Awards Spotlight Splash Honored for Creative Excellence at the 2026 IHAC Awards
Splash has strengthened its position as a strategic creative force within Treasury Wine Estates (TWE), earning top honours at the 2026 In-House Agency Council Awards. The in-house agency secured four major accolades, including In-House Agency of the Year (Australia and New Zealand), underscoring its evolution from a traditional internal studio into a fully integrated partner driving brand, media and technology outcomes across the business.
The recognition reflects not only the scale of Splash’s output but also the depth of its integration within TWE’s operations. Once established primarily to support marketing execution, the agency has matured into a central hub where strategy, creativity, media planning and production converge. Today, Splash plays a critical role in shaping how TWE’s brands engage with audiences, compete in crowded markets and respond to rapidly shifting consumer expectations.
At the core of Splash’s transformation is its guiding philosophy, “Challenge Normal.” More than a creative mantra, it has become a shared standard across the organisation, influencing how briefs are developed, ideas are evaluated and campaigns are delivered. This mindset encourages teams to push beyond conventional thinking, enabling faster decision-making and more impactful outcomes.
According to Elsa Beaumont, Director of Splash, the agency’s growth has been intentional. Rather than functioning as a cost-saving alternative to external agencies, Splash has been built to operate as a strategic partner embedded within the business. By combining creative, media and technological capabilities under one roof, the team is able to respond with agility while maintaining a strong alignment with commercial objectives.
This embedded model gives Splash a unique advantage. Its proximity to brand teams and leadership allows for a deeper understanding of both consumer behaviour and business priorities. Instead of simply responding to briefs, the agency engages with the underlying questions—what the brand needs to achieve, how audiences are evolving and where cultural relevance can be found. This approach has enabled Splash to deliver campaigns that resonate more authentically and perform more effectively.
One of the agency’s most notable achievements has been its work on global and culturally driven campaigns. For Cali by Snoop, Splash led the worldwide launch of “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted,” released in Australia as “Kingz of Cali.” The campaign celebrated three decades since Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur first collaborated on the iconic track. Bringing together label design, storytelling, film production and a multi-channel rollout, the project marked the first time Splash managed a campaign end-to-end on a global scale. The initiative demonstrated the agency’s ability to operate at scale while maintaining creative cohesion across markets.
Splash further showcased its cultural agility during the AFL Grand Final, where it positioned Cali by Snoop within a traditionally beer-dominated environment. Leveraging the presence of Snoop Dogg in Melbourne, the campaign featured his official doppelgänger, Eric Finch, cruising through the city in a custom lowrider. The activation blended humour, surprise and social engagement, encouraging audiences to interact with the brand in real time. Its success was later recognised at the 2026 Mumbrella CommsCon Awards, where it won Best Social Media or Digitally-Led Campaign.
For 19 Crimes, Splash developed “Scream to Win,” a Halloween-themed campaign rooted in a simple yet powerful cultural insight: Halloween is defined by its sound. The campaign invited participants to record their most terrifying scream for a chance to appear in an upcoming Australian horror film. A physical activation at Melbourne’s Crown River Walk drew significant foot traffic, while a digital microsite expanded participation nationwide. Supporting a limited-edition wine range inspired by Universal Monsters, the campaign exemplified Splash’s ability to create immersive, participatory experiences that align closely with cultural moments.
In contrast, Splash’s work for Wynns Coonawarra Estate demonstrated its capability in the premium and heritage space. The “Brutally Elegant” platform captured the duality of the brand—refined wines shaped by the rugged landscape of Coonawarra. Executed across social media, out-of-home advertising, retail environments and digital platforms, the campaign provided a cohesive global identity while preserving the authenticity of the brand’s origins. This ability to shift between high-energy cultural campaigns and more nuanced, storytelling-driven work highlights the agency’s versatility.
Another standout initiative came during the The Ashes series, where Splash created dynamic, real-time billboards for 19 Crimes. The campaign tapped into the long-standing rivalry between England and Australia, playfully reclaiming the term “convict” while updating the scoreline as matches progressed. This real-time adaptability kept the campaign relevant throughout the series, driving conversation and reinforcing brand visibility during a key sporting period.
Beyond consumer-facing campaigns, Splash’s influence extends into corporate strategy and internal communications. The agency has contributed to projects such as the development of the Treasury Collective brand identity and initiatives supporting TWE’s broader purpose-driven agenda. By working across both external and internal communications, Splash helps ensure consistency in how the organisation presents itself to customers, employees and stakeholders.
This integrated model is a defining feature of Splash’s success. Unlike traditional agency structures where strategy, creative and production are often separated, Splash brings these disciplines together from the outset. This alignment enables ideas to be developed with greater context, refined more quickly and executed with a clearer connection to business goals. It also positions the agency to take on more complex and high-profile assignments, including global campaigns that were once the domain of external partners.
Tom Opie, Co-Creative Director at Splash, emphasised the importance of this proximity to the business. Being embedded within TWE allows the team to access deeper insights and apply creativity as a problem-solving tool rather than just a means of communication. This approach has broadened the agency’s scope, enabling it to contribute across multiple channels, including film, public relations, retail, innovation and digital experiences.
The recognition at the IHAC Awards is not just a celebration of creative excellence; it signals a broader shift in how organisations are building marketing capabilities. TWE’s investment in Splash reflects a growing belief that in-house agencies can deliver not only efficiency but also strategic value and competitive advantage.
As consumer expectations continue to evolve and the marketing landscape becomes more complex, the need for speed, relevance and integration has never been greater. Splash’s journey illustrates how an in-house agency can meet these demands by staying close to the business while embracing creativity, technology and cultural insight.
Ultimately, Splash has become more than a marketing function within TWE—it is a key driver of how the company’s brands show up in the world. Its work demonstrates the power of embedding creative talent within the organisation, enabling ideas to move seamlessly from concept to execution. With its continued focus on innovation and integration, Splash is well positioned to shape the future of in-house agencies and redefine what they can achieve in a modern marketing environment.
Source Link:https://www.tweglobal.com/
