Forsman & Bodenfors was the big winner at the Irish Audio Awards which were held last night in Dublin’s Smock Alley Theatre.
The agency picked up the Grand Prix for its Seatbelters campaign for Allianz. It also picked up the top award in the innovation category for the same campaign.
Elsewhere Core picked up three awards for its work with An Gardai Siochana and KFC.
Elsewhere Boys+Girls picked up two awards on the night, the first in the Copywriting Craft category for its work with Jacobs while the agency’s content division, Circle Content, picked up an award for its work with DoneDeal.
Hosted by Anton Savage, guests at the Irish Audio Awards were also treated to an insight into the strange worlds of Darren Conway and Joe McGucken from the hit podcast Stall It. Also during the evening, Alex Jenkins from Contagious shared fascinating perspectives on the societal trends shaping creativity and highlighted the opportunities these create for brans.
Guests also heard from Aifric Lennon, managing director of father , who spoke about the powerful role music plays in building emotional connections with listeners, while Ann Marie Shields from BIMM Dublin highlighted the vibrancy of Ireland’s music sector and BIMM’s role in developing the next generation of talent. Martina and the Moons, rising stars at BIMM, also treated the audience to their music.
Opening the proceedings on the night, Ciaran Cunningham Radiocentre Ireland CEO introducing the evening said “that audio, when done well, is one of the most powerful mediums a brand can use. It reaches millions of people every week, accompanies them throughout their day, and has a unique ability to create emotion, imagination and connection. But like any powerful medium, it delivers its best results when the craft is right — when ideas are given time to develop, scripts are written with care, and production values match the ambition of the concept.”
Winners of the Irish Audio Awards 2026
Grand Prix: Seatbelters by Forsman & Bodenfors for Allianz
Casting: Garda Recruitment by Core for An Garda Síochána
Copywriting Craft: Mam’s Wisdom by Boys+Girls for Jacob’s Biscuits
Audio for Change: Cut Short by Foe / IRS+ / Spark Foundry for Road Safety Authority
Use of Music: Garda Recruitment by Core for An Garda Síochána
Speculative: Checking Out by Róisín O’Mahony
Sound Design: Prepare to Gasp by Scimitar / Core for KFC
Innovation: Seatbelters by Forsman & Bodenfors for Allianz
Consumer: DoneDeal by Circle Content (part of Boys+Girls) for DoneDeal Cars
