Change-making campaigns for Telstra, FIFA, KFC, Sanofi, NRMA Insurance, Tennis Australia, ALDI and the Australian Government are among the brands going head-to-head as finalists in the 2024 MFA Awards.
EssenceMediacom, Initiative, PHD and OMD are among the agencies vying for multiple awards at this year’s MFA Awards.
More than 100 judges – comprising 50 per cent client CMOs – helped to bring a strong advertiser voice to the selection process. Collectively the judges looked for work that demonstrated effectiveness, long-term business growth and media agencies’ industry purpose of We Are The Changers.
The winners were chosen by silent vote, which means no one will know the results until the MFA Awards gala dinner in Sydney on 19 September.
The judges commended this year’s entries for displaying innovative solutions, brave execution and strong results for clients.
Naysla Edwards, VP Customer Marketing & Member Experience at American Express ANZ, said: “It has been a privilege and an honour to be a Signature Judge at this year’s MFA Awards; I was wowed by the calibre of media thinking and the work that’s gone into delivering clear and powerful entries. Phenomenal to see the focus across the media agency industry on how their efforts are driving tangible business growth, long-term impact and outstanding innovation. Congratulations to all the finalists!”
Nicole Smart, GM Group Media & Media Planning at Woolworths Group, added: “In judging the MFA Awards, I felt proud of our industry peers and loved seeing media shine. We saw some truly inspiring work across a broad range of business categories, from brands both big and small – reinforcing the belief that customer insight, brilliant strategy and brave execution are equally important in achieving strong results. Well done to all who entered and congratulations to the finalists. It was not an easy decision!”
MFA CEO Sophie Madden said: “A big congratulations to the finalists of the 2024 MFA Awards for continuing to live up to our industry’s We Are The Changers purpose. Each year, I am blown away by the quality of strategic thinking, innovation and collaboration our members are delivering for their clients. I’d also like to thank our judges, who devote a huge amount of time to the significant task of identifying and awarding the most innovative and effective media thinking in Australia.”
The MFA Awards Grand Prix (presented by Seven), and awards for Industry Contribution, Hall of Fame and the NGEN Award will also be announced at the MFA Awards gala dinner on Thursday 19 September 2024 at White Bay Cruise Terminal. The awards will follow on from the MFA EX conference. MFA EX will also be held in Melbourne on 5 September 2023.
The NGEN Award opens for entries on 25 June.
The 2024 MFA Awards finalists are:
Outcomes
Brand Impact – Sponsored by Meta
EssenceMediacom, Google Pixel Perspectives, Google – Collaborating partner: PHD
Mediahub, Run Your Way, New Balance
UM and TBWA, The SEEKret to turn plateau into growth, SEEK
Business Impact
EssenceMediacom, KFC Modelled Menu, Yum!
Foundation, Telfast Disrupts Its Way To #1, Sanofi
Initiative and ARN, Win a Billboard, ARN Media – Collaborating partner: JCDecaux
Behaviour Change
CulturalPulse, FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Multicultural Fan Engagement, FIFA
EssenceMediacom, Creating a Newspaper to Make Driving Safer, Queensland Government – Collaborating partner: The Betoota Advocate
Initiative, Mental Fitness Gym, Gotcha4Life Foundation – Collaborating partner: Science Fiction
OMD, Project Enigma, NSW Cancer Institute
Data-Led Activation
Atomic 212°, Red Is The New Black, My Muscle Chef – Collaborating partner: Chello
iProspect, Using Data to Beat the January Blues, Air New Zealand
OMD, Project Enigma, NSW Cancer Institute
Zenith Media Australia, How a Built-from-Scratch Data Set Won Christmas 2023, ALDI – Collaborating partner: BMF
Long Term Results
Bohemia Group, Unleashing Personality to Outgrow The Category, Yellow Tail – Collaborating partner: Dig
PHD Australia, Getting the Australian Open to the Magic Million, Tennis Australia
Wavemaker, Maybelline Game-Changing Results, L’Oreal – Collaborating partners: HERO, Photoplay Films, Livewire
Execution
Best Integrated Campaign
Initiative, Daisy Jones & The Six on Tour, Prime Video – Collaborating partners: Mediabrands Content Studio, Nova, SCA, Spotify, Vevo
Initiative, Delivering Holiday Smiles, Amazon – Collaborating partners: Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), JCDecaux
Initiative, Taking Aussies back to ’07, Prime Video – Collaborating partners: ARE Media, Mediabrands Content Studio, Scentre Group, Snapchat, Spotify
OMD, SPF your deck, Dulux Group – Collaborating partner: Thinkbell Melbourne
