Australian Advertising History: Campaign Brief Agency of the Year [part three] – The 2010s

Ever since the first Campaign Brief Agency of the Year in 1987, the annual accolade has honoured the best work of the best creative agency of each year. As far as most agency creative directors (and increasingly, more CEOs and CMOs) are concerned, CB Agency of the Year is the most coveted of all trade mag titles to win – proven to be a major contributor to the winning agency’s new business performance the following year. In part three of the series, CB looks back at the Campaign Brief AOY winners from 2010 to 2019.

Notable work: Carlton Draught, Carlton Mid, Carlton Natural, Pure Blonde, Libra, Yellow Pages, Strongbow, Four ‘n Twenty Pies, NAB, Patties, Guide Dogs Australia.

Creatives: James McGrath, Ant Keogh, Damian Royce, Tom Martin, Julian Schreiber, Josh Robbins, Emma Robbins, Rohan Lancaster, Darren Pitt, Paul Reardon, Nick Kelly, Ant White, Russel Fox, Shane Dawson, Ben Birchall, Luke Thompson, Seymour Pope, Ben Keenan, Quenton Miller, Eaon Pritchard. Suits: Peter Biggs, Elizabeth Bierre, Ricci Meldrum, Brett Williams, Ruth John, Sarah Galbraith, Glenn Maddocks, Simon Lamplough, Andrew Drougas, Belinda Danks, Melisa Lay, Tanya Garma, Sarah Malcolm, Mike Derepas, Mike Hyde.

Agency of the Year Contenders: Droga5 Sydney, Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney, Leo Burnett Sydney, GPY&R Melbourne, Mojo Sydney, The Drunk Monkeys Sydney.

Notable work: Snickers, Yellow Pages, Carlton Draught, Carlton Mid, BUPA, NAB, Dulux, Dunlop, Foundation 49Melbourne International Film Festival.

Creatives: James McGrath, Ant Keogh, Tom Martin, Julian Schreiber, Darren Pitt, Rohan Lancaster, Jim Ingram, Ben Couzens, Emma Robbins, Simon Bagnasco, Paul Reardon, Ant Phillips, Richard Williams, Andre Hull, Brett Colliver, Lee Sunter, Ben Birchall, Ben Keenan, Quenton Miller. Suits: Peter Biggs, Nick Cohen, Toby Beaumont, Ricci Meldrum, Mike Derepas.

CB/Creative LIAisons prize: From this year onwards, Campaign Brief and London International Awards (LIA) selected one or two young creatives from the CB Australian and New Zealand Agencies of the Year to attend the all-expenses-paid, once-in-a-lifetime Creative LIAisons onsite program, alongside 130+ rising stars from around the world. In 2012, illustrator, designer and art director Dan Jones was a young art director at Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, Campaign Brief’s Australian Agency of the Year for the fourth consecutive year. Jones, now Design Director at Special, Melbourne, was selected by the agency to attend the inaugural onsite programme in Las Vegas, which was then known as Creative Conversations. It was later renamed Creative LIAisons — a name coined by Campaign Brief publisher Michael Lynch — to better reflect the spirit of collaboration and mentorship that defines the initiative.

Agency of the Year Contenders: The Monkeys Sydney, Leo Burnett Sydney, Leo Burnett Melbourne, DDB Sydney, BMF Sydney, GPY&R Melbourne, Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney, Droga5 Sydney.

Notable work: Carlton Draught, Carlton Dry, VB, Bonds, Dirty Granny, Dulux, NAB, Tetley, Perfect Italiano, Mars, Australia Post, Crown Cascade, Pedigree, Origin Energy, Tourism Victoria, Vic RoadsMelbourne International Film Festival.

Creatives: James McGrath, Ant Keogh, Tom Martin, Julian Schreiber, Darren Pitt, Rohan Lancaster, Jim Ingram, Ben Couzens. Suits: Peter Biggs, Rob Morgan, Nick Cohen, Ricci Meldrum, Toby Beaumont, Mike Derepas.

CB/Creative LIAisons prize: In 2013, Australia was represented by Sophie Beard from Clemenger BBDO Melbourne. Beard is now a senior creative at AMV BBDO London.

