The advertising industry, after a tough year, threw some great bashes.
From Thinkerbell's greatest prank to Nine booking out Luna Park, Houston Group flying staff to Hamilton Island and many agencies forcing dress-up themes, AdNews takes a cheeky peek at who did what.
Thinkerbell
Thinkerbell pranked staff, clients and industry guests at its 'not-so-corporate' Christmas party.
Initially arriving at the creative agency's Sydney office, guests were told the office had water damage and the party had moved across the road to a hot, small events room. Guests had to wear a name tag, got only two drinks tickets, food was bowls of chips and we had the pleasure of listening to Christmas music on repeat.
Thinkerbell fake venue and snacks.
We all thought this was it until... Barbra, Thinkerbell's newest staff member, starting making a thank you speech.
Barbra, flustered by the attention, started to bleed all down her perfect silk shirt - that's when we knew this couldn't be real.
Barbra (who turned out to be an actor Thinkerbell hired for one month!) exited the venue and guided us across the road to Thinkerbell's damage-free office. Guests were greeted by endless glasses of champagne, cocktails and trays of seafood.
There was also a few fun activities such as a invite-only seance/dance show from Barbra, underwear painting and wall painting.
Barbra show.
Zenith
The Zenith Media Sydney team gathered at Darlinghurst’s Tatler on Friday 1 December to celebrate a successful year of growth for the agency and say ‘aloha’ to 2024.
The Tropicana party theme was embraced by all, with even a few ‘human pineapples’ making an appearance on the night.
Outbrain
To celebrate the end of a roller coaster of a year, Outbrain decided to get back to basics and embrace nature for its Christmas party. The team took the ferry to Cockatoo Island and spent the night under the stars in a special glamping experience.
The team drank cold wine, cooked their own food, and played outdoor games under the Sydney sun.
With a backdrop full of incredible history and some of Sydney’s most stunning sights on display, the party forged both long lasting memories and exceptional team bonding.
Houston Group
Hamilton Island was the most perfect tropical paradise for strategic brand & design agency Houston to celebrate the end of 2023.
The weather was the real MVP - a sunny 35 degrees, with 100% humidity… which allowed a level of hair frizz that no work colleague needs to witness, says Stuart O'Brien, CEO and founder.
"But swimming in the crystal-clear waters - and avoiding those not-so-cute jellyfish - so close to the Great Barrier Reef made it all worthwhile," O'Brien said.
"The event exuded a fun, relaxing and festive atmosphere. It couldn’t have been a more perfect spot for us to catch up and laugh about the crazy year that was."
"Our trips away are always so important to reinvigorate our Houston spirit and culture. It not only strengthened our bond, but provided a memorable experience in an idyllic setting. Bring on the next party location in 2024!"
Akcelo
After a record-breaking year, it was true Akcelo style to host a holiday party experience for the ages at Coogee’s iconic luxury mansion, the “Crypto Castle”.
The theme was “Go big”, and the agency committed to just that - with Merivale’s crew from new venue Oti in attendance, KOI Dessert Bar serving up custom desserts, and Big Sam Young sharing incredible lobster rolls and canapes.
The team also took the theme to heart - feathers, sequins and metallics were all on display, and a catwalk showed off the very best of the fashion. It was a truly memorable night and a fantastic way to cap off the year.
The Media Store
With a 26-year history of epic Christmas parties, The Media Store didn’t disappoint again this year.
Taking over the private room at Bar Lourinha, the team were treated to a stunning feast, delicious cocktails, gifts, awards, and dancing alongside the live Latino band.
Generosity is at the heart of this indie, evidenced by the donation made to their client, Cure Cancer, in lieu of printed Christmas cards.
oOh!media
Dame Edna, George Michael, Ziggy Stardust, Marilyn Monroe, The Wiggles and Maverick made appearances at oOh!’s annual festive celebrations, with the theme ‘Idols and Icons’ providing creative inspiration for its more than 900 employees across the country.
Icon
As Icon's team continues to flourish, the approach to celebrating 2023 took a unique turn. This year, festivities were spread across two cities.
The digital team from Canberra converged with the creative and behaviour change headquarters in Melbourne, immersing themselves in the picturesque Yarra Valley.
