Winners of the highly anticipated Financial Standard Marketing, Advertising and Sales Excellence (MAX) Awards were announced at a glittering ceremony in Sydney last night.
Now in its 29th year, the MAX Awards is Australia’s longest-running awards program dedicated to highlighting the outstanding contributions of leading sales, advertising, and marketing professionals in the $3 trillion investment management industry.
Executive of the Year – Marketing went to Ian Ross from superannuation fund Hostplus, while Executive of the Year – Distribution went to Vinnie Wadhera from exchange-traded fund specialist Betashares.
Hostplus also won the coveted title of Marketing Team of the Year while Betashares nabbed its second award with Marketing Campaign of the Year – Consumer.
Generation Life stood out in the Marketing Campaign of the Year – Industry category for its tax-aware investing campaign and Aware Super won the Financial Education campaign for the second year in a row for its ‘Financial education and wellbeing series’.
In the agency categories, Fundamental Media claimed the title of Agency of the Year while Nibble Digital received the Creative Agency of the Year award for the second year running.
Michelle Baltazar, Executive Director – Media, congratulated the winners and acknowledged the impressive calibre of nominations and entries in this year’s awards.
“We congratulate this year’s winners and finalists for their unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation and stewardship. The financial services sector plays a vital role in driving the economy and ensuring investors have the opportunity to find the best-of-breed financial products and services in the market,” said Baltazar.
“This year’s MAX award recipients are highly instrumental in fostering that connection between super funds, fund managers and agencies, and the wider investment community.”
In selecting the recipients of the MAX awards, individuals and organisations in financial services were invited to submit their nominations across 23 categories. Five finalists proceeded to the voting round with Financial Standard readers casting their votes to determine the winners.
2023 MAX Award winners:
Category |
Award winner |
Agency Campaign of the Year |
Colonial First State and The Speed Agency |
Agency Executive of the Year |
Nicola Ryan, Ptarmigan Media |
Agency of the Year |
Fundamental Media |
Community Initiative of the Year |
Bloomberg - Women's Buy-Side Network |
Creative Agency of the Year |
Nibble Digital |
Digital Campaign of the Year |
La Trobe Financial |
Distribution Team of the Year |
Janus Henderson Investors |
Executive of the Year - Distribution |
Vinnie Wadhera, Betashares |
Executive of the Year - Marketing |
Ian Ross, Hostplus |
Financial Education Campaign of the Year |
Aware Super, Financial education and wellbeing series |
FinTech Solution of the Year |
Link Group, LinkVote+ |
Integrated Campaign of the Year |
Generation Life |
Marketing Campaign of the Year - Consumer |
Betashares |
Marketing Campaign of the Year - Industry |
Generation Life |
Marketing Team of the Year |
Hostplus |
Podcast of the Year |
UniSuper, Super Informed Radio |
PR Agency of the Year |
Madden & Assoc. |
Print Campaign of the Year - Consumer |
La Trobe Financial |
Print Campaign of the Year - Trade |
Allianz Retire+ |
Product Launch of the Year |
Vanguard Super |
Social Media Campaign of the Year |
Aware Super |
Video Campaign of the Year |
Praemium |
Website of the Year |
Investors Mutual Limited (IML) |
*According to the latest Rainmaker Information Roundup report, the Australian investment market held $3 trillion in funds under management as at 31 December 2022.
About us:
About Financial Standard:
Financial Standard is dedicated to connecting, informing and educating professionals across Australia's wealth management landscape.
Financial Standard promotes thought leading ideas, analysis, news, multimedia, awards, events and education for professionals working in financial advice, superannuation, investment management, research, insurance and more.
As part of the Rainmaker Group of companies, Financial Standard is uniquely able to deliver leading research and information to the wealth management industry.
About Rainmaker Group
The Rainmaker Group was founded in 1992 and has established a reputation as a leading financial services information company in Australia providing market intelligence, industry research, media and publishing, events and consulting services.
Rainmaker produces strategic, tactical, and analytical information about the financial services industry predominantly for superannuation funds, investment managers, financial planners and consumers.
The Rainmaker Group comprises: Rainmaker Information, Financial Standard,
FS Aspire CPD, Industry Moves, FS Sustainability and Money magazine.
Contact details:
Sharren Adiwongso
P: +61 2 8234 7569
E: sharren.adiwongso@financialstandard.com.au