Australia’s most effective advertising judged by consumers showcases the creativity of Volkswagen Australia, Penfolds Grange, Cadbury, Uber Eats, ING and L’Oréal

30 April 2026, Sydney – embargoed until 5pm AEST: Australians have made their call on what great advertising really looks like, as the winners of the Kantar Advertising Effectiveness Awards, Australia 2026 are revealed today at a special event at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art.

From Volkswagen Australia, Penfolds Grange and Cadbury, to Uber Eats, ING and L’Oréal, these are the campaigns that connected with consumers and delivered real impact in a year defined by content flooding and fragile consumer confidence.

The Awards recognise campaigns that connect with consumers and leave an indelible mark of the brand. Judged through lived experience rather than industry consensus, the winning campaigns delivered the rare combination of creative cut‑through, media precision and sustained brand and sales impact.

Formerly known as the Kantar Creative Effectiveness Awards, the evolved 2026 Awards reflects a more demanding reality for brands. Creative and media intelligence are no longer separate conversations. Using Kantar’s proprietary, validated measurement systems, the Awards evaluate how advertising is actually experienced by people and how effectively it drives both short‑term outcomes and long‑term brand equity in an overcrowded content environment.

“The content landscape has become an everything, everywhere, all at once environment,” says Irene Joshy, Head of Creative for Kantar in Australia and APAC. “Presence is easy to buy. Meaning is not. That is why it matters to spotlight the campaigns that swim against the tide, creating moments of meaning and winning consumer hearts. When the work is born here in Australia and appreciated the world over, it deserves special recognition.”

According to Irene, this year’s winners shared a defining creative trait. “They broke patterns rather than reinforced them. Their boldness is deliberate and disciplined, proving once again that meaning takes precedence over empty entertainment or engineered sentiment. These campaigns reward attention instead of chasing it and do it by radically changing the way they present their stories in culture.”

2026 Australian winners include:

• TV Excellence: Volkswagen Australia – The All-New Tayron and Life Half Full
  Awarded for two contrasting but equally effective TV executions demonstrating how radically different creative expressions can still remain unmistakably Volkswagen. “The brand’s versatility stands out by holding two very different creative tones while maintaining absolute brand coherence,” says Irene. “One leans into optimism and humanity, the other disrupts expectations entirely. What unites them is radical presence, clarity of intent and a deep respect for the audience.” Additionally, Volkswagen also stood out as the best in the world with the creative for The All-New Tayron winning the same category in Kantar’s global awards.
   
  Bianca Botma, Head of Marketing, Volkswagen Passenger Vehicles, says, “We are proud to be recognised among the world’s top TV campaigns and delighted to see the work resonate so strongly with audiences. Why the Long Car brings Volkswagen’s signature intelligence and humanity to life in a way that is simple, sharp and distinctly Volkswagen, showing how the all‑new Tayron turns everyday moments into something unexpectedly extraordinary.”
   
  Michelle Rowney, Head of Marketing for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, adds, “With its iconic two‑tone paint and electric energy, the ID. Buzz launch campaign was a celebration of optimism and joy. It is about finding fun in the everyday, and we are delighted to see how strongly that spirit connected with audiences.”

• Campaigns: ING – Orange Everyday Travel and Mobile App
  ING was recognised for demonstrating that effectiveness is often built through restraint rather than reinvention. “ING’s work is a powerful reminder that consistency is not conservative when it is done with intent,” says Irene. “By evolving distinctive assets rather than chasing novelty, the campaign shows how evidence‑led creative bravery pays off over time.”
   
  Lily Lange, Head of Brand at ING Australia, says, “Consistency isn’t always glamorous. The real challenge is knowing when to resist the urge to reinvent the wheel. By grounding our decisions in evidence and evolving our distinctive assets, the Orange Everyday Travel and Mobile App campaign shows how a well‑judged creative risk can build recognition and deliver results.”

Other key winners include:

• Digital Excellence: Penfolds Grange – Once Tasted, Never Forgotten and Asahi Super Dry – Seek What is Unique
  Recognised for immersive digital storytelling and distinctive execution that delivered emotional impact.

• Print and Outdoor Excellence: Cadbury – It Could Only Be Cadbury Dairy Milk and Helga’s – Lunchroom
  Celebrated for visual storytelling that intuitively communicates the essence of the campaign synergistically.

• Architects of Influence: L’Oréal – L’Oreal Paris Australia
  Recognised for a disciplined, large‑scale, high‑quality creator strategy that delivered effectiveness without compromising brand coherence and consistency.

• Best Campaign: Uber Eats – Get Almost Almost Anything 3.0
  Recognised for a fully integrated, multi‑channel system that built fame and effectiveness over time through humour, coherence and media orchestration. The campaign was also recognised globally.

The 2026 Awards reflect the growing complexity of modern content topography by recognising and celebrating the importance of influence and effectiveness at scale, reinforcing Kantar’s findings that while reach is increasingly accessible, effectiveness is not.

“Success today isn’t about doing more, faster,” says Irene. “It is about creating content that people love and remember. These campaigns didn’t chase attention. They commanded it, they earned it, and that is why they epitomise effectiveness.”

The Kantar Advertising Effectiveness Awards Australia form part of a global program recognising the world’s most effective advertising, grounded in consumer data and evaluated using Kantar’s creative and media effectiveness intelligence. Together, the winners demonstrate that when creative and media decisions work in sync, brands deliver stronger commercial and brand outcomes.

For further information or interviews, please email jeannie.duhigg@kantar.com