MADC X Creative LIAisons crowns Darcy Keely as its 2026 One-Page-Pitch Competition Winner
Melbourne Advertising, Design & Creativity (MADC), in partnership with Creative LIAisons, has announced the winner of the 2026 Young Creatives One Page Pitch Competition – a brief that challenged emerging talent to rethink the everyday and turn it into something exceptional.
The entries pushed the boundaries of what an “ordinary” object could become. From subtle product tweaks to fully-fledged commercial reinventions, the judging centred on one key question: how far could each idea travel from its original mundaneness to something genuinely useful – and valuable.
Entries were judged anonymously, with the jury rigorously debating both the creative leap and the commercial potential of each concept. Particular attention was paid to the scalability of ideas, with judges considering not just creativity, but the potential for real-world impact and brand growth.
The winning entry, crafted by emerging creative Darcy Keely from AKQA Australia, secures a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Las Vegas to attend the Creative LIAisons Coaching Program, held alongside the prestigious LIA Awards. The program offers unparalleled access to global creative leaders through mentoring sessions, workshops, and behind-the-scenes access to judging discussions.
Runners-up Anna Charisiou (Thinkerbell) and Max Dawson (M&C Saatchi) will join the Creative LIAisons Virtual Coaching Program, gaining one-on-one mentorship with leading creatives from around the world.
Keely will join other Australian and Kiwi Creative LIAisons mentees heading to Vegas this year including Leilani Horthy Banks from 2025 CB Australian Agency of the Year DDB (now Clemenger) and Georgia Henare from CB New Zealand Agency of the Year DDB (now McCann). Each year, Campaign Brief selects 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.
Says Daniel Sparkes, MADC Director of Education: “The thinking this year was sharp, commercially aware, and genuinely inventive. What stood out wasn’t just the creativity, but how clearly these ideas could exist and succeed in the real world.”
As the competition continues to grow, it remains a key platform for identifying and championing the next wave of creative talent – proving that even the most ordinary brief can still spark extraordinary ideas.
Darcy Keely – Bones & All
Anna Charisiou – V-Fidgety
Max Dawson – The Pub Test
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