The Media Awards 2025 lit up the historic Mansion House in Dublin last night, celebrating the best and brightest in Ireland’s media and marketing landscape.

Leading the evening’s honours was Starcom, part of Core, which took home the coveted Grand Prix as well as being named Media Agency of the Year.

The Grand Prix was awarded to Starcom, Core Sponsorship and RTÉ for the standout campaign with Allianz Ireland, titled “More Than Medals: How Allianz and RTÉ Made Every Moment Matter.”

The ambitious campaign, which spanned both the Olympics and Paralympics, was lauded for its emotional depth, cultural resonance, and compelling storytelling.

According to the judges, the campaign demonstrated “the breadth and ambitious vision” expected at the highest level, with its “phenomenal” results underscoring a lasting impact. “They truly did make every moment matter,” the citation concluded, praising the campaign’s ability to harness global sponsorship rights and translate them into an Irish context through athlete-led narratives.

In addition to Starcom’s major wins, agency golds were also awarded to Havas, Spark Foundry, PHD, OMD, Zenith, Mindshare, and Javelin, highlighting a competitive and diverse field.

On the media owner side, gold winners included a wide array of Irish media stalwarts: dmg media, Virgin Media Television, Media Central, the Irish Farmers Journal, IRS+, Posterplan, PML, Reach PLC, and the Irish Times.

dmg media took home Gold in the ‘Best Use of Irish Language’ category for ExtraG.ie and Silver in the ‘Brand of the Year’ category for EVOKE.

Starcom’s agency excellence was matched in the Sales Team of the Year category by PML Group, while Virgin Media Television was crowned Media Brand of the Year, reflecting their strength and innovation across platforms.

The night also recognised the next generation of media talent.

Kerri Patten of Havas took home the prestigious Rising Star Award, in partnership with Mediahuis.

Described by judges as “a real leader for the future,” Patten was praised for her tireless work ethic, strong presentation skills, and dedication to sustainability.

“She is living the message,” the judges said.

Another significant moment of the evening was the introduction of a new honour: the Media Trailblazer Award, sponsored by Bauer Media Audio Ireland.

The inaugural recipient, Shenda Loughnane, Global Brand President at Dentsu X, was recognised for her continued leadership and influential contributions to the media industry both in Ireland and internationally.

The Trailblazer Award seeks to honour those who have reshaped the industry through innovation, impact, and enduring excellence.

Dr. Rosie Hand, Jury Chair, encapsulated the spirit of the evening in her remarks: “The Media Awards are designed to highlight the creativity, talent, and cleverness thriving within our industry.

“They go beyond just showcasing; they demonstrate the industry's growth, evolution, and significant contributions to a sustainable Irish media and marketing sector.”

This year’s Media Awards were made possible by the generous support of sponsors including Platinum Sponsors: dmg media Ireland and Virgin Media Television; Gold Partners: Mediahuis Ireland, Bauer Media Audio Ireland, Channel Factory, Tesco Media and Insights Platform powered by dunnhumby; and Silver Sponsors: TAM Ireland, Radio Centre Ireland, Newsbrands Ireland, Elevate, and TG4.

The 2025 Media Awards once again proved to be a landmark celebration of innovation, resilience, and creativity, affirming the industry’s vibrant role in shaping modern Irish culture and communication.

Photo: Starcom team at the Media awards at the Mansion House in Dublin. Photo: Justin Farrelly.