HELLO’S SAM KELLY DEDICATES INFLUENCER AGENCY OF THE YEAR WIN TO CREATIVITY OVER EFFICIENCY

Over 350 creators, agencies and agents celebrated the Australian Influencer Marketing Council (AiMCO) annual awards at NIDA in Sydney last Thursday. Hello Social headlined the winners, announced as Australia’s Best Large Influencer Marketing Agency, walking away with 5 wins and 2 highly commended.

A total of 127 finalists were selected for this year’s awards, from a record number of entries.

In his speech, Sam Kelly, Managing Partner, Hello, said: “This certainly wasn’t an overnight success. We were founded 13 years ago and did our first word of mouth influencer marketing campaign with a $5,000 budget 11 years ago. Today, we stand here with a team of 65, still independently owned, self-funded with no investment, delivering talent campaigns for the world’s best brands. We’re immensely proud.

“While the industry has focused on scale and efficiency, doing more for less through technology and acquisition, Hello Social has doubled down on quality, creativity and effectiveness.” He urged the creator industry to follow suit and not make it a race to the bottom.

“The marketing industry once looked down upon influencer marketing but the tides are shifting. Production companies are looking over their shoulder, creators now hold more sway and audience than traditional media and CMO’s are now knocking on our door to chat. He implored the audience to “Keep working your butts off, we know this stuff works and they are starting to listen to us.

“Winning Best Large Agency of the Year, doesn’t just come with a trophy, a LinkedIn post and potentially a hangover, it comes with responsibility. We pledge to keep re-investing in the creator industry, through policy, education and advocacy and unlocking doors for all of us at the big end of town.”

Their haul included the U by Kotex “Overnight Lab” which took out the most campaign awards with Most Effective Campaign for ROI, Best Use of Data and Best health/fitness/sport campaign.

HELLO SOCIAL WON:
Best large Influencer Marketing Agency: Hello Social
Most effective campaign for ROI: Overnight Lab, Hello Social for U by Kotex
Best health/fitness/sport campaign: Overnight Lab, Hello Social for U by Kotex
Best use of data: Overnight Lab, Hello Social for U by Kotex
Most effective collaboration/partnership: Fisher x Bob Marley, Hello Social and Wavemaker for Paramount Pictures
Most effective collaboration/partnership: Red Cross 2023 x Uber, Hello Social for Uber/Australian Red Cross (highly commended)
Best beauty & wellness campaign: Lynx x Fisher, Hello Social for Lynx (highly commended)