Telstra ‘Wherever We Go’ tops Cubery’s Ranking of Australia’s Most Unforgettable Ads in Q2, 2025

Cubery, a specialist creative effectiveness consultancy, is today launching a quarterly ranking of the country’s most memorable ads—as recalled by everyday Australians. To do this, Cubery speaks to thousands of real Aussies every month, asking them a simple question: “What’s an ad you’ve seen recently that you either loved or hated?”

Together with a ranking of the Top 10 most recalled ads, a love/hate sentiment score reveals how the ad resonated emotionally. “There’s no study anywhere in the world, let alone in Australia, that comes close to matching the scale of what we’re doing here. It’s truly groundbreaking,” says Caitlyn Ferruccio, Senior Consultant at Cubery.

“We’re mapping the intersection of human attention, emotion, and—of course—media muscle, in a way that truly captures the mood of the nation. This quarterly study represents a new barometer for marketers and agencies, providing never-before-seen insights into what’s really cutting through, getting noticed, and striking a chord with everyday Australians.”

According to Ferruccio, this quarter’s Top 10 reinforces the power of character-led narratives: “While it might sound simple, developing a protagonist that elicits intense warmth is a fantastic way to ensure the ad will be remembered. From the chatty critters of RACQ to A.R.T.’s big blue monster, these brands demonstrate that characters can come in all shapes and sizes. This includes my personal favourite, Parmount+’s adorable goat, which just snuck into the Top 10; a sweet reminder of the emotional magic animals can bring.”

The right soundtrack also has the ability to completely alter the way people engage with advertising, which proved fundamental to many of the Top 10 performers.

“Advertisers shouldn’t treat music as an afterthought,” says Ferruccio. “From the instant earworm of Telstra’s whistle to the upbeat tempo of KFC’s ‘I love It’ and the stirring soundtrack of Allianz—the latter skyrocketing up the rankings despite only being launched late in the quarter—the transformational power of music was on full display.”

But memorability is ultimately a function of both creative power and media power.

Says Ferruccio: “Relying too heavily on the latter can be a slippery slope, with excess media exposure delivering on the goal of keeping the brand top of mind but running the risk of adversely affecting how people respond to a piece of creative over time.”

Telstra’s ‘Wherever We Go’ topped the charts in Q2 but split the audience right down the middle, with one half loving it and the other half hating it. “While branded memorability is the cornerstone of short- and long-term effectiveness,” Ferruccio added, “equally important is framing the brand—and the problems it helps solve—in a positive light, meaning the jury’s still out on this strategy!”