Creativity has always been the advertising industry’s superpower. Creative thinking changes perceptions, it turns the ordinary into the extraordinary, reflects and informs culture, and creates value where there was none.
Award programmes offer agencies prestigious platforms to showcase their most innovative and impactful campaigns.
From celebrating creativity to recognising effectiveness, each awards programme honours the creative minds driving excellence in the industry. Here’s a quick run-down.
Axis Awards
The Axis Awards, launched in 1985, focus on creativity and innovation in New Zealand’s advertising industry while supporting new talents in their creative journeys.
Axis recognises achievements across all aspects of advertising, from strategic thinking to production craftmanship.
Winning campaigns bring ideas to life, set the bar high and drive the industry forward.
- Entries open in late November
- Organised by: the Comms Council
Beacon Awards
The Beacon Awards represent media excellence in Aotearoa. They celebrate the most innovative talent, teams, ideas and breakthrough technologies that have helped businesses across the country achieve their objectives.
Entrants should highlight how they develop media solutions to address specific marketing challenges, evaluating the background, insights, strategy, execution and results. They honour those who elevate campaign success with meticulous planning and groundbreaking media approaches.
- Entries open in late January
- Organised by: the Comms Council
Effie Awards Aotearoa
With a focus on effectiveness, the Effie Awards recognise campaigns that use creativity to achieve meaningful and tangible outcomes.
The Effie Awards are a prestigious recognition in the advertising industry with a rich history that dates back to 1968. Established by the New York American Marketing Association almost six decades ago, the annual awards celebrate the year’s most effective advertising and marketing communications campaigns.
- Entries open in late April
- Organised by: the Comms Council
Pressie Awards
Introduced in 2017, the Pressie Awards centre on campaigns that excel in PR, experiential and social. The awards recognise those that navigate challenges using these channels, delivering insightful strategies and smart execution.
- Entries open in late July
- Organised by: the Comms Council
Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
Cannes Lions is a global platform where the advertising and communications industry come together to celebrate outstanding creative work.
As a benchmark for creativity worldwide, Cannes Lions provides a unique environment for groundbreaking insights, top-notch learning opportunities and exceptional networking with some of the brightest minds in the industry.
Join its 70th anniversary celebration of creativity and progress in June.
- Represented by: the Comms Council
Voyager Media Awards
The Voyagers acknowledge the best of New Zealand’s news media across all platforms, including contributions of journalists, reporters, feature writers, columnists, cartoonists, reviewers, photographers, and video journalists. The awards ceremony is held in May.
Originally known as the Qantas Press Awards, then the Canon Media Awards, Voyager Media Awards has been celebrating excellence in New Zealand journalism since 1973.
- Entries open in mid-January
- Organised by: the News Publishers’ Association
YouTube NZ Marketing Awards
The YouTube NZ Marketing Awards champion exceptional work in New Zealand’s marketing industry. They offer 34 awards in three key areas: Marketing Excellence Awards, Marketing Campaign Awards and Individual Awards.
The Marketing Excellence Awards celebrate effective marketing strategies that directly contribute to the success of brands or businesses.
The Marketing Campaign Awards recognise marketing initiatives that have effectively capitalised on short-term opportunities, overcome challenges and achieved remarkable results within a 12-month period.
Individual Awards honour the contributions of marketing gurus who have helped drive a business or brand’s short-term and long-term success.
- Entries open in mid-March
- Organised by: SCG Media and Marketing Association
IAB NZ Digital Advertising Awards
The IAB NZ Digital Advertising Awards have been celebrating those who shape the future of digital advertising since 2016. Judges look for cutting-edge campaigns, bold ideas and the brightest talent thriving in today’s digital economy.
- Entries open in early July
- Organised by: IAB New Zealand
