McCann Worldgroup has taken out the Network of the Year title, Forsman & Bodenfors was named Agency of the Year and Blur Films is Production Company of the Year.

It's soon time to pick CB Australian Agency of the Year and NZ Agency of the Year -- and also to work out the 2019 CB Creativity/Billings Index (or Hot+Cold Chart), plus the top 10 agencies that make the 2019 CB Hot List.

Last year's chart is pictured left - Download the hi-res PDF: HOT+COLD-CHART-2018.pdf

Since the very earliest days, the Bacardí family have known the right ingredients for a great party and this summer they'll continue that long-standing love affair with good music, great parties and even better drinks, featuring the ever popular Bacardí Mojito.
 
To kick things off, Bacardí, in partnership with OMD, is currently airing a brand new TV spot inspiring people to 'Do What Moves You' via a dance-inspired creative to a track by DJ trio, Major Lazer and choreographed by dance legends, Rich&Tone. 'Do What Moves You' is a cheeky play on both the physical freedom of letting go, moving and dancing and also the emotional joy that comes from following your heart.

Five Global Awards were presented to three Australian agencies at last night's annual Bravo! Awards ceremony, hosted by The Communications Council and held at Crystal Bar in Sydney.

Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness (left) took out a silver award in the Pharma (Rx) section and a bronze in the Health & Wellness category for its Blown out of action campaign on behalf of Sanofi Pasteur.

McCann Health (pictured below) took out silver and bronze awards in the Health & Wellness category, while BWM Dentsu also took out a silver in the same category.

UnLtd, our industry's social purpose organisation, has announced Network 10 as the first inductee to the UnLtd: Hall of Good at the inaugural Big Dream event last night.

The newly launched recognition award cannot be applied for and is earned through a demonstratable and impactful commitment to doing good.

Hot on the heels of winning a MADC award for headspace.org.au, Melbourne based animation studio Jumbla has produced another online video featuring one of its client's counsellors telling their personal story.

The Hong Kong Business of Design Week (BODW), Asia's premier annual event on design, innovation and brands is set to take place in December 2018.

Held across five days between 3 and 8 December 2018, Asia's flagship architecture and design event will feature a stellar program of more than 70 leading design speakers, conferences, forums and exhibitions, and will host 130,000 delegates from more than 30 countries.

Through Creative Victoria, the Victorian Government has exclusively selected fifty small and large businesses, as well as Victorian educational institutions to be part of the mission to showcase Victoria's best creative designers.

UNSW has launched a new integrated campaign via Connecting Plots, designed to drive acquisition of postgraduate students by leveraging its significant network of global institutions and partners.

The campaign offers students a global perspective through a borderless education. UNSW postgraduate students have access to a global network of over 200 institutions across 39 countries, ensuring they remain at the forefront of international research, learnings and innovations without ever having to leave the campus.

Blue 449 has launched a new paid media campaign called 'Success is a Blend' for Chivas Regal, the original luxury blended Scotch whisky. This through the line campaign celebrates the belief that blended is better, in life and in Scotch.

Chivas' faith in blending was instilled by founding brothers, James and John Chivas, who pioneered the art in 19th century Scotland. Two centuries later, Chivas is still demonstrating how the art of blending can create a more complex and generous Scotch. Through Success is a Blend, Chivas looks to champion blended Scotch and demonstrate the cultural truth that our own unique blend is what makes us who we are - and when we collaborate with others we can achieve the greatest success.

Publicis Media's Content division has developed a unique activation in collaboration with Starcom, Habitat Media and WWF-Australia that gives Sydneysiders the chance to experience what a future without koalas in the wild could be like. The activation aims to raise awareness and encourage action on excessive tree-clearing now to ensure a future for the iconic species.
 
The '#savekoalas' campaign activation features a pop-up koala museum at Sydney's Overseas Passenger Terminal, set in the year 2050.  Modelled on dinosaurs featured in museums, the Koala Museum showcases taxidermy koalas and skeletal remains, while allowing visitors to engage with content to learn about what Australia was like when koalas were thriving, including interesting facts about koalas and how we could have prevented their demise.

As part of a new global agency structure, it can be confirmed that Cummins&Partners Sydney has been appointed as the lead strategic agency for Pernod Ricard Wine, specifically focused on Australian brands.

Global duties will begin immediately on three of its Australian Wine Brands including Jacob's Creek, St Hugo and I AM GEORGE.

