Special & Uber Eats Win Grand Effie, Maccas Wins Effective Advertiser Of The Year

Special Australia and Uber Eats have won The Grand Effie at this year’s Australian Effie Awards.

The joint entry, ‘How Uber Eats Embraced “Almost” to Become an “Anything” Delivery Brand,’ was praised for its strong commercial results across revenue growth, market share and profit ROI. The jury also highlighted the strategic ambition behind expanding Uber Eats beyond takeaway food without sacrificing its established brand equity.

“In an industry increasingly focused on short-term results, Uber Eats showed the conviction to back long-term brand building,” the jury said. “It evolved its proposition without losing what made it distinctive, and defended its market position while driving significant growth in new categories.”

Overall, seven Gold Effies were awarded at the gala event in Sydney tonight, along with 25 Silver, 35 Bronze, and six Special Awards, bringing the total number of agencies recognised for outstanding measurable results to 32 and the number of clients to 33.

Special Australia also took home Effective Agency of the Year, scooping one gold for Long-Term Effects – Services/Retail for Uber Eats, and three silvers and a gold for Kitchen Warehouse.

McDonald’s won Effective Advertiser of the Year with aggregated scores across multiple winning entries from Weiden + Kennedy, Akcelo and OMD, including Gold for How The Grinch ‘Ruinin it’ Helped Macca’s Reclaim Summer Sales and Family Share — entered in collaboration with Weiden + Kennedy.

Gold awards went to 303 for its work with Levande; Bear Meets Eagle on Fire for Telstra; Howatson+ Company for Selleys; and Sunday Gravy for DiDi ANZ, which also took home Best New Entrant.

The Colin Wilson-Brown Award, which honours the Effie Chair of Judging, was presented to Apparent and GTI Tourism for Vanuatu Tourism Office’s entry ‘How Vanuatu got Aussies to Answer the Call.”

Tony Hale, CEO, Advertising Council Australia, said: “A record number of entries this year tells us something important about where the industry is heading. Agencies and marketers are focusing more on demonstrating the impact of their work and proving the value marketing creates for business. The standard of work recognised tonight demonstrates that creativity is the most powerful accelerant for growth. Congratulations to all this year’s winners.”

Colin Wilson-Brown also stepped down as the chair of judges for the Australian Effie Awards, ending an association that began when the awards launched in 1990.

Advertising Council Australia CEO Tony Hale made the announcement at Friday’s 2026 Effie Gala Dinner, before Wilson-Brown presented the award named in his honour.

“When most people think of marketing effectiveness, Les Binet, Peter Field, Mark Ritson or Byron Sharp come to mind. I think of Colin Wilson-Brown,” said Hale. “The test he set back in the early 90s, when he first launched the AFA Effectiveness Awards, is the same one entrants face today: prove the causal link between the work and the results.

“That rigour is why the Effies are respected here and recognised as arguably the toughest test of effectiveness in the world. None of us would be in the room tonight without him.”

Wilson-Brown chaired the organising committee of the Advertising Federation of Australia’s original Advertising Effectiveness Awards, which named their first winners in April 1991, and wrote the entry principles the industry still follows today.

He became Chair of Judging in 2007 and, over his tenure, has read more than 3,000 entries, overseen nearly 5,000 judges and attended 27 Effie gala dinners.

Matthew Melhuish, former Australian Effie Award Chair and co-founder of BMF, said: “Few have played a longer or better innings than Colin Wilson-Brown as Effie Chair of Judges. He is truly the Donald Bradman of these awards. Colin envisioned, built and ran the effectiveness awards system that we now take for granted.”

Jenni Dill, chief growth officer of The Arnott’s Group and Chair of the Marketing Association of Australia, said: “I cannot remember the Effies without Colin. His dedication to advertising effectiveness has shaped the thinking and the work of entire generations of advertisers. We will strive to fill the giant shoes he leaves behind.”

All the winners: