Australian Agencies Secure Nine Finalist Spots in 2026 ONE Asia Creative Awards

APAC Creative Landscape Shifts as ONE Asia Finalists Emerge

Thailand and Singapore are currently dominating the regional creative hierarchy following the selection of the 2026 ONE Asia Creative Awards finalists.

While Australia secured nine spots, the broader Asia-Pacific region shows a heavy concentration of talent in Southeast Asian hubs.

According to reporting from Campaign Brief, Thailand leads the entire competition with 37 finalists, followed closely by Singapore with 32. This distribution highlights a significant shift in creative influence toward Southeast Asian markets, contrasting with the more concentrated outputs seen in smaller territories.

The 176 finalists represent 14 different countries and regions. This year’s judging process took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a location chosen as part of the awards’ tradition of rotating through APAC to connect with local talent and immerse in regional culture.

Australia Secures Nine Finalist Spots

Australia’s presence in the 2026 lineup is anchored by nine finalists. Finch leads the Australian contingent with four finalists. Three of these entries involve collaborations with Art&Graft London and Clemenger BBDO Melbourne for the Made by Dyslexia “What is Dyslexia” campaign, while a fourth was produced for Samsung’s “Same” project, Campaign Brief reported.

Asian Academy Creative Awards – National Winners Announcement 2026

Other Australian agencies making the list include:

Special Australia: Three finalists, all for the Uber Eats Australia “In The Bag” campaign.
Akcelo Sydney: One finalist for McDonald’s “You Know Where,” working with OMD Sydney.
Rumble Studios: One finalist for Telstra’s “Wherever We Go Again,” in collaboration with Riff Raff Films London and Bear Meets Eagle On Fire.

Across the Tasman, New Zealand’s contribution is exclusively driven by Colenso BBDO. The agency accounts for all six of New Zealand’s finalists, all of which are for the Skinny ‘Ads In My Phone Call’ campaign with PHD Aotearoa, per Campaign Brief.

Thailand and Singapore Lead Regional Finalist Counts

The competitive density of the 2026 awards varies significantly by geography. While Thailand and Singapore hold the largest shares, the remaining finalists are spread across several key Asian economies. The following table outlines the finalist count by country as reported by Campaign Brief:

Country/Region	Number of Finalists
Thailand	37
Singapore	32
Mainland China	21
Japan	19
Philippines	18
India	16
South Korea	8
Hong Kong SAR China	3
Indonesia	1
Kazakhstan	1

Major agencies like TBWAHakuhodo Tokyo and VML Thailand Bangkok have emerged as heavyweights this year, each securing 11 finalists. TBWA/Media Arts Lab Southeast Asia Singapore and Wolf BKK Bangkok follow with eight finalists each.

The stakes for these agencies extend beyond regional prestige. According to Campaign Brief, winning agencies and brands earn points that contribute to network and holding company totals. These results feed into several major global benchmarks, including the Campaign Brief Asia rankings, the ONE Asia Creative Rankings, and The One Club’s Global Creative Rankings.

Finalists Receive Guaranteed Honors Through a Judged System

The 2026 ONE Asia Creative Awards, which is now in its sixth year, utilizes a guaranteed honor system. Every finalist is slated to receive either a Gold, Silver, Bronze, Merit, or Special Award. Special honors include the Green Pencil and the Sustainable Development Goals Pencil.

The judging process in Kuala Lumpur was supported by production company DirectorsThinkTank, serving as the exclusive judging sponsor. Beyond the professional judging, the event included a student masterclass with Level Up and portfolio reviews for over 400 students.

The final results will be revealed on 24 November 2026. For the agencies involved, these wins will determine their standing in the combined global rankings that aggregate points from The One Show, ADC Annual Awards, Type Directors Club TDC, and the Art Directors Club of Europe (ADCE) Awards.

While the creative industry looks toward the winners’ announcement, the question remains how the dominance of Thai and Singaporean agencies will impact the global creative rankings for the upcoming year.

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