On Friday, October 10th, the Dublin Royal Convention Centre came alive as it hosted the much-anticipated Digital Media Awards. With an audience of over 500 attendees, the night was filled with excitement and anticipation as everyone eagerly awaited the announcement of the evening’s most prestigious honour: the best agency award. The excitement reached its peak when Havas Media Ireland was crowned the winner of this coveted accolade, marking a defining moment in the digital media landscape. However, Havas Media was far from the only company to leave the night with a sense of triumph.
The Digital Media Awards, a true celebration of excellence in the digital world, were made possible thanks to the generous support of the event’s official sponsors — Ebow Digital, Elevate Media, Kantar Media, Olytico, Business Post and Select Hotels and Experiences, whose involvement had a significant role in making the event a resounding success.
Havas Media’s night was nothing short of extraordinary, with the agency not only taking home the highly sought-after best agency award but also sweeping up additional honours. They were recognised for their exceptional campaign From Click to Kitchen – A Digital Evolution in Craft, Culture and Conversion, a collaboration with Cash & Carry Kitchens, which claimed the best in retail and consumer goods award. Havas Media also triumphed in the best newcomer category with the debut of their innovative new agency under the Havas brand, Havas Play: Culture-Led, Results-Driven: The Havas Play Way.
Other standout wins included a Zenith and Core campaign executed for the Dalata Hotel Group for the best use of SEO, and Ladbible Ireland for best brand. Wolfgang Digital’s campaign for Horseware Ireland won in the best integrated campaign category, and Irish Life’s new conversion strategy saw them walking away with the gold in the best conversion strategy category.
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But it wasn’t just the industry giants that were basking in the limelight. The event also celebrated the incredible talents of emerging professionals and students who are shaping the future of the digital media sector. Technological University of Shannon: Midlands made an impressive mark with eight of its students nominated for best student, and it was Lisa Castro who brought home the gold, securing her place at the top. Jessica Oliviera from the Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT) took home the silver, while Lucy Sheehy from Munster Technological University proudly claimed the bronze. These young talents are clearly poised to become the next generation of digital media leaders.
Kerry Lyons, executive creative director of Ebow Digital, said, in a celebratory Linkedin post: “Being able to take a moment on nights like these to celebrate the thousands of hours of work, the collective talent honed over decades, and the courage to go that extra creative mile, clients and agency alike, make [sic] it all so worth it.”
In reflecting on the evening’s success, Trish Murphy, sponsorship director of the Digital Media Awards, extended her heartfelt thanks to the event’s sponsors. “Without their unwavering support and commitment to the sector, this awards ceremony would not be possible,” she said. “We are deeply grateful for their continued support of the awards, which have become synonymous with excellence in the digital world.”
For those who couldn’t be in attendance, fear not, as the event’s unforgettable moments are captured in an incredible highlights video, giving a glimpse into the most exciting and unmissable aspects of the night. It’s an experience you won’t want to miss.
The event couldn’t happen without the panel of expert judges drawn from all areas of the digital media sector, and thanks to their expertise and consideration, a new standard for digital excellence was established at the 2025 Irish Digital Media Awards.
