Connected Media 2025 Wrapped
- Christie Wade
- 4 hours ago
- 7 min read
We analysed.
We strategised.
We responded to briefs.
We launched.
And somehow… 2025 is over.
This year, we partnered with our amazing clients and brands, went on about 212 lunch-time hot girl walks and launched hundreds of campaigns across both digital and traditional channels. Our CEO, Laura, sent around 165 voice-to-text messages to the team that were interpreted incorrectly (she’s a busy woman) and the Connected Team ate approximately 292 $10 Thai lunch specials in the process. This puts us in the top 0.5% of Chicken Pad Se Ew consumption worldwide (well, we like to think so).
We’ve helped brands grow, pivot, relaunch… and yes, occasionally get campaigns live in a single day. Somehow. Always. Yes.
From huge client wins to navigating a forever changing AI landscape, this year was loud, fast, and full of moments worth replaying.
So consider this your Connected Media Group 2025 Wrapped. A highlight reel of the wins, the learnings, the people, and the chaos that made 2025 our biggest year yet.
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The Connected Media Team expanded
This year we had the pleasure of Kane, Maria and Diana joining the Connected Team.
Kane joined us in June as an SEM Account Manager and slotted right into the team, starting with the most important test of all: lunch-time cricket with the boys.
After wowing us during her internship, Maria joined us as a Graduate Account Co-Ordinator in November. She quickly discovered that we aren’t the scary corporate demons she half-expected… and yes, we do have personalities. She’s already fitted in seamlessly, bringing her own spark to the team.
Diana has joined us in August as a Senior SEM Performance manager, and has brought a wealth of expertise from previous global agency experience.
We also had two new members join the Connected Baby Crew. Huge congratulations to Nicole, who welcomed baby Arthur, and Jade, who welcomed baby Billy. We’ve loved the lunchtime visits and cuddles!
🎓 Interns of 2025
In 2025, we ran 4 internship programs, giving ambitious university students their first taste of Media Agency Life. This year, we welcomed Emma, Gianluca, Zachary, and Maria to the Connected crew for 8 action-packed weeks.
During their time with us, they:
Got 1-on-1 training from platform and channel experts
Sat in on internal and client meetings
Dug into real tools and campaigns
Were officially indoctrinated into the world of media life
The feedback? Absolutely terrific. The interns loved the experience, and we loved having them, which is why we’re thrilled to keep this program running in 2026. If you’re interested, keep your eyes peeled for when we take applications!
Our Shiny New HQ
All of our partners heard us relentlessly harp on about it in 2024, but in 2025 we finally made the move: welcome to our brand new, shiny office. Packed with state-of-the-art tech, decor that screams coastal Thirroul vibes, and just a stone’s throw from the beach (perfect for the occasional lunch-break toe dip).
We’ve loved eating lunch on the balcony, taking in the stunning Illawarra landscape and letting the natural surroundings spark fresh inspiration. And let’s be honest, the team might be even more excited about the fancy new coffee machine. To date, we’ve already made 2,620 coffees on it (literally) - probably more than the number of messages we’ve sent on Teams.
It’s a space that inspires creativity, collaboration, and the occasional gaze out at the waves. Basically everything a Connected HQ should be.
We Came. We Pitched. We Conquered: New Client Wins
2025 was all about growth, wins, and adding some serious firepower to the Connected roster. We pitched, we hustled, and we won Virgin Active right at the end of the year (yes, we’re still celebrating). We also teamed up with ABC and welcomed a bunch of other brilliant clients across eComm, lead generation, and everything in between: Tonies, Vision Brands Group, Housing Hub, Aon Affinity, Supply Nation, Cryomed Aesthetics, PRP Imaging, and Mountain Bike Direct.
We’re ridiculously proud of our team for making it all possible. With this portfolio of new, existing, and legacy clients, we’re geared up to smash even more goals in 2026, and yes, we’ll still be celebrating along the way.
Awards & Industry Recognition
2025 was a year to flex and the industry noticed. We proudly maintained our Google Premier Partner status, putting us in the top 3% of agencies (yep, we’re basically the Avengers of digital marketing). On top of that, we were finalists at the Google Honours, Agency Excellence Awards, and APAC Search Awards - proof that hard work and smart strategy can take you a long way.
We’re proud of the recognition, but even prouder of the team behind it! I.e. the brains, creativity, and relentless energy that made all of this possible. Here’s to keeping the streak alive and aiming even higher in 2026.
Team Fun (But Make It Competitive)
We packed a lot into this year together. From Clean Up Australia Day to publisher events and team celebrations, one thing remained constant: we work hard, and we play just as hard.
In May, we ran the Connected Amazing Race, where Blue Team took out the win.
For the second year in a row.
The common denominator? Chloe was on Blue Team both years.
We’re not saying anything. We’re just saying.
