Written by Izzy Branson-Hammond, Marketing Manager, Festival of Media
Launched in 1989, the M&M Global Awards are the oldest programme in the Festival of Media portfolio, celebrating media teams based in Europe who work on campaigns with a global reach. Over the years, it has evolved into a truly international competition, recognising the innovative use of platforms, channels, and tools across a range of industry sectors, from automotive and pharma to finance and beauty.
The campaigns topping the shortlist at the 2026 M&M Global Awards are ‘The KitKat Heist’ by VML, ‘Vaseline Nipple Sponsorship’ by Mindshare UK, ‘SOS POS’ by OMD Peru, ‘Amex ‘Unsigned’ Powerfully Backing the Next Generation of UK Music’ by UM London and ‘CeraVe – The New Face of Legs’ by Beauty Co-Lab.
You can view the full shortlist here.
The agencies delivering the work behind this year’s standout campaigns are leading the shortlist, are Initiative UK, Mindshare US, EssenceMediacom US, MEDIAPLUS Germany, Mindshare UK and OMD Germany. Their success reflects the strength of the agency-client partnerships behind some of the most impactful work recognised in this year’s awards, with the clients securing the highest volume of shortlists being Vaseline, Coca-Cola, KFC, Ikea and Indeed.
“It’s fantastic to see the breadth, ambition and creativity reflected in this year’s shortlist. The campaigns recognised demonstrate the increasingly innovative ways brands and agencies are using media to create meaningful impact and deliver results. With the shortlist now set, we look forward to seeing these exceptional campaigns go head-to-head in the final stage of judging, where our jury will debate, challenge and celebrate the work that truly stands out.” says Leah Mellard, Awards Manager, Festival of Media.
The competition for the top spot at the M&M Global Awards continues, with the United States and United Kingdom going head-to-head year after year. This time, the United Kingdom has taken the lead as the most shortlisted location, closely followed by the United States, Germany, Canada and India. With the final judging still to come, the question remains: which market will ultimately take the top spot when the winners are announced?
The winners will be revealed live at the M&M Global Awards Ceremony in London on Thursday 1 October, hosted at Taboola’s head office. Register for your free ticket now! The winner of Best International Media Campaign, in association with the IAA, will be announced separately at the IAA Christmas Lunch on 2 December.
With the shortlist now revealed, it’s time to shine a light on the people behind the campaigns, the teams, leaders and creative minds who bring ideas to life and continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in media.
For the first time, Festival of Media has partnered with The Media Leader to bring its Leadership Categories to the M&M Global Awards, providing a platform to recognise the individuals leading the industry, inspiring their teams and shaping the future of media. With the final extended entry deadline on 14 September, there is still time to ensure the people making a difference within your organisation receive the recognition they deserve. Contact the awards team today at fomawards@festivalofmedia.com to find out more and put your industry leaders forward.
For questions related to marketing, please contact our Marketing Manager, Izzy Branson-Hammond, on izzy.branson-hammond@festivalofmedia.com
