media Award Categories

This category seeks to award campaigns that have harnessed and been made possible through the power of AI.

Judges will assess how AI has been applied to deliver more effective and smarter marketing for clients, drive commercial results and will look for evidence that AI was integral to the success of the campaign.

Examples could include but are not restricted to: the use of AI for creativity, automation, customer service, personalisation and analytics, such as utilising an AI tool to create tailored messaging as part of campaign, or in response to real-time events. This could also include the implementation of AI voice, or even AI powered applications used to help drive transparency, fairness and trust in campaigns.

This category celebrates the campaigns, activations and platform strategies that prove connected packaging is a powerful, data-rich, and underrated media channel.

Here judges are looking for work that inspired and set the benchmark for excellence. They will reward entries that demonstrate creative use of technology, strong consumer engagement, measurable ROI, or innovation in personalisation or data. Entries should also show compelling evidence that packaging was a clear contribution to the overall brand strategy, quality of execution, and the catalyst for the results.

Eligible work may span a range of sectors and may incorporate technologies such as but not limited to: QR codes, NFC, RFID, AR, serialisation, or any combination of connected technologies. Examples might include:

• A beverage brand using serialised QR codes to deliver personalised content and track individual product journeys
• An FMCG brand turning gamification into a loyalty programme with millions of scans
• A spirits brand using NFC to fight counterfeiting while simultaneously deepening consumer relationships
• A GS1-compliant campaign preparing for the global barcode-to-QR transition while driving measurable brand engagement
• A limited edition or collectable packaging campaign that created cultural moments and drove sell-through
• A digital product passport bridging sustainability ambition with consumer reality

This category has been created in partnership with Appetite Creative.

This category recognises the effective execution of a campaign targeted towards a niche audience. Judges will be looking at how the campaign has used insight to target specific demographics, including groups defined by gender, age, interests, purchase intent, culture, and other niche audiences.

Entrants should demonstrate how the strategy behind the campaign resonated with the target audience and its success in delivering the client’s key objectives, supported by clear results such as audience reach, engagement, brand uplift, behavioural change or sales impact.

The winning entry will highlight how collaboration was not just a component, but the driving force behind the campaign’s success.

Judges will be looking for partnerships where all parties played a meaningful and active role in shaping the strategy, execution, and outcomes of a campaign—going beyond a traditional sponsorship agreement.

Successful entries should demonstrate shared expertise, how responsibilities were divided, how decisions were made collectively, and mutual value creation, ultimately proving how the collaboration led to stronger results than any single entity could have achieved alone.

Judges will also consider how the partnership enhanced creativity, innovation, and problem-solving, as well as audience engagement, and overall business impact.

This category is reserved for campaigns that demonstrate how it led with a purposeful cause- addressing a social, ethical, economic, cultural, political and/or environmental topic. Eligible entries may include but are not limited to: CSR focused efforts or marketing for brands, charities, not-for profits, health enterprises, sustainability causes, social movements or inclusion and diversity initiatives.

Winning campaigns will clearly demonstrate a positive and measurable impact, raised awareness or meaningful shifts in cultural and social perceptions, supported by tangible results and evidence of influence. Judges will also consider how effectively the campaign has raised awareness of an organisation’s values or initiatives in alignment with the cause at its core.

This category welcomes entries from media owners and agencies recognising campaigns that have content at their heart including the creation and distribution of content.

Campaigns may use content as part of a longer-term strategy, or be developed as a fast response prompted by a particular event or action. Judges will look for how the content aligns with the brand, clearly addresses the marketing challenge, and demonstrates how placement and messaging engaged the right audience while delivering against campaign objectives.

Examples include, but are not limited to: existing content, user-generated content, social media content, third-party generated content, and original branded or brand-specific formats such as videos, articles, podcasts, TV shows, music, radio shows, video games, and live event content.

The winner in this category will demonstrate the best use of data and reflect the achievement of effectively reaching consumers where the successful campaign has been notably enhanced or even made possible through learning gained from econometrics and insights.

Judges will be looking at how data has been used to inform the campaigns and apply pivot strategies to adapt and evolve the overall delivery of the work when needed during the execution. The winning entry should demonstrate the best use of data insights, which has ultimately improved results, as evidenced by metrics including purchase intent, attention, brand consideration, increases in the average order value, a reduction in online CPA or increase in ROI. Pre- and post-campaign statistics will be another useful benchmark for judges.

Example could include but are not limited to: Music based activations analysing and utilising listening data to present an engagement campaign personalised to specific users, or a pharma/health-based campaign using consumer data to locate key audience figures to partner with to promote a health cause.

This category recognises campaigns that have used the unique properties of digital media to effectively reach and engage consumers.

