, engagement skyrocketed by 91.4 per cent and sales enjoyed a delightful 75 per cent boost. Plus, brand sentiment jumped up by 19 per cent, with Modibodi making waves across ten countries in just four weeks.
Howatson+Company truly nailed it with this one, forging a genuine connection with young menstruators and positioning Modibodi as a brand that’s not only relevant but also empowering. Who knew period talk could be this entertaining?
Best Use of Sponsorship
EssenceMediacom
‘Google #PixelPerspective’, Google
In 2024, Google Pixel became ‘The official camera of the Australian Open’ and reimagined the viewer experience of the Australian Open by offering the audience a #pixelperspective.
Google Pixel leveraged its advanced and AI-driven camera technology to provide exclusive, multi-angle live content, enhancing the audiences’ engagement and offering an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at world-class tennis.
By deploying multiple Google Pixel 8 Pro devices on and off the court, Pixel achieved 88 million global impressions from 16 pieces of social content, more than 42 hours of exposure duration and $27.6 million in media value.
Most importantly, #PixelPerspective’ achieved record highs in Unaided Awareness and Consideration in Q1 2024 – with the Google Pixel brand in Australia now boasting some of the highest upper-funnel brand metrics of any country in which the device is ranged.
Best Use of Tech and AI
DDB Group Sydney
‘The Original Mouthful’, McDonald’s
McDonald’s 1974 Big Mac jingle went viral before viral was even a thing. But how do you bring back an icon that a new generation – Gen Z – hadn’t even heard of? That’s where DDB Group Sydney stepped in.
However, targeting Gen Z and leaving out the older generations wasn’t the aim – it was about bridging the generational divide to create an experience that would resonate with everyone.
The idea involved developing an AI-powered Snapchat filter that used machine learning to deliver a unique and interactive experience, prompting users to sing along to the jingle and share their attempts with friends.
The Snapchat filter analysed, measured and assessed users’ attempts at completing the Big Mac chant in under four seconds. Speed and accuracy were rewarded in real-time with codes for free sides (fries and Coke) for your Big Mac.
DDB and McDonald’s worked with disability consulting firm Get Skilled Access (GSA). GSA created an accessible way for people with varying types of access needs to participate in the campaign, from those who are non-verbal, blind, deaf or hard of hearing, or have low vision. The accessible features benefitted people with disabilities but also allowed all users to personalise their interactions.
DDB left no channel untouched, utilising social media, TV, OOH, audio, partnerships, CRM, in-app and in-restaurant. Every touchpoint focused on driving people to a tech-driven social experience to reward and engage, renewing a cultural jingle that risked becoming irrelevant.
The campaign reached 8.2 million people, 4.5 million of whom were Gen-Z users. The campaign achieved a 71.7 per cent increase in sales of the Big Mac range within three weeks of its launch and generated a staggering 41 million seconds of jingling – that’s a lot of jingle!
Best Video Campaign Presented by YouTube
The Monkeys, Part of Accenture Song
‘Play It Safe’, The Sydney Opera House
What else could it have been?
‘Play It Safe’ stands as a remarkable testament to the iconic Sydney Opera House. But also as a testament to the notion of creativity itself.
With Tim Minchin (who famously doesn’t do ads) starring in the film and composing the music it is set to, the film has gone on to become an international success and a benchmark for filmmaking, composition, set and costume design. The film was directed by Kim Gehrig, another Australian creative icon. It also featured a number of the Opera House’s resident companies and performers.
Unveiled in 1973, the Sydney Opera House has stood as a monument to the power of brave creativity ever since. But The Monkeys said as the country “drifts towards conservatism and conformity” it was incumbent on the agency—and the Opera House’s team—to reignite the building’s bold, daring spirit and to silence the little voice in all of our heads that tells us to “Play It Safe”.
The resultant film is a beautiful, soaring testament to defiant creativity. It’s a message that resonated with many and ultimately reached 1.8 billion people around the world. It reminded them that Sydney is not just a city of beaches and brunch spots, it is a world city more than a match for any other cultural destination.
In a world with tighter budgets, cautious clients and searing scrutiny, we would all do well to heed its message and to never play it safe.
Siren Award for Best Radio/Audio Campaign, Presented by CRA
DDB Group Sydney
‘The Original Mouthful’, McDonald’s
In 1974, the Big Mac jingle was the talk of the country.
Featuring 14 little words and seven delicious ingredients, it was known by four generations of Australians: “Two All Beef Patties, Special Sauce, Lettuce, Cheese, Pickles, Onions on a Sesame Seed Bun”.
But a new generation – Gen Z – didn’t know it at all. To them, the Big Mac was their ‘Dad’s burger’ – famous, but yet forgotten.
McDonald’s Australia embarked on a nostalgic journey with ‘The Original Mouthful’ campaign, reinvigorating the iconic Big Mac chant to resonate with long-time fans and a new Gen Z audience.
The seven-week media schedule was meticulously crafted to connect the past with the present, while strategically supporting throughout with key craveable limited-time offers of the Big Mac range to drive purchase conversion.
The campaign laid the groundwork for connecting past and present by using radio to connect the next generation of Big Mac lovers with the old within highly audible environments.
Following this, the campaign shifted gears with a promo encouraging Australians to recite the Big Mac chant and by utilising channels that drive strong audience engagement, such as bespoke filters on Snapchat and TikTok, to enter the four-second challenge.
To round out, McDonald’s proved that Gen Z is now an integral part of the Big Mac’s evolution by using targeted media placements and celebrating user-generated content on social and OOH using ‘out-of-phone’ technology.