Says Kirsty Muddle, MD, Cummins&Partners Sydney: "We have had a great relationship with Pernod Ricard over the years and we are honoured to take on this position and work on these brands globally."

Podcasting is in its ascension. The medium is turning marketer's heads the world over, with brands always looking for new ways to interact with their customers and infiltrate popular culture.

So, if it's our job as marketers to inspire people, how do we, in turn, inspire marketers?

COLLINS and animator Angela Stempel have created and launched "The Cube, Part Five" in support of ADC 98th Annual Awards Call for Entries.
"The Cube" campaign was developed by brand experience design firm COLLINS, with each :30 episode brought to life by one of six talented animation and illustration studios from around the world.  

Initiative Australia has celebrated the first anniversary (today) of the YES Vote with parties at each of their Australian offices. Celebrating with colour, bubbles and words from members of Initiative's Pride in Diversity Committee about the significance of the YES Vote.
 
Melissa Fein, Initiative Australia CEO, spoke to the Sydney team about the importance of marking this occasion with a celebration.
 
Says Olivia Warren, Pride in Diversity Champion: "I am so proud to work for an organisation that not only stops to celebrate this huge day for the LGTBQI community, but one that supports and advocates for me every day."

The Australian Marketing Institute (AMI), which provides professional accreditation and continuing education, will give its members preferred access to global thought leadership from the CMO Council's network of 15,000 marketing leaders across 110 countries. Collectively, CMO Council members control some $500 billion in annual, aggregated marketing spend.
 

Cowan relaunched in Australia in August, responding to growing client demand for regionally-based brand design. The Cowan Australia team works with Cowan offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City and London to offer an integrated international service that builds on Cowan's strong track record of creating and growing consumer brands for clients that include Tesco, Johnson & Johnson, Nestlé, Danone and Coca-Cola.

Curious Film is delighted to introduce accomplished fashion and fine art photographer, James K Lowe as its newest director.

His skill to illuminate and beautify details that would otherwise go unnoticed is what makes his work so distinctive. It has earned him a plethora of impressive achievements including First Class Honors for his Masters of Fine Arts Degree from Elam School of Fine Arts and representing New Zealand at Photoquai at Musee du quai Branly in Paris early in his career.

Ogilvy Australia has opened applications for its annual integrated 'Goliath' program, calling on all talented individuals interested in applying for the sought-after positions.

The 12-week paid program provides a unique opportunity to work within all elements of the agency, giving participants a completely immersive experience. This includes significant time spent within creative, digital, social and account management among other areas. In addition, participants are provided with a real brief to work through and resolve during the 12-week rotation.  

Given the broad experience they are provided, it's no surprise the majority of participants in the 2018 Goliath program are now employed full-time by the agency, according to Ogilvy Australia's chief operations officer, Dave Sayer. 

J. Walter Thompson Melbourne has further extended its offer and added significant fire power to its front bench via the appointments of a leading data driven marketing expert, and one of the industry's most qualified social media practitioners.

Effective immediately, Catherine Graham (left) joins the agency as director of customer experience, charged with integrating data and its use organically through the organisation to drive stronger outcomes for clients. In addition, Brie Stewart (right) joins as the agency's creative director, content, to help ensure every idea developed is born out of true social insight and understanding.
 
J. Walter Thompson Melbourne MD Michael Godwin said the appointments were part of an "ongoing strategy of investing in new capabilities that complement our core offer.

250 of Queensland's top marketers, creatives, media and production people turned out for the official launch of Rumbletown, the evolution of leading Brisbane independent agency Rumble.

Ovarian Cancer Australia has launched its first pieces of work via agency 10 feet tall. 'It's time for ovary-action' is their empowering, new creative platform that aims to rally all Australians to stand up and take action for the cause. The launch includes a quirky content video accompanied by print and radio components that aim to highlight the shocking statistics associated with Australia's most deadly female cancer.

Set to an upbeat Christmas classic 'Run Rudolph Run', it features a large Australian family making the trip home, each doing their bit, to celebrate the magic of the season over food.

Doran plays the role of Jake, a charismatic conman who discovers his own son is abducted, and is forced to complete an escalating series of trials to appease his child's kidnapper. This contained narrative is set almost entirely in a vehicle.

 
"We've done some really great work with Y&R in a short space of time, including moving to our 'We can help with that' platform and our fantastic new Christmas campaign, which has taken Countdown in a new and really fun direction this Christmas.  We wish them every success."