Lassoo Media & PR crowned Media Agency of the Year at the 2025 beacons awards; MBM wins Best in Show for Vogel’s ‘Certified Toast Perfection’

The 2025 beacon awards in association with oOh!media, has just wrapped up its ceremony this evening, celebrating outstanding work from Aotearoa’s media and advertising industry. With Clint Roberts, veteran beacon awards host, back for another hoorah, the event was held at a sparkling Viaduct Events Centre in Auckland.

The night was filled with anticipation as the industry eagerly awaited the announcement of this year’s winners. The winners represent standout media thinking, innovative approaches and outstanding client results.

Judges narrowed the entries down to 144 finalists, ultimately awarding 10 Gold, 27 Silver and 37 Bronze beacon awards. Four executive awards, the most prestigious of the evening, were also awarded to deserving nominees.

Leading the Gold Award tally is MBM and OMD with three Golds apiece. MBM picked up two Golds for Goodman Fielder ‘Certified Toast Perfection’ and one for Dulux ‘Dulux: Live from Aotearoa’, meanwhile OMD scored two Golds for 2degrees ‘Reshaping Rugby’ and one for Kiwibank ‘On The Ladder with Kiwibank’.

Agencies scoring one Gold apiece include Initiative for ASB ‘Scam Update: Training a Nation to Fight Back’, Spark Foundry for Lexus ‘Amazing Replays’, PHD for PAK’nSAVE ‘PAK’nRAVE’ and FCB for Flight Centre ‘The Original Influence’.

Judged by a panel of international industry leaders and auditors, Media Agency of the Year went to Lassoo Media & PR. This award encompasses business vision, employee development, financial performance, client acquisition and development, industry contribution, creativity and innovation. The international panel of judges praised Lassoo’s commitment to a thoughtfully crafted business strategy; their values-led approach to growth; and their proven longevity with client accounts and staff retention.

The 2025 Best in Show was tightly contested, with three campaigns dominating the Gold awards. Ultimately, MBM claimed the title for its work with Goodman Fielder, ‘Certified Toast Perfection’ for Vogel’s. The international panel of judges felt that this campaign stood out by identifying a new media opportunity where consumer relevance was at its peak, coupled with flawless execution.

The Comms Council Media Committee felt that boldness and community investment belonged at the core of Media Business of the Year, which they awarded to Stuff.

Sales Team of the Year, a prestigious and hard-won title, was claimed by SKY, which the Comms Council Media Committee felt was a standout winner.

This year’s Inspiring Individual Award in honour of Sandy Smith, now over a decade strong, had more entries than ever. PHD’s James Davidson was awarded this heartwarming honour, with a video describing his empathy, patience and tireless mentorship.

Overall, the event showcased the incredible talent and creativity of Aotearoa’s advertising and media industry, within a challenging and rapidly evolving landscape. All winners and finalists deserve congratulations for their dedication to delivering work that pushes boundaries and inspires others.

“Full of community spirit, warm welcomes and amazing work, the evening was a much-needed celebration of Aotearoa’s advertising industry. Thank you to our sponsors, judges, MC, production crew and my own team for the months of hard work required to make the night a joyful success,” says Simon Lendrum, CEO of the Comms Council.

DOWNLOAD THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS HERE

For the complete list of results including gold, silver, bronze and finalists, please visit the Comms Council website: https://commscouncil.nz/beacon

The 2025 beacon awards in association with oOh!media are made possible through the generous support of its sponsors oOh!media, TVNZ, Are media, Cartology, Meta, Nielsen, NZME, Stuff, The Radio Bureau and The Spinoff.

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