After hundreds of entries, weeks of judging, and a flurry of big ideas, the 2025 Cairns Hatchlings finalists, presented by Yahoo, have officially landed. Hailing from Australia, India, and Thailand, these creative forces have proven they’re not just ready for the spotlight—they’re ready to shape the future of the industry.
Selected through a rigorous two-stage judging process by some of the biggest names in media, marketing, and tech, this diverse lineup represents the sharpest thinkers and boldest dreamers across the region. From creative agencies to global brands and independent studios, the finalists reflect the rich talent pool driving innovation in APAC.
Seven Categories. Three Countries. One Giant Leap.
The Hatchlings is no ordinary competition. It’s a region-wide celebration of next-gen talent, offering early-career creatives the chance to make their mark. Finalists will now head to the Cairns Crocodiles Festival next month, where they’ll face the ultimate 24-hour challenge: working in pairs (many of whom have never met) to respond to a live brief in just one day.
Buy Your Cairns Crocodiles Tickets To See Who Wins!
Here’s a look at who’s stepping into the spotlight:
Audio – Sponsored by Acast
- Meg Mayger & Jack McBryde, Nova Entertainment — Australia
- Sarah Brighton & Sally Fiddes, Ogilvy — Australia
- Shilpi Dey & Shabbir Abbas, VML — India
Design
- Annabel Begeng & Lily Lazzarotti, Thinkerbell —Australia
- Veerisa Boonrod, ESIC & Atipa Rungrojboon, Boonrawd Trading —Thailand
- Annabel Cook & Maddy Merzvinskis, Re Design — Australia
Digital – Sponsored by Reddit
- Annabelle Harrington, AFFINITY & Sophie Millar, The Insight Centre— Australia
- Amy Peden, +61 and TBWA & Stephen Hanna, Playside Studios — Australia
- Hilary O’Sullivan & Hughie Flannery, Thinkerbell — Australia
Marketing – Sponsored by Boomtown
- Jarrod Schwager, Mad Mex & Campbell Johnson, Amazon Prime Video — Australia
- Keira Spencer & Laura Currie, Google — Australia
- Olivia Ford & Laura Jeffries, Google — Australia
Media – Sponsored by Yahoo!
- Ben Breden & Leah Franco, Initiative — Australia
- Olivia Casamento & Ashley Hill, Match & Wood — Australia
- Louise Laumberg & Rachel Monteiro — Slingshot
PR
- Claudia Warren & Francesca Hampton, Havas Red — Australia
- William Cullen & Airlie Walters, Thinkerbell — Australia
- Rauf Shaik & Komal Nathani, VML — India
Video – Sponsored by Publica
- Thomas Carr & Louis Tanner, oOh!media — Australia
- Ryan Williams & Emmerson Maclean, Out Of The Square Media — Australia
What’s Next?
The finalists now turn their focus to Cairns, where they’ll take part in live judging, creative masterclasses, and networking events during Cairns Crocodiles. The experience culminates in a high-stakes awards night on May 15, where one winner from each category will be crowned a Hatchlings champion.
With support from major partners including Yahoo, Reddit, Acast, Boomtown, and Publica, the Hatchlings initiative is quickly establishing itself as a platform for bold ideas, fresh perspectives, and meaningful industry connections.
Buy Your Cairns Crocodiles Tickets To See Who Wins!
So to all the finalists: congratulations—you’ve hatched. Now it’s time to… roar (or whatever it is that crocodiles do).
