379 entries across 75 categories have made it through to the finals of the Axis Awards, with FCB leading the way on 54, followed by Colenso BBDO with 49 and DDB with 47.
Special Group didn’t enter the awards last year, but it’s back with 31 finalists this year. Saatchi & Saatchi rounded out the top five with 26 finalists.
Next up was Ogilvy with 20, Y&R NZ with 19, followed by Clemenger BBDO with 18, Barnes Catmur with eight, Joy with five, .99 with four, WhybinTBWA and JWT with three, Sugar & Partners with two and Blacksand and Proximity with one.
In the craft category, The Sweet Shop topped the tally for production companies with 19 finalists, followed by Finch with ten finalists, Robber’s Dog with eight and Curious with five.
- Check out all the finalists here.
The finalists now go on to the executive judging phase to compete for the metal. Barnes Catmur’s Daniel Barnes is Axis chair and Clemenger BBDO’s Philip Andrew is convenor of judges. DDB’s Damon Stapleton, Colenso BBDO’s Nick Worthington, FCB’s Regan Grafton and Finch’s Rob Galluzzo are jury presidents. And Jeremy Craigen, Matty Burton and Mark Harricks are the international judges.
Following on from the brilliant Share the Love call for entries campaign in 2014, Clemenger BBDO was once again responsible for the creative and embraced the GIF—and the trophy. 
“We’ve developed a simple visual idea that puts the focus on the Terry Stringer-designed trophy,” says Clemenger design director Steve Boggs. “It’s all about the possibilities of great ideas.”
Tickets are now on sale for the show, which will be held at Sky City Convention Centre on Thursday 12 March from 6:30pm.