Activations should demonstrate innovative or effective use of a single or multiple digital channels and may include, but are not limited to, web/online, mobile, video, social media, search, or display. Entries may also showcase how digital integrates with more traditional formats, provided digital remains the focus of the activation and the driving force behind the campaign’s success.

Judges will be looking for measurable audience engagement and results that could only have been achieved through digital channels.

Digital Media Examples include but are not limited to:

• The online landscape and websites such as: landing pages; video & display ads; microsites; web-based apps; search and display; SEO; banner ads and pop-ups.
• Online Video sharing sites and OTV such as Netflix, Amazon, YouTube
• Audio streaming channels including podcasts such as: Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Soundcloud.
• Mobile apps, mobile websites, mobile games, and mobile based advertising.
• Social media platforms such as Tik Tok Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Twitch, Pinterest, LinkedIn, WeChat and Facebook.

This category recognises campaigns that deliver effective experiences or events for consumers, whether physical, virtual, or hybrid. The case should be clear on its results and be focused on the event / experience itself.

The jury will expect to see how the brand has developed meaningful interaction with the consumer, created a number of key touchpoints and brought its values and identity to life. The winner will be able to demonstrate the tangible benefits for the brand ideally including business results as well as impressive campaign metrics.

Examples can include but are not limited to; pop-ups, brand activations, live performances, product sampling, immersive installations, festivals, community events, stunts, guerrilla marketing, projections, ambient media, digital simulations and virtual events

This category will reward the campaign that has best leveraged a strategic partnership between the brand and talent(s) as a key element, or the entirety of its activation.

The talent may be a celebrity, sports star, industry figure, social media influencer, brand ambassador, community leader or other notable character (real or fictional) who has effectively connected with audiences and directly tapped into their own following to benefit the brand.

The activation may be part of a planned campaign using the talent or used more spontaneously in real-time marketing, but judges will look for authenticity between talent and brand.

The winner in this category will have strategically or innovatively used traditional media channels to reach consumers. Campaigns may include digital elements, but traditional media should remain the central component of the media and marketing plan and the driving force behind the campaign’s success.

Judges will be looking for measurable audience engagement and results that could only have been achieved through traditional media channels. This category is open to entries from both agencies and media owners.

Traditional Media Examples can include, but are not restricted to campaigns utilising:

• Magazines, newspapers, leaflets, OOH and other non-digital content outlets.
• Traditional Radio stations/channels such as Global Radio, Bauer, IHeart Radio.
• Television channels, Television Networks, Cinema advertising businesses or Broadcasting companies such as: DCM, Pearl and Dean HBO, Cineworld, AMC, Telemundo, ITV, China Global Television network, ESPN, DAZN, Disney and Viacom.
• Non-digital billboards, posters, bus shelters, sports centres, building wraps and small and large sized ambient media or objects such as OOH promotional products and installation from the likes of Outfront Media, Clear Channel and JC Decaux.

This category celebrates campaigns that demonstrate a clear and cohesive narrative across all elements of their campaign, showcasing a compelling use of messaging that aligns with the brand.

Winning entries should highlight strong consumer insight and a well-defined strategic approach, that built genuine connection with the target audience, delivered tangible results and successfully met or exceeded the brand’s objectives. Judges will favour work that pushes creative boundaries, and, in some cases, introduces new ways of communicating.

This category recognises an outstanding creative idea, concept, or strategy that provided an innovative, impactful, and effective solution to a media and marketing objective or challenge.

Winning entries should demonstrate how the idea was developed, the insights that shaped it, how it was executed and how it addressed a specific business need, opportunity or limitation. Judges will be looking for campaign ideas that pushed creative boundaries, introduced fresh perspectives, progressive concepts or redefined traditional approaches to deliver measurable success and tangible business benefits.

Please note whilst results will play a role in the judging of this award, the jury will be focused on the creative idea, strategy, concept or innovation.

This category celebrates agencies or clients who have stepped out of the comfort zone and created a courageous, daring or provocative campaign that generated impressive results. This could be campaigns that have challenged industry norms, broke conventional marketing expectations, deviated from cultural norms and/or tackled taboo subjects.

Entrants should demonstrate an authentic and effective campaign that delivered impact for the groups that it is representing, alongside fantastic marketing results.

The campaign must focus on a topic of inclusion, examples can include, but are not exclusive to work based around gender, age, race, sexual orientation, or disability.

This category is looking to reward the best media campaigns, which have been created by media teams based in the UK and implemented in at least two different countries around the world.

The jury will assess how successful the campaign has been across each market in which it ran, evaluating the extent to which cultural nuances were considered in each country where it was implemented.

Furthermore, judges will be looking for evidence of how the work has met and surpassed the clients’ objectives and delivered outstanding results. The category is open to media agencies, media owners, adtech companies and clients based in the UK who are operating around the globe.

