RFDS and cummins&partners win Campaign of the Year at Australian Aviation Awards 2025

The Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) (RFDS) and cummins&partners’ recruitment campaign ‘Life off Autopilot’ has won the Brand or Marketing Campaign of the Year at the Australian Aviation Awards 2025, held at the Ilumina in Sydney on 14 August.

The Australian Aviation Awards are widely regarded as the pinnacle celebration of the industry, recognising excellence across individuals, organisations and campaigns that are shaping the future of aviation. Now in its fourth year, the awards program is peer-reviewed and judged against criteria spanning innovation, leadership, creativity and tangible industry contribution. The Brand or Marketing Campaign of the Year category in particular honours work that elevates brand image and delivers meaningful commercial and cultural impact.

‘Life off Autopilot’, a creative platform written by cummins&partners’ founder and Chief Creative Officer Sean Cummins, was developed to address a critical pilot shortage facing RFDS. At its core was a simple but powerful truth: while commercial airline pilots often live a life on autopilot, RFDS pilots live a life defined by unpredictability, exhilaration and purpose. One day they may land at a major airport, the next on a dirt strip or highway, each mission directly saving lives in regional and remote communities. Directed and photographed by Andrew Englisch of SAFARI, the campaign highlighted the unique lifestyle and fulfilment that comes with flying for the RFDS, contrasting it against the routine of airline flying.

The impact was immediate, generating a surge of interest from pilots across the country. Applications flowed in within days of the campaign launch, demonstrating the power of combining emotive storytelling with a purposeful call to action.

Says Cummins: “‘Life off Autopilot’ was more than a campaign, it was a rallying cry. To have it recognised at the Australian Aviation Awards is proof that storytelling with purpose resonates at every level, from the pilots we wanted to reach to the broader aviation industry. We find more joy and fulfilment in winning awards and plaudits with our clients in their industry than advertising awards. So we are rapt for RFDS.”

RFDS Queensland’s Chief Commerical and Corporate Affairs Officer Carole Tokody adds: “We know how extraordinary our pilots are, and it was important that this campaign reflected the value they bring to our communities. Winning this award not only validates that effort, it celebrates the unique role RFDS plays in aviation and healthcare across Queensland.”

The award also marks an expansion of cummins&partners’ remit with RFDS, with further work in development that continues to highlight the impact and legacy of this iconic organisation.