PHD, Mountain Goat: Untamed Music, Asahi – Collaborating partner: Spotify
Best Use of Small Budget <500K
EssenceMediacom, Dogs and Pubs are Better Together, My Dog – Collaborating partner: The & Partnership
EssenceMediacom, Creating a Newspaper to Make Driving Safer, Queensland Government – Collaborating partner: The Betoota Advocate
Foundation, Lunar New Year, HSBC
UM, Did You Hear That?, Australian Government – Collaborating partner: Spotify
Partnership Award
EssenceMediacom, Creating a Newspaper to Make Driving Safer, Queensland Government – Collaborating partner: The Betoota Advocate
Foundation, Telfast and Seven: Disrupting our way to #1, Sanofi – Collaborating partner: Network Seven
Initiative, Insuring Indigenous Stories, IAG / NRMA Insurance – Collaborating partners: NITV, SBS
Innovation
CHEP, Climate Doctor’s Certificate, School Strike 4 Climate – Collaborating partners: Doctor Nick Abel and Doctor David Karoly
Foundation, Renewables Ad Engine, Sanofi Consumer Healthcare Australia – Collaborating partner: Adylic
OMD Create, Free Calls to Santa, Telstra – Collaborating partners: OMD, fullstop.ai, The Monkeys
Wavemaker, Salon Brilliance, Henkel (Schwarzkopf) – Collaborating partners: Goat, Hogarth, Connecting Plots
Best Content Amplification Strategy
EssenceMediacom, Creating a Newspaper to Make Driving Safer, Queensland Government – Collaborating partner: The Betoota Advocate
Initiative, Taking Aussies back to ’07, Prime Video – Collaborating partners: ARE Media, Mediabrands Content Studio, Scentre Group, Snapchat, Spotify
Principle Media Group, Healthy Minds Campaign 2024, Swisse – Collaborating partner: Traffik Creative
ESG Campaign – Sponsored by SBS
EssenceMediacom, Cinema for ALL, Mable – Collaborating partner: Val Morgan
Initiative, Empower With Flowers, Prime Video – Collaborating partner: Mediabrands Content Studio
Wavemaker and GroupM, The Power of Search, Black Dog Institute – Collaborating partners: Google, Reddit, Folk Agency
Media for Good
GroupM and Wavemaker, The Power of Search, Black Dog Institute – Collaborating partners: Google, Reddit, Folk Agency
Foundation, Renewables Ad Engine, Sanofi Consumer Healthcare Australia – Collaborating partner: Adylic
People & Culture
Pro Bono/Cause Marketing Incentive (In recognition of Pam Lane)
CHEP Network, Climate Doctor’s Certificate, School Strike 4 Climate – Collaborating partners: Doctor Nick Abel and Doctor David Karoly
EssenceMediacom, Putting an End to Childhood Bullying, Dollys Dream – Collaborating partner: The Open Arms
Initiative, Mental Fitness Gym, Gotcha4Life Foundation – Collaborating partner: Science Fiction
Mindshare, The Greet Reef Census, Citizens Of The Great Barrier Reef – Collaborating partner: ReThink Everything
Agency Talent & Culture (<100)
Dentsu QLD
The Media Store
This Is Flow
Agency Talent & Culture (>100)
Atomic 212°
Initiative
Channel Excellence
Best Use of Screens
Initiative and Kinesso, Wonder, Goodman Fielder – Collaborating partners: Flybuys, Channel 9, Channel 7, SBS
Match & Wood, The Bedroom Binge, Snooze
Best Use of Technology
Foundation, Renewables Ad Engine, Sanofi Consumer Healthcare Australia – Collaborating partner: Adylic
OMD Create, Free Calls to Santa, Telstra – Collaborating partners: OMD, fullstop.ai, The Monkeys
Best Use of Audio
PHD, Mountain Goat: Untamed Music, Asahi – Collaborating partner: Spotify
UM, Did You Hear That?, Australian Government – Collaborating partner: Spotify
Best Use of Outdoor – Sponsored by OMA
Initiative and ARN, Win a Billboard, ARN Media – Collaborating partners: JCDecaux
Initiative, Delivering Holiday Smiles, Amazon – Collaborating partners: Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), JCDecaux
UM, Guinness Brewery of Meteorology, Lion – Collaborating partners: JCDecaux, Thinkerbell
UM, XXXX Gold Pride in your Origin, Lion – Collaborating partners: JCDecaux, Thinkerbell
Best Use of Performance Media
Initiative and Kinesso, Wonder, Goodman Fielder – Collaborating partners: Flybuys, Channel 9, Channel 7, SBS
Intender, Lighting the way with Integrated Media, EnergyAustralia
iProspect, Nailed It, L’Oréal ANZ
OMD, Performance Value Engine, Telstra
Best Use of Events and Experiential
EssenceMediacom, Google Pixel Perspectives, Google – Collaborating partner: PHD
PHD, Scrum Saga, Asahi Beverages – Collaborating partners: DRUM, Pedestrian Group
The 2024 MFA Awards sponsors are Seven Network (Grand Prix); platinum sponsors: Meta, Outdoor Media Association, SBS; and, gold sponsors: Ad Standards, Foxtel Media, News Corp Australia, OzTAM.
Grand Prix Sponsor: Seven Network
Platinum Sponsors: Meta, Outdoor Media Association, SBS
Gold Sponsors: Ad Standards, Foxtel Media, News Corp Australia, OzTAM
Tickets are on sale via the MFA website.