This category has been created In partnership with the IAA UK Chapter*

* IAA members need to contact the association at iaamarketing@iaauk.london to obtain a code and recieve one complimentary entry

This category is open to campaigns that have tactically responded to the cultural, environmental, economic, social, political, health and community landscape in a creative and resourceful way. Judges will look for brands who have developed their campaign strategy – short term, long term or in real time - in reaction to the changes within the environments and adapted their media and marketing strategies to deliver the best possible results.

Winning entries should be able to demonstrate how and why the brand has responded to the topic in focus. Judges will be looking for clear insight and an authentic brand connection to the issue at hand.

Examples include, but are not limited to campaigns responding to topics such as: environmental issues, news stories, extreme weather conditions, crisis, conflict or war, political elections or policies, public affairs, healthcare issues from pandemics to viral infection, inclusion & diversity, consumer trends, viral movements OR moments, and cultural shifts.

This category celebrates campaigns executed on £250,000 ($275,000 USD) or less, recognising the creativity, resourcefulness, and strategic thinking required to deliver outstanding results with limited budget.

Entrants should provide a clear account of the sacrifices and limitations they faced due to budget restrictions and how they strategically adapted their approach, maximised available resources, and implemented creative solutions to navigate and overcome challenges.

Judges will be looking for campaigns that demonstrate entrepreneurial spirit, inventive problem-solving, and a strong strategic approach that met or surpassed client objectives despite financial limitations.

Judges will evaluate how the adtech platform served as the key driver in achieving the campaign’s success.

They will assess how the platform’s capabilities were essential in delivering results that could not have been achieved through other means, demonstrating its ability to connect, convert and seamlessly integrate creativity, data, and technology. 

The nominated adtech platform may have been utilised independently, or as part of a broader campaign solution by a brand, media agency, or media owner, but its role in driving measurable impact will be the primary focus. 

Examples could include campaigns that used adtech platforms ranging from programmatic DSPs and ID solutions targetting tools to Retail Media Networks and digital ads solution platforms.

This category is open to any marketing initiative where gaming has been the focal point of the campaign’s strategy and successfully used the medium to increase results for the client’s brand. This could include utilising both gaming and esports communities, audiences/fanbases and networks, or partnerships with talent, organisations and publishers in this space. This could also include gamification campaigns created by brands to engage with specific audiences.

Judges will be looking at how the brand has engaged with the esports or games/gaming organisations and generated key resonation with its products or services to the right audience, and with the innovation of the partnership activation.

Examples could include but are not limited to the use of esports teams, companies, events and tournaments. Gaming/streaming platforms. Gamification initiatives and apps. Virtual realities or experiences, wearable tech, the metaverse and all other emerging platforms. Single or multi-player video games, arcade, console, mobile and other offline/online gaming experiences.

This category is open to campaigns which have tapped into the world of music as the main driver of their strategies and success.

This could be campaigns that have curated musical experiences, are focused on, or incorporated the use of a licensed, or original piece of music, as well as collaborations with music acts/artists, or organisations such as, but not limited, to music publishers, licensors or distributors, record labels and music streaming platforms. This could also include campaigns utilising communities, audiences/fanbases and networks in this space.

Judges will be looking for an authentic connection between the music and the brand, and how music has been leveraged to communicate and resonate with consumers, while delivering or surpassing its client objectives and generating awareness, product or service uplift and key amplification to current and potential customers

This category recognises campaigns, that are rooted in technology and have leveraged it as a core driver of creativity, effectiveness and strategic impact.

Entrants should clearly explain why a particular technology (or set of technologies) was selected, how it was implemented, and how it enabled the brand to engage, target, or interact with audiences in new or meaningful ways. Judges will reward campaigns where the use of technology enhanced the brand experience, enabled innovation, and delivered measurable outcomes, whether through increased efficiency, reach, personalisation, interactivity, or performance.

Examples could include but are not limited to the use of- programmatic, first and third-party data tech, real-time marketing, AR, AI, Chatbots, GPT, Bard, IoT, Metaverse, software, wearable tech or a custom-made technology solution.

This category will focus primarily on the return-on-investment campaigns delivered for their clients. It means results against key business objectives, which have driven sales and awareness will be critical for the judges’ evaluation. These results could be part of an econometrics model implemented by the creator of the campaign, or from a variety of other trusted measurement platforms. Judges will also be looking for the impact of the campaign over a two-year period to ensure there is sufficient time for the results to deliver positive ROI for the client.

This category is open to both B2C and B2B campaigns and judges will carefully consider the effectiveness of the results and the ROI they delivered during implementation.

This category will allow a two-year eligibility period, with campaigns that ran between 1 April 2023 and 31 May 2025.

PLEASE NOTE The entry information submitted within this category will remain confidential and will not be shared outside of the jury room. Should your client require an official letter from the organisers confirming the confidentiality of the written submissions, in order to approve your participation in the awards, please get in touch with fomawards@festivalofmedia.com