AUNZ Cannes Contenders 2025

With Cannes Lions around the corner, leading AUNZ agencies -- including Bear Meets Eagle On Fire, BMF, DDB New Zealand, Special, Leo, Thinkerbell, and SICKDOGWOLFMAN -- share the their best contenders.

AKQA

Netflix – It’s What’s Inside: The Game

BBDO

Skinny Mobile -- Skinny For Life

Bear Meets Eagle on Fire

Telstra – Better on a Better Mobile Network

Telstra: 56 puppets and 42 voices went into 26 original stop-motion films, starring native flora, characters and critters -- all voiced by real Aussies from the remote and rural towns they’re representing, to showcase Telstra's wide-reaching, better network. It’s a once in a career type campaign, so a Lion would be very nice.

Telstra – Wherever We Go - OOH

Telstra: This ambitious campaign was a labour of love from start to finish. It’s rare to get this calibre of craft in both illustration and paper engineering at this scale.

Over 200 unique artworks for over 3000 sites across Australia. We couldn’t be more proud of how it all turned out. Fingers crossed.

Telstra – Wherever We Go - Duet

Telstra: The film tells a simple story -- a beautiful, animated journey of two characters who are in perfect lockstep together, serving as a metaphor for a customer and Telstra, set to the iconic duet' Islands In the Stream'.

Telstra – Silent Films

Telstra: It was a first for us working both in black and white and without any sound.
It’s such a simple idea, a 'Put your phone on Silent Film’ reminding you to do just that, before the movie. Working with Dougal Wilson is already a win for us, but the work being recognised in Cannes would be a lovely bonus.

Telstra – Together is for Christmas

Telstra: For our little donkey that’s travelled the world, we have our fingers crossed she puts in one last big performance for the judges in Cannes -- or it’s off to the glue factory.

BMF Australia

ALDI – Go A Little Extra

Tourism Tasmania – TasmanAI

Department of Social Services – Algorithm of Disrespect

DDB

​Made By Dyslexia -- DyslexicU

Droga5 ANZ, part of Accenture Song

​Meat & Livestock Australia – The Comments Section

FCB

Green Cross Health – Awkboards​

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One New Zealand – Finding Jade

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HERO/McCann

​Mindography – Instax

Hero: The Instax MINDOGRAPHY campaign marked a world-first, blending science, emotion, and technology to turn intangible memories into tangible, printed moments. It followed Nicole Toum, who lost her father in 2018. Researchers, led by Dr. Paul Scotti at Princeton, used fMRI scans and machine learning to train an AI model on Nicole’s brain activity as she viewed childhood photos and recalled memories. The AI then generated visual representations of memories Nicole recalled. As the world’s leading instant photo company, we used our latest product, the Instax Mini Link 3, to print those lost childhood memories directly from the mind.

Howatson+Company

UNICEF – Appeal Appeal

Howatson: A groundbreaking fundraiser that turned every cricket appeal during the world’s biggest women’s match into a donation appeal for gender equality. Resulting in a 921% increase in donations and a 207% increase in revenue.

triple J– Regenerated

Howatson: An ever-changing brand identity made to keep up with the ever-changing tastes of young people today, leading to a massive 20% increase in brand awareness.

Motion Sickness

New Zealand Herpes Foundation – Make New Zealand The Best Place In The World To Have Herpes

Eat It – Karangahape Road

You’re Cooked – Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Leo

Suncorp Insurance – Haven

Jason Williams, head of creative excellence: Forging a creative partnership that lasts over five years and impacts millions is rare, but that's what Leo Australia and Suncorp have achieved, shifting the national conversation from recovery to resilience. As climate change intensifies, they've built a long-term platform focused on resilience. This creative solution extends beyond communication, influencing behaviour, building codes, industry standards, and government investment. In 2025, it will put ‘resilience utility’ in the hands of every Australian with the launch of ‘Haven’.

Saatchi & Saatchi

HiLux Hybrid 3.5 Tonnes Headline – Toyota

Jason Williams, head of creative excellence: Sometimes, there’s nothing more satisfying than a hardworking, entertaining product demo! The Hilux is New Zealand's most iconic 4WD, famed for its durability. However, the new hybrid faced scepticism from rural communities, who equate hybrids with less power. So, what better way to prove them all wrong than towing a 3.5-tonne steel headline 6,672km across the country? It quickly became a source of social commentary and reassured the fiercely proud (and sceptical) farming community it’s got some serious grunt!

In A Pickle – Toyota HiLux

Jason Williams, head of creative excellence: Some smart, playful, entertaining storytelling. In Australia, Toyota HiLux is renowned for its unbreakability. This story proves just that, with the help of some ‘Duelling Banjos’! The narrative taps a strong off-road insight; that drivers know the embarrassment of needing towing. So, Saatchi Australia pushed this to comedic extremes to demonstrate HiLux's superior capability. With some classic, quality copywriting to end, “Don’t send a Ute to do a HiLux job”.

Special

Bonds Down Under – Bonds

Max Memes – Max

Shift 20 Casting Call – Shift 20

Get Almost Almost Anything Even Andy Murray – Uber Eats

SICKDOGWOLFMAN

Classic – Drumstick

The Sun is Not Your Friend – SLATHER

‘UMM…’ – WorkSafe Victoria

Supermassive

Raise the Age -- 36 Months

TBWA

Reshaping Rugby – 2degrees

Welcome to Melbourne – Specsavers

Thinkerbell

Scene Scents – Binge

Jim Ingram, national chief creative, Thinkerbell: This project has been well-liked by international jurors so far, it feels like analogue innovation while everyone else is throwing technology at problems.

Irresistebillboard – v Energy

Jim Ingram, national chief creative, Thinkerbell: We like odd-shaped ideas that apply creativity to how they come to life just as much as what they are. We’re hoping this does well in the Dumb Fun and Earned Media categories.

Banana Pass – Australian Bananas

Jim Ingram, national chief creative, Thinkerbell: Jim Ingram, National Chief Creative, Thinkerbell: Bendy fruit deserves a bendy idea. This was a fully integrated idea that started with a very true insight.

Gold for Australia – XXXX Beer

Jim Ingram, national chief creative, Thinkerbell: Rule 40 in the International Olympic Committee sponsorship regulations prohibits XXXX from mentioning the Olympics in any marketing. We hope the jury recognises the irony of bending this XXXing rule.

VML

KitKat Break Chair – Nestle

The Hidden Eye Test – 1001 Optometry