https://bandtawards.com.au/What makes a great agency? Deep focus on client needs, exceptional work, a deep appreciation of human ingenuity and a desire to help it foster and grow—we reckon.
But how can one spot a great agency before it becomes one? By seeing who wins the Emerging Agency of the Year Award at the B&T Awards. It’s the Award we give to the best agency founded within the past three years and it’s a shortcut to finding out which agency you’re going to be competing against for the next decade.
Ahead of this year’s B&T Awards, presented by Rokt, we’re taking a trip down memory lane and checking in on every Emerging Agency of the Year winner from the past decade. You might have heard of some of them.
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Special – 2016
Yep, 10 years ago, B&T’s reigning overall Agency of the Year took home the Emerging Agency of the Year trophy.
It was an auspicious year for Special, too, as it also took home the Branding & Design Agency trophy.
Since then, Special has become one of the region’s great agencies. Led by Lindsey Evans and Cade Heyde in Australia, its client list is the envy of many and its work, led by creative partners Julian Schreiber and Tom Martin, remains exemplary.
But as Evans told us recently, the winning feeling never gets boring.
“It doesn’t ever tire. I remember the first time we won Emerging Agency of the Year and I still get as nervous, as anticipatory, and I still sweat it and care about it, just like it was the first one we ever won,” she said.
It was up against History Will Be Kind, The Artistry, The Woolshed Company and another agency you’ll be hearing about next.
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Emotive – 2017
Founded two years prior to winning the Emerging Agency Award, Emotive swept to the trophy but faced stiff competition from Alley, B.B.E, Poem and Start VR.
Since then, Emotive has gone on to produce some very impressive work—including even more B&T Awards. It recently took a major step in becoming a fully independent business for the first time after CEO Simon Joyce and COO Ben Keep bought back the stake ARN took in the agency about a decade ago.
“In a world of media fragmentation, AI and brand apathy, full autonomy gives us the freedom to move faster, think longer term, and back what matters most, our people, our ideas, and the ambitions we share with our clients,” said Joyce.
The hits have kept on coming too, with the agency winning The Iconic’s creative account from Dentsu Creative just this week.
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Versa – 2018
Following Emotive was Versa. The digital experience agency has been ticking along very nicely with a range of blue-chip clients.
Its head honcho Kath Blackham remains a regular speaker on all matters futuristic.
At the time, it was up against Being Brands, DPR&Co, Hedgehog Agency, Neon Black and Usual Suspects Creative for the sought-after title.
IS YOUR AGENCY THE NEXT BIG THING IN ADLAND? ENTER THE B&T AWARDS NOW!
Thinkerbell – 2019
The year after, and the final pre-COVID show, Thinkerbell swept to the title.
Again, the competition was tough with JBZ Digital, RIOT Content, SDWM, This Is Flow and We Discover all finalists for the trophy.
Thinkerbell, as you know, is now one of the country’s premier agencies with its culturally incisive work and unique takes on all matters creativity.
As our judges noted at the time the agency demonstrated, “Excellent creativity and I love the idea of ‘Measured Magic’. This entry was a joy to judge!”
Not much it seems has changed with Margie Reid, Adam Ferrier et al still picking up metal at the B&T Awards.
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Nightjar – 2020
Bondi-born Nightjar took home the 2020 Emerging Agency trophy.
During the year, it won a series of top-tier clients as we noted at the time, including THE ICONIC, Optus, and Destination NSW.
Again, competition was stiff. The agency, which is still achingly cool, bested Clear Hayes Consulting, Half Dome, Loyal Creative, Paper + Spark and We Are Different to the title.
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Akcelo – 2021
Another one-time Emerging Agency of the Year-turned-Grand Prix winner, Akcelo took home the trophy in 2021 before winning the top prize three years later.
At the time, we lauded Akcelo’s rapid growth from five to 78 people and its expansion to the Melbourne and Vancouver markets, following its launch in its native Sydney.
Akcelo boasted clients including the likes of Lego, McDonald’s, Woolworths, Netflix, Lion and PepsiCo on its books. Many of those brands are still clients today.
It’s a proper Aussie success story.
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Shadowboxer – 2022
In 2022, it was Shadowboxer which walked away with the trophy.
Again, its growth since its founding in 2020 was rapid and it had an impressive client list by the time we handed over the trophy in November 2022.
We predicted big things for the agency. But two years ago, there was a change we didn’t see coming: it was acquired by Reece Group. If you aren’t familiar, the Reece Group is the country’s largest supplier of plumbing and bathroom supplies.
The acquisition included wed design agency Southpaw, too, and both agencies’ senior teams joined Reece Group’s Breakthrough Innovation Group. At the time, Reece Group said the acquisition would help it accelerate the digital innovation shaping the future of the trade and construction industry.
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Today The Brave – 2023
Today The Brave (TTB) won the coveted trophy in 2023. Few agencies launch with such a swagger as TTB did in 2022.
As we handed over the trophy, it had 12 clients including the likes of News Corp, Hoyts, Mecca and Zambrero and it had 16 staff on board.
These days, TTB is continuing to grow like a virus and is a properly full-service agency with a sizeable media team and more. It also recently acquired The Zoo Republic, growing its team even further and bringing in a range of new services and growing its revenue by more than two-fifths.
Frankly, the agency has emerged as one of the most serious insurgent players we’ve seen in the market for some time.
IS YOUR AGENCY THE NEXT BIG THING IN ADLAND? ENTER THE B&T AWARDS NOW!
Born – 2024
After narrowly missing out the year before, Born was named B&T’s Emerging Agency of the Year in 2024.
And how the business has grown and thrived since.
After being founded by Jenny Lennon and David Coupland in a library just three years ago, the business now lists 16 staff and an office in Adelaide.
Its proposition, work and culture remain distinctive and a beacon for what the industry could be, if it chose to.
The metal hasn’t stopped coming, either. In 2025, it was named B&T’s Independent Agency of the Year with fewer than 50 employees. It beat out some seriously impressive and more established shops for that second trophy, too, including It’s Friday, Showpony, Supermassive, Today the Brave and WiredCo.
IS YOUR AGENCY THE NEXT BIG THING IN ADLAND? ENTER THE B&T AWARDS NOW!
Swan Studio – 2025
Last year’s winner was Swan Studio. Built on the idea that “great content is universal,” the social creative agency delivers value to audiences in ways that resonate, not just making noise.
Its clients included Pilot, Cashrewards and Immutable make a success of social and it had grown to more than 20 people.
But who will take home the trophy this year? Enter now, and it could be you.
