HERO Becomes First Sydney Creative Agency to Achieve Global Top 2 Ranking at the 2026 WINA Festival
Sydney creative agency HERO has become the first Australian agency in history to achieve a Global Top 2 ranking at the World Independent Advertising Awards (WINA Festival), placing second overall among independent agencies worldwide.
The result follows HERO's sixth-place global ranking at the WINA Festival in 2025, making HERO the first Australian agency to appear in the WINA Global Top 10 for two consecutive years.
HERO's 2026 performance was led by Mastercard Transit Tales, which secured multiple awards, including a Grand Prix and Gold recognition in the Interactive category. The campaign's success also saw Mastercard named the second-ranked Global WINA Advertiser of the Year, behind UNICEF.
The achievement marks the second consecutive year HERO has taken home a WINA Grand Prix, following its Grand Prix win in 2025 for Toyota C-HR Diamond Collection. Last year, HERO also earned Gold, Silver and Bronze awards across Toyota C-HR Diamond Collection and Mindography for INSTAX Fujifilm, helping secure a sixth-place global agency ranking.
Andrew Woodhead, Creative Director at HERO, said:
"It's a huge accolade to take out back-to-back Grand Prix wins at the WINA Festival, for two pieces of innovative work for two major clients, Toyota and Mastercard. The whole team at HERO are pretty pumped to go for the three-peat."
HERO's 2026 WINA Festival Awards
Grand Prix
HERO, Australia | Brand: Mastercard | Category: Interactive
Gold
HERO, Australia | Brand: Mastercard | Category: Interactive
HERO, Australia | Brand: Mastercard | Category: Interactive
Bronze
HERO, Australia | Brand: Mastercard | Category: Content
HERO, Australia | Brand: Mastercard | Category: Craft
Why the WINA Festival Rankings Matter
The World Independent Advertising Awards (WINA Festival) recognises leading independent advertising agencies from around the globe. Agencies are assessed across a comprehensive range of criteria designed to evaluate creative excellence, marketing effectiveness, strategic thinking, innovation and industry impact.
The result positions HERO among the world's highest-ranked independent creative agencies and establishes the Sydney-based agency as Australia's top-performing agency in the 2026 WINA Festival rankings.
WINA Festival Judging Criteria
Industry Awards, Reputation & Recognition
Agency standing within the advertising industry is measured through recognition from leading awards programs including Cannes Lions, Effie Awards, AdNews, Campaign Brief, Mumbrella, B&T, AWARD Awards, and both APAC and Australian Effies. Consistent recognition across these platforms demonstrates excellence in creativity, innovation and effectiveness.
Client Portfolio & Campaign Success
The quality, longevity and diversity of client relationships are considered alongside campaign performance and measurable business outcomes. Agencies that balance long-term partnerships with bold, effective creative work are highly regarded.
Creative Excellence
Creative quality is assessed through award-winning work, originality, innovation and effectiveness across channels including television, digital, social media, print, radio, public relations and integrated campaigns.
Digital Capabilities & Social Reach
Judges evaluate expertise across digital marketing, social media, programmatic advertising, performance marketing, analytics, AI and emerging technologies. Agencies that successfully integrate traditional and digital channels are rewarded.
Strategic Planning, Data & Insights
Strategic capability is assessed through the application of research, data, consumer insights and brand positioning to deliver effective marketing outcomes and impactful creative solutions.
Marketing Performance & Innovation
Agencies are evaluated on their ability to adapt to changing market conditions, embrace innovation, invest in research and development, and leverage emerging technologies including artificial intelligence.
Client Testimonials & Industry Feedback
Client satisfaction, long-term partnerships, case studies and industry endorsements all contribute to overall rankings.
Market Reputation & Performance
Growth, market presence, business momentum and new client acquisition are considered alongside an agency's ability to deliver complex, multi-channel campaigns at scale.
Specialist Expertise & Services
Specialist capabilities across sectors such as finance, healthcare and technology, as well as expertise in experiential marketing, influencer marketing and performance marketing, contribute to rankings.
Team Expertise, Leadership & Talent
Leadership experience, creative capability, strategic expertise, diversity and talent development are all important factors. Agencies that invest in emerging talent and foster diverse perspectives are viewed favourably.
Australia's Leading Independent Creative Agency
Based on these rigorous judging criteria, HERO's Global Top 2 ranking at the 2026 WINA Festival reinforces its position as one of Australia's leading creative agencies and Sydney's highest-ranked independent creative agency on the global stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the WINA Festival?
The World Independent Advertising Awards (WINA Festival) is a global awards program recognising outstanding independent advertising agencies and creative work from around the world.
What ranking did HERO achieve at the 2026 WINA Festival?
HERO ranked second globally, becoming the first Australian creative agency to achieve a Global Top 2 ranking in WINA Festival history.
Where is HERO based?
HERO is an independent creative agency headquartered in Sydney, Australia.
Which campaign drove HERO's success at WINA 2026?
Mastercard Transit Tales won a Grand Prix, two Gold awards and two Bronze awards, helping HERO achieve its record global ranking.