Campaign Brief Creative Circle: What’s hot in October?
Each month Campaign Brief invites top creatives to choose one standout piece of Australian work created outside their own agency. It’s a space for celebrating the craft, fresh thinking and homegrown creativity that continues to raise the bar across the industry.
October 2025’s edition features Charles Baylis, ATime&Place; Effie Athanassiou, Plus Also Studios; Jacko, Jacko Jacko & Jacko; Ellie Dunn, Clemenger BBDO; Vince Lagana, It’s Friday and Kate Idle, Today the Brave.
Charles Baylis, ATime&Place – Yates ‘National Gardening League’
The only thing Aussies take greater interest in than caring for their property is winning at stuff. That’s why my pick is Yates’ National Gardening League. It’s a clever big idea that turns gardening into a gamified competition and there’s a world of fun waiting to be unlocked in combining a low intensity pastime with all the tropes of high energy sports. Strategically, it gives Yates a neat platform to showcase their products as the tools that help people compete and succeed to win the $10k prize. I hope it gets the uptake and investment it deserves because it’s one of those ideas that could fuel brilliant advertising and PR for seasons to come.
Client: Yates Australia, Agency: Howatson+Company, Director & Photographer: Oliver Rose, Production Company: Chee Productions
Effie Athanassiou, Plus Also Studios – AMCS ‘Fragile Ocean’
Having collaborated with AMCS on past campaigns, I’m always proud to see the calibre and consistency of the work they continue to deliver. Fragile Ocean is a deeply moving piece that captures both the beauty and fragility of our marine life in a way that makes it impossible to look away. The juxtaposition of delicate, water-formed creatures flowing through stark city streets is a powerful reminder of how easily the ocean is forgotten in our busy, concrete and corporate lives.
That contrast brings the urgency of the message into sharp focus – nature isn’t somewhere “out there”, it is part of us, and it needs protecting now more than ever. The layering of these delicate ocean life visuals with the stirring score and sound design elevates the emotion even further, creating a sensory experience that makes you stop, reflect, and feel.
This is storytelling in its truest form: inspiring awareness and action. Beautifully crafted, and a special shout out to the Sonar team – always outstanding. Great work AMCS and thank you for all the change you have created defending our oceans for 60 years.
Client: AMCS; Production Company: Collider
Jacko, Jacko Jacko & Jacko – DiDi ‘Yes I DiDi’
We often talk about conviction when it comes to backing an idea, and this Didi spot goes all in. You can feel it in every scene of this wonderfully unhinged piece. Every element has been pushed, then pushed again, and then pushed a little further still. It’s a brilliant example of agency, client, and production company all pulling in the same direction. Work like this doesn’t happen by holding back, it takes full-tilt commitment.
Client: DiDi. Agency: Sunday Gravy. Director: Jim Hosking. Production Company: Hooves
Ellie Dunn, Clemenger BBDO – SEEK ‘Tis’ the season to find your next job’
Been loving Droga5’s work for SEEK this year. I didn’t think they could top that brilliant Tarzan spot, but this latest instalment has swung in with the goods too. Great writing. Excellent casting. And positioning Santa as a guy with deep co-dependency issues really tickled me too. Here’s hoping he joins a Men’s Shed and gives the misso some space soon. Great job team. Get it, job? See what I did there…ok bye.
Client: SEEK, Agency: Droga5 ANZ, Director: Taso Alexander, Production Company: Revolver.
Vince Lagana, It’s Friday – Seasol ‘Dirty Old Secrets’
My choice for the month is Seasol’s – Dirty Old Secrets.
Had me at “Her citrus brings all the boys to the yard.” A super tough category to make exciting, especially for young Aussies. I watched. I watched more. I laughed. Then laughed harder. Sharp cheeky writing, great characters and just the right amount of dirty fun.
Client: Seasol, Agency: Howatson+Company, Director: Connor Pritchard, Production Company: Good Oil
Kate Idle, Today the Brave – Volkswagen Tayron ‘Why the long car?’
I’m a big, jealous fan of the new Volkswagen Tayron spot out of team DDB. What a smart way to pay homage to the classic print work and done with just the right balance of reference and new spin. It’s a really sweet visual idea and anything with that level of simplicity is just a big tick from me. This is one of those spots that made me silently nod and think “Oh damn, that’s really nice” the first time I watched it, mixed with about 2% resentment that I didn’t think of doing that when I worked on VW. Big ups to the team, plus HUGE acting kudos to the sausage dogs – little stars.
Client: Volkswagen Australia, Agency: DDB Sydney, Director: Toby Pike, Production Company: FINCH
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