PR Awards 2025: Finalists announced, judges applaud innovation and impact

The official shortlist for MARKETING-INTERACTIVE’s PR Awards 2025 has been revealed, celebrating the best in PR and communications across the region. Now in its 12^th year, this prestigious awards programme continues to honour outstanding campaigns across Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Oceania, recognising excellence in creativity, strategy, and execution.

With the industry constantly evolving, this year’s awards have expanded to include six new categories, such as ‘Best Experiential PR Campaign’ and ‘Best Use of Social Media for Crisis Communications’, reflecting emerging trends and valuable feedback from past participants.

The shortlisted brands and agencies have demonstrated exceptional ingenuity and resilience in tackling industry challenges, setting a new benchmark for excellence. At the pinnacle of the competition, the coveted ‘PR Awards Overall Champion’ title will be awarded to the agency and brand that secure the most gold, silver, and bronze trophies across all categories.

Evaluated by a panel of 21 esteemed client-side marketing professionals, the submissions were carefully reviewed to ensure a fair and thorough selection process. Their expertise played a key role in identifying the most deserving finalists, raising the overall standard of the competition.

Judges praise the industry’s growth and ingenuity

Marko Jelicic, head of communication services, APAC at BASF, commended the level of innovation and impact. “This year's campaigns demonstrated innovative approaches to addressing challenges, with standout strategies and impactful executions,” he said.

"From emotional engagement and sustainability initiatives to immersive experiences and community empowerment, each campaign brought unique value and resonated deeply with audiences,” he added.

“I was impressed by the innovative approaches and high-quality work in this year’s entries. Kudos to all participants and finalists,” said May Tan, chief brand and marketing officer at Andaman Medical and Nord Pacific Medical Group, applauding the calibre of this year’s submissions.

Soichiro Rosario, cluster director of marketing communications and brand activations at Raffles and Fairmont, highlighted the evolution of public relations.

“The 2025 PR Awards entries demonstrated a remarkable evolution in the field, showcasing how strategic public relations can profoundly enhance a brand's business value by pushing creative boundaries while maintaining the integrity and truth that define effective PR,” lauded Rosario.

Equally enthusiastic about the competition, Luke Diep, head of brand marketing and communications at RHB Singapore shared that he was “blown away by the boldness and innovation of these entries".

"The ones that truly stood out showcased ground-breaking strategy, meticulous execution, and outstanding performance, setting new benchmarks in the industry. From integrated approaches to measurable impact, these brands didn’t just capture attention but delivered real results,” he added.

Eager to find out which brands and agencies impressed our esteemed judges? View the full list of MARKETING-INTERACTIVE’s PR Awards 2025 finalists here.

For more information about our Awards packages:

Sandra Rones
Regional Project Manager
Tel: +65 6692 9031 Ext 819
Mobile: +63 9322917178
sandrar@marketing-interactive.com

Bianca Mariz
Regional Project Manager
Tel: +65 6692 9031 Ext 821
Mobile: +63 9171620568
biancam@marketing-interactive.com

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[JC1]To hyperlink to the finalists page on the PR Awards website