Welcome to Faces Behind the Cases Australia
While the Effie trophy is the benchmark of marketing success, the real story starts long before awards night — in the late nights, the data, the strategy, and the hard calls about what actually drives growth. In this inaugural series, we go beyond the case study to meet the teams behind the year’s most effective work — the strategists, creatives and collaborators who didn’t just deliver impressions, but measurable commercial impact. From village-led partnerships to challenger brands reshaping categories, these are the ideas, decisions and moments that turned briefs into business results. Let’s meet the faces behind the cases.
Inside “Insurance Solved”
What happens when a brand walks away from an iconic character at its peak? In this Q&A, Budget Direct chief marketer Jonathan Kerr, and 303 CSO Jody Elston unpack the shift from Captain Risky to Insurance Solved — a move that drove sustained growth and earned multiple Gold Effies, including for Long-Term Effects. They break down what it takes to build a platform that delivers results year after year.
Inside “Every Vape Is a Hit to Your Health”
How do you reach an audience that thinks they’re invincible? Bastion and Cancer Institute NSW took on the challenge of shifting youth perceptions of vaping, delivering work that not only won a Bronze Effie but drove tangible behaviour change among a challenging audience. Bastion’s National Chief Strategy Officer, Angela Morris, and Group Strategy Director, Addison Gazal, unpack the strategy, rigour and collaboration behind the campaign, and what it takes to turn a strong idea into real impact.