Agency of the Year Contenders: GPY&R Melbourne, Whyin\TBWA Sydney, The Monkeys Sydney, Leo Burnett Melbourne, Droga5 Sydney, M&C Saatchi Sydney, DDB Sydney, BMF Sydney.

Notable work: Metro Trains, V/Line, Google, 40 Winks, Macquarie Dictionary, Name That Point, Care Aware, Responsible Gambling Foundation.

Creatives: John Mescall, Pat Baron, Bradley Moore. Suits: Ben Lilley, Karl Bates, Danish Chan.

CB/Creative LIAisons prize: McCann Melbourne was the reigning CB Agency of the Year, and junior copywriter Patrick Trethowan was selected to represent Australia at LIA 2014. Trethowan is now creative director (copy) at 10 Feet Tall.

Agency of the Year Contenders: Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, Havas Sydney, GPY&R Melbourne, Leo Burnett Sydney, The Monkeys Sydney, Grey Melbourne, BMF sydney.

Notable work: Carlton Draught, VB, Snickers, MLC, TAC, Crown, Drinkwise, Bonds, Origin Energy, NAB, Myer, Wheeler Centre,

Creatives: James McGrath, Ant Keogh, Carolyn Mackintosh, Hilary Badger, Stephen de Wolf, Darren Pitt, Dave Klein, Richard Williams, Evan Roberts, Ant Phillips, Rohan Lancaster, Russel Fox, Alex Derwin, Jim Robbins, Richard Shaw, James O’Sullivan, Adam Barnes, Anna Stickley. Suits: Rob Morgan, Bernie Brooks, Adam Kennedy, Naomi Gorringe, Claire Tenzer, Roger Box.

CB/Creative LIAisons prize: In 2015, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne selected young creative team, copywriter Shannon Crowe and art director Jackson Harper to represented Australia in Vegas. Crowe is now group creative director at YouTube for the APAC region, as well as a lecturer and advertising tutor at RMIT University. Harper is currently working as a freelance group creative director in New York.

Agency of the Year Contenders: The Monkeys Sydney, M&C Saatchi Sydney, Leo Burnett Sydney, DDB Melbourne, GPY&R Sydney, Leo Burnett Melbourne.

Notable work: Meat & Livestock Australia, Backmores, Bingle, caradvice.com, IGA, University of Sydney, Homer Hudson Ice Cream, Telstra, Ikea.

Creatives: Justin Drape, Scott Nowell, Barbara Humphries, Dennis Koutoulogenis, Scott Dettrick, Paul Sharp, Lucas Jenner, . Suits: Mark Green, Fabio Buresti.

CB/Creative LIAisons prize: In 2016, Tim Pashen, senior copywriter at The Monkeys, Sydney was invited to represent Australia. Pashen is now creative director and partner at Danish agency Worth Your While.

Agency of the Year Contenders: Clemenger Melbourne, M&C Saatchi Sydney, DDB Melbourne, 303 Mullen Lowe Sydney, BMF Sydney.

Notable work: TAC, Bonds, Snickers, NAB, Australia Post, Myer, Mercedes, Pedigree, Seek, Airbnb, Matttel, AHM, BCF,  Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Creatives: James McGrath, Ant Keogh, Evan Roberts, Stephen de Wolf, Tom McQueen, George McQueen, Richard Williams, Anthony Phillips, Rohan Lancaster, Darren Pitt, Clare Chick, Mark Poulier, Lee Sunter, Richard Shaw, Chris James, Helen James, Stephanie Di Gianvincenzo, Emily Bass, Rebecca de Beer, Russel Fox, Luke Thompson, James Carter, Cameron Putt, Peter Hutton, Kristy Briggs, Hilary Badger, Priya Stewart, Eddie Coughlan, Brie Stewart, Aaron Clancy, Karen Kushinsky, Jackson Harper, Jessica Ramsey, Giles Watson, Joe Sibley, Tania de Masi, Zoe Marron-Davies, Matt Ebling, Lucy King-Griffin, Carla Mazzarella, Roxanne Dalton, Adam Barnes, Alberta Gunner, Tom Ellwood, Rupert Carr-Gregg, Jonnine Standish, Thalia Economo, Ray Ali, Milan Desai, Rowan Mancefield, Kevin Lai, Jonty Bell, Tim Smith, Luke Gerdtz, Daina Demillo, Will Barber, David Anderson, Steve Leadbeater. Suits: Nick Garrett.