Full list of judges:
- Caoimhe Nugent, senior new business strategist UKI, Google
- Ciara Lawler, business director, Dentsu
- Colin Baker, chief executive, Back from the Future IT and tech presenter, Ireland AM
- Darina Sexton, head of communications, Microsoft Ireland subsidiary
- Dusty Rhodes, founder and chief executive, Dustpod
- Edel Walsh, head of digital marketing, EY Ireland
- Emmet Ryan, business and technology reporter
- Fergal O’Connor, founder and chief executive, Buymedia
- Gareth Dunlop, speaker, writer and consultant on experience design, strategy, innovation and leadership
- Gavin McKenna, head of marketing, digital and communications, Visit Belfast
- Grace Crowley, head of marketing and communications
- Greg Canty, managing partner of Fuzion Communications
- Ian Campbell, digital board director at Zenith, part of Core
- John Carty, lecturer and researcher, Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Galway
- John Coleman, head of SEO at Iprospect
- Karen Conway, digital marketing consultant
- Keith McLoughlin, director, Connexus
- Mark O’Brien, director of product (content, data and AI), Shutterstock
- Niall Kitson, editor of Tech Central and co-host of Tech Radio
- Paula Cerruti, director, Reputation Inc
- Rachel Ray, group strategy director at Dentsu
- Tara Moran, head of sales, Virgin Media Television
- Viv Maher, founder and connector, Think Differently Recruitment
2025 winners
Best use of digital out-of-home (DOOH)
Gold - Talon Outdoor - How Heineken Turned DOOH into a Performance Channel
Silver - PML Group / PHD - Diageo Ireland - There’s Always Time for a Visit to the Guinness Storehouse
Bronze - Dentsu - Dentsu and PTSB - How an Olympic Team Effort Created a Gold Medal Strategy
Best website
Gold - An Post - One Brand. One Platform. Infinite Possibilities – AnPost.com
Silver - Open Design and Digital - An Post - A Witness to Ireland’s History
Bronze - Waterways Ireland - Waterways Ireland Digital Transformation
Best use of display - sponsored by Business Post
Gold - WPP Media - Jeep Avenger: Driving Freedom and Sales Through a Hyper-Localised Display Campaign
Best brand
Gold - Ladbible Ireland - The Best Mate of the Internet
Silver - EY Ireland - Shape the Future with Confidence
Bronze - RTÉ - RTÉ Player - Dive In – RTÉ Player’s Record-Breaking Streaming Success
Best creative
Gold - The Irish Times Group - Sky - Turning Sofas into Strongholds: Bringing Sky’s Stay-In Strategy to Life
Silver - Dynamo - Avant Money by Bankinter - Advantage: You. Avant Money Mortgages
Bronze - Ebow Digital - Health Service Executive (HSE) - HSE: A Bold Identity for sexualwellbeing.ie
Best conversion strategy
Gold - Irish Life - If You Build It, They Will Come: How a New Calculator-First Strategy Resulted in a 461 Per Cent Increase in Sales Opportunities
Silver - OMD - Bank of Ireland’s Shift to a Mid Funnel Mortgage Strategy
Bronze - Zenith, part of Core and Core - Dalata Hotel Group - Vacancies to Victory – How Dalata Turned the Talent Crisis into a Performance Opportunity
Best use of data and insights
Gold - Mediahuis Ireland - Reclick and Inmarket | A First-Party Data Retargeting Revolution
Silver - Spark Foundry - Turning Insight into Investment: Aviva’s Data-Driven Growth Story
Bronze - DMG Media (Ireland) - AIB Mortgages and DMG Media - Driving Consideration and Quality Leads Through First-in-market Targeting
Best newcomer
Gold - Havas Play - Culture-Led, Results-Driven: The Havas Play Way
Best sales team
Gold - Bauer Media Outdoor - Bauer Media Outdoor Ireland
Best app
Gold - Dublin Airport - The New Dublin Airport App - Travel Smarter
Silver - Sugar Rush - Henderson Foodservice - Barista Bar Coffee Loyalty App
Bronze - Tapadoo - Payzone Mobile App
Best use of social - sponsored by Olytico
Gold - Chadwicks - Building a Community – Earning the Space to Drive Commercial Actions
Silver - Wolfgang Digital - Trinity College Dublin - Wolfgang Digital and Visit Trinity - Dublin’s Worst Kept Secret!
Bronze - Forsman and Bodenfors - Fáilte Ireland - Winter in Dublin
Best in retail and consumer goods
Gold - Havas Media Ireland - Cash & Carry Kitchens - From Click to Kitchen – A Digital Evolution in Craft, Culture and Conversion
Silver - Elevate - Henkel - Spin and Win with Dylon Renew and Supervalu
Bronze - Sumoblue - Electrocity - 2 Years Consecutive Growth in Google Ads
Best integrated campaign
Gold - Wolfgang Digital - Wolfgang Digital and Horseware Ireland: From Dark Horse to Prized Pony
Silver - Dentsu - Dentsu and PTSB - How an Olympic Team Effort Created Sponsorship Gold
Bronze - Adhere Digital - Citylink: Driving Ticket Sales Through Integrated, Route-Specific Strategy
Best student
Gold - Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands - Lisa Castro
Silver - Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT) - Jessica Oliviera
Bronze - Munster Technological University - Lucy Sheehy
Best specialist agency
Gold - Glowmetrics - Glowmetrics: Digital Analytics and Data-Driven Marketing Specialists
Silver - Vstream - Vstream - Innovative Customer Experience Centres
Bronze - Glassbox Agency - Google and Social Specialists
Best tech and innovation- sponsored by Ebow
Gold - Zenith, part of Core and Audioxi, part of Media Central - McDonald’s - Innovation McDelivered – Did Someone Order 245,700 Ads?
Silver - ESB Networks - Weather Watch – How ESB Networks Turned Irish Classrooms into Climate Story rooms
Bronze - DMG Media (Ireland) - AIB Mortgages and DMG Media Driving Consideration and Quality Leads Through First-in-market Data Targeting
Best search campaign
Gold - Core Optimisation Limited - Ella and Jo - Skin Deep Search
Silver - Havas Media Ireland - Hyundai Ireland - Accelerating Intent: Hyundai’s Search Strategy in Overdrive
Bronze - PHD - FBD - FBD Home Insurance: Mastering Market Share and Increasing Quote Volume through Strategic Search
Best use of content/native
Gold - Spar and Eurospar - Breast Before Dates
Silver - ESB Networks - Weather Watch – How ESB Networks Turned Irish Classrooms into Climate Story rooms
Bronze - Ladbible Group - Ladbible Ireland x Now TV: The Lads of Us: How Native Content Put Irish Audiences Inside The Last of Us
Best collaboration (owner/brand/agency) - sponsored by Kantar Media
Gold - Ebow Digital - Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland: Knowledge Graph Innovation
Silver - Starcom part of Core - Allianz - To Affinity and Beyond
Bronze - Havas Media Ireland and Reach - More Than Memories: UPMC’s Video Success
Best brand strategy
Gold - Idea - Dublin Port - The Hardworking Heart of Dublin
Silver - Hunter Media Group - White Claw: The Wavemaker Hotline
Bronze - Dentsu - Dentsu and PTSB - How an Olympic Team Effort Created a Gold Medal Strategy
Best use of SEO
Gold - Zenith and Core - Dalata Hotel Group - From 52 to Two Domains: An SEO Masterclass in Strategic Migration
Silver - Bord Gáis Energy - Power in Comparison: Rebuilding SEO to Compete and Convert
Bronze - Wolfgang Digital - Zurich Ireland - Bot to the Future: AI’s Impact on Pensions
Best use of digital audio - sponsored by Elevate Media
Gold - Mediahuis Ireland - Indo Sport with Joe Molloy
Silver - Zenith, part of Core and Audioxi, part of Media Central - McDonald’s - Innovation McDelivered – Did Someone Order 245,700 Ads?
Bronze - Strike Digital - Irish Tax Rebates - Tax Rebate Season: A Moment in Time
Best in government and not-for-profit
Gold - Ebow Digital - Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland: Knowledge Graph Innovation
Silver - Titan Experience - Her Moves x Sport Ireland
Bronze - Vroom Digital - Unicef Ireland – Digital Action for Gaza: A Continuation of Emergency Response
Best use of AI
Gold - Bord Gáis Energy - Intelligent Content and Search: Scaling Performance with AI Precision
Silver - Spark Foundry part of Core - Vhi Healthcare - Vhi OneSearch
Bronze - Supermac’s - Supermac’s Jersey Scanner
Best use of video
Gold - Ladbible Group - Heineken Ireland - Ladbible Ireland x Orchard Thieves: The Guerilla Gameshow That Made Ireland Obey Their Instincts
Silver - MXB Agency - Musgrave Group - Daybreak
Bronze - Titan Experience - Her Moves x Sport Ireland - It’s Complicated
Best small agency (<15)
Gold - Vroom Digital - Driven by Story. Defined by Impact
Best agency
Gold - Havas Media
