Podium finish for MBM, FCB, dentsu, OMD PHD, Special, NZME, TVNZ 

AUCKLAND, Today: The 2023 Beacon Awards, in association with oOh!media, took place last night at Aotea Centre. Organised by The Comms Council, the event brought together industry leaders and professionals to recognise outstanding media thinking.

The evening commenced with the recognition of the winners of the 2023 Aotearoa Young Lions, who will represent New Zealand in the Media and Print categories at the 70th annual Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity.

Loren Smith and Amber Garrett from MBM will represent New Zealand in the Media category, while Lauren Brokenshire and Matthew Aitken from FCB will showcase their work in the Print category.

FCB’s Survive The Drive FM campaign for the New Zealand Police secured the first Gold award of the night in the Social Marketing/Public Service category.

It went on to win four additional Gold awards in Best Small Budget, Best Use of Content, Creative Media Idea, and Best Use of Insight.

Comms Council communications manager Axl Arthur said: “The campaign impressed the judges with its concept, insights, and results. FCB effectively engaged Gen Z despite budget constraints, leaving a lasting impact.

“OMD’s Nick Ascough received the Inspiring Individual Award in honour of Sandy Smith.”

In the Retail/Etail category, dentsu and Kathmandu’s KM3 emerged as the Gold-winning campaign.

“It demonstrated strong consumer insights and a well-executed strategy,” said Arthur. “The campaign leveraged first-party data and digital media to deliver personalised experiences at scale, achieving impressive retail performance.”

OMD also achieved success, securing two Gold Beacons for their campaigns in the charity and FMCG categories.

Arthur: “The Wellington City Mission and Silver Fern Farms campaigns stood out for their impactful messaging and tangible results.”

Additionally, OMD head of integration Nick Ascough received the Inspiring Individual Award in honour of Sandy Smith. Warner Bros Discovery generously sponsored a prize of $ 10,000 for further education.

PHD earned recognition for their excellence across three campaigns. Mistake Report for IAG in the Consumer Services category, Skinny Phone It In for Spark in the Most Effective category, and Get the Skinny for Sustained Success.

“The Media Business of the Year award was presented to NZME, while TVNZ received the Sales Team of the Year award, acknowledging the contributions of media owners.”

“They demonstrated PHD’s commitment to driving results for their clients,” Arthur said.

The Last Performance campaign by Special and Partners Life received four Gold awards in the Consumer Services, Best Use of Content, Best Use of Insight, and Best Collaboration categories.

The campaign impressed the judges with its insights, execution, and results. Key factors contributing to its success included integration with TV programming, focus on viewer context, and effective use of content.

The Media Business of the Year award was presented to NZME, while TVNZ received the Sales Team of the Year award, acknowledging the contributions of media owners.

Axl Arthur: “The 2023 Beacon Awards showcased talent and creativity within the advertising industry. The number of medals awarded across multiple categories reflects the competitive nature of the event and the pursuit of excellence.

‘Generous’ sponsors thanked
“The 2023 beacon awards are made possible through the generous support of our sponsors: oOh!media, are media, Cartology, Google, Meta, Nielsen, NZME, Stuff, TRB, TVNZ, UnLtd, and Warner Bros. Discovery.

• View all winners here