While not officially a Connected event, Todd’s 30th birthday deserves an honourable mention. Celebrated full festival-style, the entire office was invited to TODDCHELLA, an event so iconic our clients definitely heard about it (and were definitely jealous).
We closed out the year the best way we know how: with dedicated client Christmas parties, taking our clients out to celebrate properly, followed by our annual Connected Christmas Party: the final send-off for a huge year of hard work, big wins and even better company.
UOW Guest Lecturing
Every year, we step into UOW and fully commit to our imposter-professor alter egos, guest lecturing at UoW and sharing what marketing really looks like beyond the textbooks.
Gabby and Todd led a Masterclass on Planning Your Context Mix, Vijay, Laurence and Christie took on a lecture about the Impact of Gen AI. A huge thank you to UOW and Michael Mehmet for having us. It’s always a pleasure to share our experience, inspire future marketers, and live out the briefest taste of academic glory.
Client Call-Outs
At Connected, our clients aren’t just clients, they’re partners. We immerse ourselves in their business, celebrate their wins, and work side-by-side to make big ideas happen.
This year, Skinstitut hit their biggest revenue month ever in November with the help of a fresh brand strategy and campaign we implemented together, while iL Tutto smashed growth YoY, hitting their highest online revenue during BFCM thanks to close collaboration on strategy, channel planning, and execution.
We also brought the TonieBox 2 to life with an epic OOH, OLV, and cinema strategy, blending traditional and digital media to spark imagination in homes everywhere.
Earlier in the year, we flew to QLD to visit Plungie, meeting the team in person and touring the factory to deepen our understanding of the end-to-end process.
And Ikon Institute of Australia celebrated their largest Trimester 3 intake ever, following our work on strategy, messaging, channel plans, new course launches, creative execution, and SEO.
And that’s just a drop in the ocean of wins from 2025. We’re incredibly proud of these partnerships and can’t wait to keep driving results, breaking records, and celebrating even bigger successes with our clients in 2026.
2025 Focuses in Two Words: SEO + AI
We’re slightly obsessed with AI and the ever-evolving Search landscape, and yes, we bring our clients along for the ride. From experimenting with new tools to building our own dashboards and sharing insights, we’re constantly learning from each other.
This year, Christie led a tailored AI insights session for all our clients, keeping everyone in the loop on what’s changing and what actually matters.
We also had thoughts on AI published in AdNews, sharing our take on how media habits are shifting and what brands need to do to stay relevant in a world that’s changing rapidly. TL;DR: AI isn’t just hype, it’s a tool for smarter strategy, better insights, and a little more sanity.
On the SEO front, we expanded the team and drove some seriously impressive organic results for clients like Plungie, Ikon, and iL Tutto. With dedicated SEO and AI Visibility (AIO) projects kicking off for even more clients in 2026, we’re pumped to see how far we can take it. Paid media and SEO aren’t just complementary, they’re besties, and managing both ends of the scale has been paying off big time for our clients.
Team Wins (aka the stuff we brag about internally)
As much as we love celebrating client, professional and industry wins, nothing beats celebrating our people (both in and out of the office).
Each quarter, we crown our Connected MVPs: peer-voted legends recognised for outstanding contribution. The rewards? Eternal bragging rights, a voucher, and the most coveted prize of all, a dedicated car spot in our new office. This year’s MVPs were Faye, Acadia, Gabby, Doug & Kane.
Outside of work, our team had some seriously impressive personal wins too.
Francis embarked on his annual trip to the Philippines, spending 3 months remote working (we’re big fans of flexible work 😉) while also volunteering with San Benito’s Pregnant & Lactating Mothers Nutrition Program. We’re always incredibly proud of the way Francis supports the local community and if you’d like to learn more about the program, you can read more here.
Christie’s daughter was crowned Bjelke-Petersen Physical Culture National Champion - and as if that wasn’t enough, Christie herself placed 2nd in Australia. Genetics clearly doing their thing.
Chloe, Acadia and Doug all entered the property market this year. Big adulting energy.
Doug also took home a soccer grand final win, because apparently one major life achievement wasn’t enough.
Taylor went on a solo road trip across the country, until her car’s turbo blew up. We won’t be unpacking that. It’s still a sensitive topic.
We field a Connected Oztag team known as the Conversion Taggers (IYKYK). While we’re currently finding our feet on the ladder, Gabby scored the first try of the season before promptly falling off her bike and
shattering her PCL.
She’s fine. Mostly. And still a legend.
2025, Wrapped.
This was a year of momentum. New clients, bigger wins, a growing team, smarter strategy, and a shiny new home by the beach, all powered by great people and even better partnerships.
We broke records, launched bold ideas, shared knowledge, embraced AI and Search, and celebrated the moments that made it all worthwhile (including a lot of coffee).
As we head into 2026, we’re bringing the same energy, curiosity, and commitment with us, ready to keep building, optimising, and winning together.
See you next year!
