Clemenger BBDO has won the MFA Awards Grand Prix for its ‘Lifeblood Blood Supply’ Campaign for Australian Red Cross Lifeblood.
Peter Horgan, formerly CEO of the Omnicom Media Group and now CEO of JOY, was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The Lifeblood campaign turned an invisible issue into a powerful, timely prompt.
Lauren Thornborough and Louise Wilson were awarded the MFA Industry Contribution Award for co-founding The Village, a first-of-its-kind association dedicated to elevating, supporting and advocating for parents and parents-to-be in the Australian media industry.
Horgs
Horgan was celebrated for his exceptional contribution to the industry and his enduring belief that the industry is stronger when agencies, clients and media partners work together to tackle the big challenges facing both the industry and society.
“I’ve had the good fortune of having our careers intertwined for almost 20 years now, and I am incredibly grateful for that,” said Mark Coad, currently Advisor at Hatched. “I have seen first hand his incredible knowledge, his ability to cleverly articulate complex issues, and, most of all, his many successes.
“What is so unique about Horgs, and why he is worthy of induction into the MFA Hall of Fame, is that through all those successes, he has always acted with great integrity and with the best interests of the industry at heart. We saw that in the way he threw himself into the role of MFA Chair for 10 years, as well as in the deeper responsibility he fulfilled as an agency and Holdco leader. For that alone, we all have a bit to be grateful for.”
Former Seven West Media chief revenue officer Kurt Burnette, who spent many years across the negotiating table from Horgs, says Horgs’ induction into the MFA Hall of Fame is “thoroughly, ridiculously deserved”.
“He has, without question, been a foundational figure in the growth of this industry, with that impact felt on every side of the business – client, agency and media owner alike” Kurt says.
“Not just through the work he did for his own business but the effort and positive impact he’s had on media owners, clients and the industry as a whole – by consistently giving his time, his opinion and his actions for the betterment of the industry.
“He’s smart, articulate, and has an innate ability to just make stuff happen. Not always smoothly but always effectively. It’s a rare talent, and it thoroughly deserves recognising.”
For 2022 MFA Hall of Fame inductee Greg “Sparrow” Graham, Horgs’ greatest impact was the way he straddled both the media agency and the client side of the industry, championing collaboration and transparency – particularly through his position on the Board of the Australian Association of National Advertisers (now the Marketing Association of Australia).
“Having a voice on the AANA Board elevated the conversation around media’s role with clients, and that was really important,” Sparrow says. “It wasn’t standard for the AANA Board to include a media agency leader, and Horgs really pioneered the way for media to showcase how important it is to clients. And he never shied away from the big issues.”
The winners
MFA CEO Sophie Madden said: “The work recognised this year demonstrates the strength and sophistication of Australia’s media industry. The finalists and winners brought together strategy, creativity, technology and partnership to solve complex business challenges, deliver outstanding results and push the craft of media forward.
“What stands out is the ambition behind the work – teams challenging conventions, finding new ways to connect with audiences and using media to create impact. This is exactly what it means to be The Changers. Congratulations to every winner and finalist for continuing to raise the bar for what great media can achieve.”
MFA Awards co-chairs Catherine Rushton and Chris Colter said this year’s work showed an industry changing how it thinks, builds and collaborates: “The strongest entries didn’t simply respond to change, they rewired it. They challenged assumptions about where and how media can create value, combined creativity and data in more useful ways, and brought together new people and capabilities to create new-world distinctive media devices. Congratulations to every finalist and winner helping rewire our industry for what comes next.”
Grand Prix – Sponsored by Seven
Clemenger BBDO, Lifeblood Blood Supply, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood
Innovation Award
Ooh!media, Special Group & Initiative, First Ball, Cricket Australia
OUTCOMES
Behaviour Change – Sponsored by Reddit
EssenceMediacom, Bincoin, Containers for Change
Brand Impact
EssenceMediacom and Seven Network, Google AI Finds its Voice, Google
Business Impact
EssenceMediacom, Tooheys Muster, Lion
Data-Led Activation
Hearts United, Data That Decides, Diageo
EXECUTION
Best Content Amplification Strategy
dentsu WA & Southern Cross Austereo, Cop Week: Behind the Badge, Western Australia Police Force
Best Integrated Campaign
Clemenger BBDO, Lifeblood Blood Supply, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood
Best Use of Small Budget <500K
Hearts United, Data That Decides, Diageo
ESG Campaign – Sponsored by SBS
dentsu, Medibank’s Family Roast, Medibank
Partnership Award
dentsu, Medibank’s Family Roast, Medibank
CHANNEL EXCELLENCE
Best Use of Audio
Wavemaker, Seat Belters: Remixing Road Safety, Allianz
Best Use of Creators / Influencers – Sponsored by Meta
EssenceMediacom, Badge vs Buttons, Queensland Police Services – Recruitment
Best Use of Events or Experiential
Wavemaker, The Audible Express, Audible
Best Use of Outdoor
Clemenger BBDO, Lifeblood Blood Supply, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood
Best Use of Retailer Owned Media
EssenceMediacom, Dine Cat Decoder, Mars
Best Use of Screens
Mindshare, Surviving Bad Sleep, IKEA
Best Use of Search
Meaningful Agency, Better Results, Better Futures, Matrix Education
Best Use of Social
OMD, Reaction Time: Turning Social Media into a Road Safety Tool, NSW Government
PEOPLE, PLANET & CULTURE
Agency Talent & Culture (<100)
Avenue C
Agency Talent & Culture (>100)
Sparro x BrainLabs
Pro Bono/Cause Marketing Incentive (In recognition of Pam Lane)
dentsu, A Better 10th Birthday, Raise the Age NSW
NGEN Award – In support of Down The Track
Pamela Anthony and Sarah Barlow, UM