Simultaneously, the communications team journeyed from Brisbane and Melbourne to Sydney, where they embarked on a captivating cruise on Sydney’s iconic harbour.
Nine
Nine had state-based parties around Australia, with various parts of the business coming together for the festive season. Nine Sydney had a party at Luna Park with a special performance from cover band Furnace and the Fundamentals.
Half Dome
The Half Dome team celebrated the end of their 6th year in business with a ‘Super Soirée’, reflecting the agency's 5 superpowers launched under the Half Dome rebrand earlier this year.
The super celebration saw the agency's brand-new office decked out thanks to generous partners sponsoring a bar cart, grazing table and special entertainment, Ellectra the Drag Queen. Half Dome's Heroes enjoyed a day of Superhero Spritzes and Drag bingo, ending with a competitive lip sync and dance battle. Of course, there was a prize for best dressed! Boom! Zap! Pow!
Amplify
Creator economy agency Amplify, took their festivities to new heights by creating Ampli-FLY Airways.
Picture this: the venue transformed into a chic airport lounge, complete with check-in counters, boarding pass invitations, and glamorous flight attendants ready to guide guests - which included partners, creators and staff - through an evening of celebrations.
The Hallway
The Hallway continued its Christmas party tradition of a long lunch by the harbour. This year we were at a very special location, arriving by boat. A superb afternoon was had!
ADMATIC
ADMATIC kicked off the Christmas party by closing the agency for the day, flying our Melbourne & New Zealand offices into Sydney and had a mix of business updates with afternoon fun.
In the morning we got into the nitty-gritty of the business during our year wrap-up session, setting the stage for what's coming next including some well-deserved promotions in the team! The day rolled on with a team lunch at Rocker Bondi, followed by barefoot bowls at Bondi Lawn Bowls, with a bit of friendly competition in the mix.
TRA
Research and insights agency TRA celebrated a huge year across its Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland offices.
Managing partner Terri Hall and the team soaked up the sun with champagne celebrations on Sydney Harbour, Mark Hobart’s team sampled the best of Melbourne’s cuisine, and the Kiwi colleagues enjoyed the beautiful scenery at Te Henga, Bethells Beach.
Across all three markets we recognised people who exemplified TRA’s values of creativity, collaboration and clarity – and of course, swapped secret Santa presents! Best of all, we found out we’d won gold at the Campaign APAC awards for Market Research Agency of the Year the morning of our parties – perfect timing.
Yahoo
From music icons to movie stars, historical figures and pop culture legends, Yahoo’s end of year holiday party was all about embracing the iconic.
Yahoo Australia celebrated the team’s 2023 achievements and contributions with a fun-filled night of arcade games, music, dancing, a nail-biting bowling tournament and karaoke - all in ‘legendary’ fancy dress.
Yahoo's holiday parties are a global tradition where success stories are toasted, and the team spirit gets wrapped in the warmth of unique, joyous festivities.
BCM
Earned media agency BCM Group invited 80 odd clients and friends of the agency to their deck overlooking the Brissie River to celebrate a big 2023. Festivities for some went well into to the night.
TFM.Digital
TFM.Digital celebrated the work Christmas Party with a two-night getaway to the stunning Northern NSW Hinterlands.
The team enjoyed staying in a gorgeous villa, living it up by the pool, playing tennis matches, and of course - many margaritas. It was a great way to celebrate the massive year as a team.
Hopeful Monsters
The annual Christmas party conundrum. A big boat? A fancy dress theme? An overpriced restaurant?
We opted for a good old-fashioned Christmas get together with an agency getaway to the Hunter Valley.
Two nights of games, BBQs, Christmas dinner, vineyards and relaxing together after a massive first year of Hopeful Monsters. Good times had by all.
Next&Co
Next&Co’s Christmas party had staff, family and partners gather up for some food, drinks and 'dirty Santa'!
Atomic 212°
Independent media agency Atomic 212° celebrated 2023 by taking its staff from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Darwin on a three-day offsite in the NSW Blue Mountains.
The event, called Atomic 212° Out Of Office, saw 145 staff participate in workshops facilitated by leading training and development company Culture Hero, plus two evenings focused on the agency’s people, culture and work: a Ranch Retreat BBQ and an evening inspired by Burning Man principles.
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