The Adland ARIA Award Is back for 2025
ARIA has confirmed the return of its newest industry-facing accolade, the ARIA Award for Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement, now entering its third year.
The announcement was made by ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd during the “How Brands Can Win in Music Culture” panel at the Cairns Crocodiles event this afternoon (May 13th), where she appeared alongside Poppy Reid (Curious Media), Duncan Collins (TMRW Music), and Harry Wilson (noisy).
“If I had one piece of advice for a brand looking to make a real impact in domestic culture, it’s to think local,” said Herd. “We are at a pivotal point in Australian culture right now, and Australian music is an incredibly powerful pathway for brands who need to create meaningful stories that shift Australian consumers into fans. We’re thrilled to bring this award back for a third year and shine a spotlight on the brands winning in culture with Australian music.”
Originally launched in 2023 following the success of the Our Soundtrack Our Stories campaign, the award celebrates campaigns that use local music to amplify brand storytelling and connect with audiences in powerful and culturally resonant ways in two categories: “up to” and “over two minutes” in duration.
In 2024, the Adland Award went to Bolster Group and Publicis Groupe for their work on the campaign for Cancer Council, which featured a sync from JK-57. Other notable nominations included campaigns featuring music by Budjerah, MAY-A, Thelma Plum, and The Presets, with creative contributions from agencies such as Howatson+Company, Fox Sports Australia, 72andSunny, and Collider/Mirimar.
To be eligible, agencies must first take the pledge: “Our agency pledges support for homegrown music by elevating our work with local voices, sounds and stories, and encouraging our creatives to invest music budgets into homegrown artists.”
The award is part of ARIA’s broader mission to foster collaboration between Australia’s music and creative industries—an effort sparked by artist and advocate Holly Rankin (Jack River), whose 2021 viral open letter urged brands and media to embed local music into the nation’s cultural and commercial fabric.
More information on the award and pledge initiative is available at ARIA’s official website.