Adforum Phnx Awards Announces 2025 Winners

Mexican agency, Archer Troy, has been selected as the Independent Agency of the Year, says the awards.

'Beer Retirement Account' by Monks Bogotá for AB InBev took home two Grand Prix awards in Digital and Strategy & Technique, making it Agency of the Year, and making Monks Network of the Year. The campaign transformed unused rewards points from beer sales into pension savings for Colombian shopkeepers, addressing a major societal gap with creativity and precision. Jurors praised the initiative for its smart use of technology, social impact and seamless integration into the brand's ecosystem, says the PHNX Awards. 

'Uncle KFC's Rice Bowl' by Wolf BKK for KFC Thailand took home the Film Grand Prix. In a market dominated by local culinary legends, the campaign reimagined Colonel Sanders as a lovable Thai-style uncle, turning a Western fast-food icon into a relatable figure within Thai food culture. Jurors praised the film's charm, cultural nuance and storytelling craft. A smart, heartfelt way to position KFC as an everyday favourite, adds the awards. 

The awards says 'ColourCheck' by Publicis Middle East for Babyshop won the Grand Prix in Design. Created in partnership with Moorfields Eye Hospital, the double-sided pencil set helps detect colour blindness in children through a playful, intuitive design. The jury applauded the work for turning a learning tool into a smart, empathetic design solution: one that's both beautiful and potentially life-changing.

Other winners were also cause-related. 'Change the Course' by POL Oslo for KPMG was awarded the Good Causes Grand Prix. Rather than settle for passive sponsorship of Norway's Alpine Ski Team, KPMG used its ESG expertise to tackle the environmental toll of the World Cup's race calendar. The campaign proposed actionable changes to reduce the sport's climate footprint: a bold, collaborative step toward a more sustainable future in skiing. The jury recognised the work for its relevance, credibility and long-term vision, says the PHNX Awards.

Finally, the Print Grand Prix went 'LIKEA' by Memac Ogilvy in Saudi Arabia, for IKEA. The campaign cleverly reimagined familiar idioms by inserting the brand into everyday language, turning "Sleep like a baby" into "Sleep LIKEA baby," and more. With smart, social-first visuals built from IKEA's own catalogue, the jury celebrated the campaign's fresh approach to copy-led print and its invitation for audiences to co-create the story, adds the awards.

AdForum concludes that it has launched the PHNX Awards in the heart of lockdown in 2020 to celebrate the resilience of creativity. It has lived on as one of the most unusual shows in the awards landscape. Its jury is made up not only of creatives, but planners, executives, clients, PRs, marketers, consultants ... everyone who makes up our vibrant industry. This year, more than 1 000 jurors voted on the work online. The Grand Prix winners were chosen after live panel debates.

Individuals are encouraged to view the full list of winners here. 

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*Image courtesy of contributor