Special Group dominates at ANZ's Agency of the Year

It was a big night for Special Group who picked up five Gold awards at Campaign's Agency of the Year Awards for ANZ, leading the tally for Gold awards on the night. This is a recurring triumph, as Special have stolen the headline for four consecutive years in a row.

However, the hotly contested award for Australia Creative Agency of the Year this year went to The Monkeys, who snatched the coveted Gold award from last year's winner, Special. Nevertheless, Special still took home Gold for New Zealand Creative Agency of the Year, as well as scooping Gold for New Zealand PR Agency of the Year, ANZ Agency Marketer Partnership of the Year, ANZ Integrated Marketing Agency of the Year and ANZ AD Campaign of the Year. To add to their awards haul, Special also walked away with two Silver awards for Australia Creative Agency of the Year, and ANZ Independent Agency of the Year.

The Gold award for Australia Media Agency of the Year went to OMD, who took the crown from last year's winner, Initiative Australia. And Together, New Zealand's largest independent media agency, scooped the Gold for New Zealand Media Agency of the Year, taking the gong from last year's winner, PHD. 

The only agency that came close to stealing the night from Special was Howatson+Company who scooped two Gold awards for ANZ Best Culture and ANZ Independent Agency of the Year. They also picked up two Silver awards for ANZ Content Marketing Agency of the Year and ANZ Integrated Marketing Agency of the Year.

Other than Special Group and Howatson+Company, no other agency won more than one Gold at this year's awards. 

Elsewhere, notably, Atomic 212° picked up three gongs, a Gold for Australia Digital Innovation Agency of the Year, Silver for Australia Media Agency of the Year and topped it off with a Bronze for ANZ Performance Agency of the Year. This was complemented by a further two commendations received for ANZ Best Place to Work and ANZ New Business Development Person of the Year.

Ogilvy PR clinched the Gold award for Australia PR Agency of the Year, an improvement on last year's Silver in this category. Meanwhile, for New Zealand PR Agency of the Year, Gold was awarded to Special NZ. 

Highlights among the People Awards included Motion Sickness' Sam Stuchbury who won a hattrick of awards for ANZ Growth Leader of the Year, ANZ Young Business Leader of the Year and ANZ Young Creative Person of the Year. Meanwhile, Special Group's Julian Schreiber and Tom Martin won ANZ Creative Leader of the Year and Celia Garforth, also of Special Group, won Strategic/Brand Planner of the Year. 

 

Among the other Gold winners on the night: