Adland ARIA Award Returns In 2025

ARIA has confirmed that the Adland ARIA Award—also known as the Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement Award—will be back for another year in 2025.

ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd confirmed the news during a conference at the Cairns Crocodiles yesterday (13 May). The award is now entering its third year.

The Adland Award celebrates the creative, innovative use of Australian music in advertising while showcasing how local music can elevate brands' stories and connect with audiences in their homes.

Upon its introduction in 2023, following the success of the Our Soundtrack Our Stories campaign, ARIA has honoured companies for combining homegrown music with their advertisements. Previous nominees include Fox Sports Australia, Howatson+Company, 72andSunny, and Collider/Mirimar, which released campaigns featuring music by Australian artists such as Budjerah, Thelma Plum, The Presets, and MAY-A.

Last year, Bolster Group and Publicis Groupe won the award after releasing a poignant campaign with the Cancer Council. The campaign featured JK-57’s moving track, End The Trend.

Following previous years, an expert academy panel of advertising and music sync specialists will oversee the nomination and judging process before this year’s nominees and winner are revealed. You can find out more about the award here.

Yesterday, Herd spoke about the award at the How Brands Can Win In Music Culture panel alongside Duncan Collins, the COO of TMRW Music, Harry Wilson, the Managing Director of Noisy, and Poppy Reid, the co-founder and Chief Content Officer of Curious Media.

Herd said of the return of the Adland Award and its impact on music culture, “If I had one piece of advice for a brand looking to make a real impact in domestic culture, it’s to think local.

“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.”