Treasury Wine Estates, Asahi Beverages, Suntory Oceania and Pernod Ricard have each been recognised at the 2026 Australian Drinks Awards, taking out Best Campaign across the Wine, Beer, RTD/Cider, Spirits and Champagne/Sparkling categories.
The Best Campaign Award recognises campaigns that combine genuine creative execution with real business impact. Judges looked at what made each campaign distinctive, how well it was brought to life across channels, and the results it was able to deliver.
Georgia Bruton, Brown Family Wine Group’s Chief Marketing Officer, shared her insights from being a part of the judging panel, saying:
“There were some key things we were looking for in the winners. The first was a really sharp, genuine consumer insight that showed clear links to the creative platform. Consistency across every platform was also important and, finally, the commercial impact. The winners ticked all of these boxes and you could see how the campaign would get consumers to reconsider the brand, category or product.”
Wine: Treasury Wine Estates' 19 Crimes Scream to Win
19 Crimes turned Halloween's most recognisable sound into a nationwide participation campaign, giving Australians the chance to win prizes simply by screaming. This was a uniquely creative campaign with a strong connection to a fast-growing consumer event. The judges were impressed with the tangible results in the form of year-on-year sales growth.
Beer: Asahi Beverages' Carlton Dry Embrace the Mid
Carlton Dry stepped into the mid-strength beer market for the first time, building its entire campaign around embracing the category with confidence rather than treating it as a compromise. The campaign delivered a creative concept that was both innovative and eye-catching. The judges praised the boldness of the campaign for a brand stepping into the established mid-strength market for the first time.
RTD/Cider: Asahi Beverages' Hard Rated Orange Go Full Orange
To launch its new Orange flavour, Hard Rated partnered with AFL personality Dan Gorringe on a high-profile stunt that carried through into a fully integrated campaign. The campaign was integrated with contextual messaging across every channel. What drew praise from the judges was the hard-hitting nature of the campaign that led to strong results that were "hard to beat."
Spirits: Suntory Oceania's Maker's Mark Perfectly Unreasonable
Maker's Mark brought its global Perfectly Unreasonable platform to Australia, partnering with chef Matt Moran to tell a locally relevant story about craftsmanship and sustainability. The campaign used storytelling to connect with the Australian consumer. The judges liked how simplicity was leveraged throughout the campaign to create intrigue around the brand story.
Champagne/Sparkling: Pernod Ricard's G.H. Mumm Setting Sail at Melbourne Cup 2025
G.H. Mumm drew on its long-standing Melbourne Cup partnership to turn a four-day event into a much longer, brand-owned platform anchored by an immersive Birdcage marquee. Pernod Ricard tapped into a longstanding sponsorship with a balanced brand campaign. Judges commented favourably on how the four-day event was turned into a longer, brand-owned platform with strong results.
Celebrating the night's winners
The awards were presented by Fever-Tree’s Head of Strategy ANZ, Alanna Gibson.
“A brilliant campaign can change how a whole category is seen,” she said. “It sparks conversation, earns attention and stays with people long after they've seen it. Fever-Tree is delighted to sponsor the Best Campaign Award, celebrating the campaigns that connected with audiences and delivered real results.”
There was a total of 16 awards handed out at the 14th Annual Australian Drinks Awards, hosted by Edwina Bartholomew. The awards recognise achievement and excellence in the drinks industry, including four Best New Product Innovation Awards and five Best Campaign Awards.
The Drinks Association congratulates its Category One Members, Treasury Wine Estates, Asahi Beverages, Suntory Oceania and Pernod Ricard, on winning the 2026 Best Campaign Awards.
Fever-Tree is a Platinum Partner of the Drinks Association.
The Drinks Association would like to thank its generous sponsors for this year's event.
