The Brand Agency named Campaign Brief WA Agency of the Year for a record 13th time

The very first Campaign Brief WA Agency of the Year award was presented 38 years ago, in 1987, to JB&B. JMA Ogilvy & Mather claimed the title for the following two years, before 303 broke through in 1990 – just nine months after opening its doors – and went on to win again in 1991. In more recent years, The Brand Agency has dominated, winning the title seven times in the past decade and 12 times overall. Marketforce (8 wins) and 303 (7 wins) follow as the next most successful agencies. This year, competition for the prestigious award was fierce, with VML, Gatecrasher, and last year’s winner, Wildlings, all submitting strong and impressive entries. However, in the final judging process, The Brand Agency’s compelling case stood out, earning it the Campaign Brief WA Agency of the Year for a record 13th time.

In 2024 The Brand Agency won more new business than any other agency by far, coming out on top in all the substantial pitches of the year. This represented $5M+ in annualised new revenue. The agency also didn’t experience any account losses.

The Brand also concluded their search for a new Executive Creative Director – Ali Shabaz, who joins this year after more than 20 years working in Singapore, India and the Middle East at leading creative departments at Grey, M&C Saatchi, JWT and Publicis.

The Brand were recognised individually and collectively for their work, in WA and beyond, and were the only Perth Agency to win an Effie Award.

In an industry where ‘independents’ are seen as cool and networked agencies aren’t, The Brand Agency proved that this isn’t the case in WA. They continued to lead from the front, growing by attracting the state’s biggest and best clients.

Their new business record is unmatched in the market and this was seen by this year’s judging panel as the biggest contributing factor in their Agency of the Year win.

Large account wins over 2024 include Bankwest, TAB, Bethanie, Blue Steel and ATCO. And the agency also won the biggest pitch of the year when they were reappointed to WA Tourism. They also significantly expanded their remit with Woodside Energy.

A WPP client for the past four years, 2024 was the year that the Bankwest business moved back to The Brand Agency. They now partner with Sydney-based independent Bear Meets Eagle on Fire and The Brand’s remit on the business is wide-ranging across creativity, campaigns, design, technology, strategy and CX.

Three years ago The Brand lost the Racing and Wagering WA (TAB) creative account to Clemenger BBDO Sydney, whilst retaining the media and technology contracts. But in 2024, Racing and Wagering WA ended its relationship with Clemenger and reappointed The Brand Agency to brand strategy and creative. They are now their sole retained agency partner again.

Other highlights include: After losing the account six years ago a 2024 pitch process, against WA media and creative agencies, saw The Brand appointed Bethanie’s media and creative agency.

A strategic and creative pitch for Blue Steel then saw The Brand appointed as their sole creative and strategy partner in October 2024.

Already working with ATCO Gas, the company took the decision to appoint The Brand Agency to the other substantial part of its business – ATCO Australia. They are now their sole agency partner across creative, strategy and media.

Facing their most important pitch of the year, the agency was successful in retaining one of WA’s most coveted clients, Tourism WA. Moving away from a panel arrangement with three creative agencies – The Brand, The Monkeys Sydney and Marketforce – Tourism WA instead chose to appoint The Brand Agency as its sole creative agency partner for a five-year contract.

Already Woodside Energy’s creative and strategic partner for a few years, in 2024 The Brand were given the additional responsibility of media, planning and buying. The client is fast becoming one of the agency’s largest clients.

When you’re the biggest agency in town, the biggest problem you have is finding the talent to help you continue to grow. Two major recruitment wins in 2024 was the appointment of new ECD, Ali Shabaz, and the appointment of Eloise Cribb as leader of the Bankwest business in the agency.

They also hired 20 talented new people, in a range of different roles.

Staff are also supporting and contributing to the local industry: The Brand Agency lifer and Head of Design, Dan Agostino, continued in his new role as Co-President of the PADC, helping to deliver one of the best PADC award shows in recent memory. The agency is also a fierce supporter of the Oasis Ball and the Campaign Brief WA Awards with long-standing committee member and Brand Agency new recruit, Eloise Cribb, joined by Brand Agency Account Director Sophie Fielding this year. Senior Strategist Jeremy Gryguc and Senior Account Manager, Alex Rose work hard to help drive Youngbloods in WA. The agency’s Strategy Director Emma Ridley was appointed vice chair of WAMA, the organisation that champions WA’s marketing industry. And Zoey Portilla took to the stage as a keynote speaker at AGDA’s Student Portfolio Review Day.

At the PADC Awards The Brand won multiple awards for their work with Water Corporation, Kleenheat, Foodbank WA and Road Safety Commission. The agency didn’t win Gold, however they scored 11 Silver and 5 Bronze awards.

At the PADC Diamond Skull competition Strategy Director Emma Ridley won Strategist of the Year, and Senior Design Lead, Katie Pelosi won Designer of the Year for the second year running. In addition, the agency was also recognised multiple times by AGDA, the Good Design Awards, and Communication Arts for their design work.

Nationally, The Brand Agency and Wildlings were the only two local agencies to be recognised at the Australian AWARD Awards and at the prestigious Australian EFFIE Awards The Brand won a Bronze for Foodbank’s ‘Hunger Ghrelins’ campaign, which directly provided 1.5 million meals to those in need over the first three months of the campaign.

And importantly in consideration of this Agency of The Year accolade, The Brand Agency was the second best performing agency at the Campaign Brief WA Creative Awards, with 2 Best of Year wins and 2 Finalists. Their Best of Year wins were awarded for Department of Transport “Red Plate. One Mate.” and Kleenheat “No Song and Dance – Queenheat & Lil Sippy“.

WPP Australia and New Zealand President Rose Herceg sums up the success of the agency within the network: “The Brand Agency has been a standout in the Group for many years. And in 2024 they did it again. Adding to their prestigious client list, creating some exceptional work and achieving standout engagement scores from both new and longstanding clients. The agency’s ongoing success, year after year, is testament to their tenacious leadership, strong culture and an unwavering focus on delivering the very best for their clients”

There were two outstanding runner-up agencies:

Gatecrasher
VML Perth

Finalists were:

303 MullenLowe
Rare
Wildlings

For full coverage of winners and the finalists in all categories get the printed edition of the 44 page Campaign Brief Awards magazine. Email Mina on perth@campaignbrief.com