The countdown is on. The 14th annual Australian Drinks Awards is nearly here, bringing a night of glitz and glam to The Sofitel Wentworth, Sydney on Thursday, 23 July. The ever-popular Edwina Bartholomew returns to host once again, guiding the industry through what's shaping up to be one of the biggest nights on the calendar.
Recognising industry excellence
This year's judges had their work cut out for them. Across every category, the standard of submissions was high, making the final calls harder than ever. It's a sign of an industry that keeps raising its own bar.
The judging panels weren't just looking for good ideas. They wanted to see initiatives that had actually been put into practice, with real outcomes behind them. Whether that's a product that's found its place on shelves, a campaign that's shifted how people think about a brand or an internal program that's changed how a business operates. The conversations were robust, with judges pushing each other on the detail before landing on the entries that best reflected leadership and impact in their category.
All of that work, from every corner of the industry, will be on show for everyone to celebrate together on the night.
Shaking up the Brand Awards
One of the biggest changes this year is in the Brand Awards, which have been redesigned to better reflect where the industry is investing and what excellence really looks like. The 2026 Brand Awards focus on two categories: the Best New Product Innovation Award, recognising the best new product launched in the past year, and the Best Campaign Award, celebrating the best marketing campaign across any combination of channels and media.
It's also a change in how the winners are decided. In a shift from consumer research in previous years, this year's Brand Awards were judged by a panel of industry peers, people with firsthand understanding of what it takes to launch a product or deliver a campaign in this market.
“This is a chance for organisations across the industry to have their work seen and celebrated by the people who know it best,” said Georgia Lennon, Drinks Association CEO.
Thank you to our sponsors
The Awards don't happen without the organisations who support them year after year. Thank you to GS1, Advantage Group, ALM, Coles Liquor, BevChain, Endeavour Group, Shopper Intelligence, Fever-Tree and Paramount Liquor for their continued backing to make the Australian Drinks Awards possible.
