In an industry built on momentum, talent, and bold thinking, recognising the people driving the work forward isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.
Mediaweek‘s Next of the Best Awards were born from a simple idea: to shine a light on the rising stars and trailblazers shaping the future of Australia’s media, marketing, and advertising industries.
These aren’t age-based awards, they’re based on impact. Next of the Best recognises those who’ve been in the industry or in their current role for 15 years or less, regardless of how old they are or where they started.
Next of The Best Awards 2024 winners
Some entered straight out of uni, while others have pivoted into media from completely different careers. The 15-year mark gives us a clear, equitable lens to spotlight emerging and mid-career talent that’s already making serious waves.
It’s really about who’s made a difference to their client’s results? Who’s questioning the brief, and answering it better? Who’s building what’s next before the rest of us see it coming? Who’s putting in the work, seeing the results and deserves to be celebrated?
In a year defined by tightening budgets, transformative tech, and major structural shifts across the media landscape, celebrating talent and backing those taking creative and strategic risks, is more important than ever.
Next of the Best isn’t just an awards night (although this year it’s at the very impressive W Sydney on 13 June 2025). It’s a temperature check on the ambition of this industry and redefining what success looks like, right now. You can enter yourself, enter a colleague or enter someone you think deserves it.
It’s free to enter and you can find all the information you need here.
We want to reflect the depth and diversity of the people powering the media economy and Next of the Best is your annual reminder that the future of the industry isn’t on the horizon, it’s already in the room.
And this is just the beginning.
See who won in 2023 and in 2024