CB/Creative LIAisons prize: In 2017, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne’s young creative team Alberta Gunner, copywriter and Roxy Dalton, art director, were chosen to represent Australia. Gunner is currently a freelance senior multi-disciplinary creative, copywriter and audio specialist, who splits her time between London and Melbourne. Dalton is currently a senior art director and creative lead at Amazon, Brand Innovation Lab in New York.

Agency of the Year Contenders: The Monkeys Sydney, JWT Sydney, Leo Burnett Melbourne, Clemenger Sydney, DDB Sydney, Leo Burnett Sydney, TBWA Melbourne.

Notable work: Meat & Livestock Australia, Berlei, NRMA, Oak, Telstra, Qantas, Crownbet, Holden, Ikea, Canadian Club, University of Sydney.

Creatives: Justin Drape, Scott Nowell, Barbara Humphries, Scott Dettrick, Dennis Koutoulogenis, Grant Rutherford, Paul Sharp, Mike Burdick, Simon Cox, Scott Zuliani, Tim Pashen, Henry Kember, Paul Bruce, Dave Ladd, Mathieu Abet, Brandon Mugar, Andrew Fraser. Suits: Mark Green, Matt Michael, Michael Hogg, Lisa Aitken.

CB/Creative LIAisons prize: In 2018 Scott Zuliani, art director at The Monkeys, Sydney, won the trip to Vegas. Zuliani is currently freelancing in London. After spending over five and a half years at The Monkeys (now Droga5), Zuliani worked at Howatson+Company for two and a half years as a creative director before relocating to the UK in February 2025.

Agency of the Year Contenders: Clemenger Melbourne, Host/Havas Sydney, TBWA Sydney, BMF Sydney, Clemenger Sydney.

Notable work: Volkswagen Polo, Volkswagen Amarok, Volkswagen Crafter, Foxtel, Westpac, McDonald’s, PetMe, Carefree.

Creatives: Ben Welsh, Tara Ford, Noah Regan. Suits: Andrew Little, Priya Patel.

CB/Creative LIAisons prize: In 2019, Anna Paine, an art director at DDB Sydney, represented Australia. Paine is currently a creative director at Clemenger BBDO Sydney (DDB was folded into Clemenger in January 2026).

Agency of the Year Contenders: Clemenger Melbourne, The Monkeys Sydney, CHEP Sydney, Cummins Melbourne, VMLY&R Melbourne, JWT Sydney, TBWA Sydney, Special Sydney, Marcel Sydney, WhieGREY Sydney.

Notable work: Tourism Tasmania, ALDI, Dept of Social Services, UNICEF, Dulux, Agoda, RMIT, Audi, TAL Insurance, BPAY, TEDxSydney, Tribe Breweries, MONA, Sydney Metro, Abbott’s Village Bakery, WWF.

Creatives: Alex Derwin, Kiak Nicolas, Roy Leibowitz, Leila Cranswick, David Roberts, Chris Wilson, Nico Engelbrecht. Suits: Stephen McArdle, Paul Coles, Aisling Colley, Christina Aventi, Kinga Papp, Thomasine Burnap.

CB/Creative LIAisons prize: As the world shut down, so too did the creative industry’s calendar. For the first time since its inception, the Creative LIAisons program was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Agency of the Year Contenders: DDB Sydney, TBWA Sydney, Clemenger Melbourne, M&C Saatchi Sydney, Special Sydney, The Monkeys Sydney, The Monkeys Melbourne, Thinkerbell Melbourne..

View CB Agency of the Year [part one] – The 80s and 90s

View CB Agency of the Year [part two] – The Noughties

View CB Agency of the Year [part four] – The 20s

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