The Independent Agency Awards 2026 Shortlist Announcement
We are happy to announce that our 2026 Independent Agency Awards shortlist is now live!
We have an outstanding selection of agencies taking part this year, with an even more exceptional collection of campaigns.
Winners will be announced live at the Awards Ceremony at MAD//Fest’s main Hexagon stage on the evening of July 7th.
Group 1. Disciplines
Best use of PR
For F**k’s Sake Productions – MikeWorldWide – LADBible
25 Years of Giving – Tigerbond – JustGiving
The 20th Anniversary of Salon Privé – The Maverick Group – Salon Privé
The Maldon 50 – jellybean – Maldon Salt
Store Sommeliers – Sunny Side Up – Majestic Wine
Best use of Brand Experience
Spudway – Circle Agency – Spudway
Nuii – Choose Your Next Adventure – ZEAL – Nuii
Young Hearts Run Free: How Tinder got daters outside and sweating – Cream – Tinder
giffgaff, The Huggable Poster: When a Billboard Became a Hug – Pablo London – GiffGaff
KitKat x Formula 1: The Break Zone Pit Stop – Altavia UK – KitKat
Cheez-It UK&I Launch – ZEAL – Cheez-It
New Balance London Run House – Exposure – New Balance
Rubicon Big Flavour Behaviour at Boomtown – RPM – Rubicon
Best use of Media
Jason’s Sourdough: An Every Day Obsession – Alchemy Media – Jasons Sourdough
Nuii – Choose Your Next Adventure – ZEAL – Nuii
Putting Rangemaster back at the heart of the home – The Specialist Works – Rangemaster
Closing Scotland’s Mental Health Action Gap – Republic of Media – Scottish Government
Precision growth through data-led media for David Lloyd Clubs – The Kite Factory – David Lloyd Club
Answering the Mountain’s Call: How Precision-targeted brand supercharged growth for Heidi – Flight Feather – Heidi
Best use of Social Media
(Mr.) Worldwide Adapters – iSiteTV – Currys
Zero Spend, 32 Million Impressions: How Uber Eats Scaled Social Without Paid Media – GBM Group – Uber Eats
Takis – Can’t Hide Your Intensity – Digital Natives – Takis
The Launch of Canva Africa – PlusNarrative and Grid Worldwide – Canva Africa
Best Shopper Campaign (in-store and online)
Cheez-It UK&I Launch – ZEAL – Cheez-It
19 Crimes Universal Monsters Halloween Activation – Savvy Marketing – Treasury Wine Estates x Universal Products
Peroni Summer Campaign – Savvy Marketing – Peroni
Heineken 459eken – Mesh Marketing – Heineken
Pringles x Xbox: Unlock In-Game Rewards with Every Can, Positioning Pringles as the Perfect Gaming Partner – Brand Culture – Pringles x Xbox
Best Digital Product
Foundation – Engage Works – Foundation
Club Peroni Campaign – Savvy Marketing – Peroni
Best use of Google Media
Sponsored by Google
Persimmon Homes – Powering new home purchases – Crafted – Persimmon Homes
Measuring the invisible middle of the funnel – JAA – Triumph Motorcycles
Best Promotional Campaign
Meantime – The London Bunk Holiday – The Ninety-Niners – Meantime
Robinsons ‘Win Your Summer Wheels’ – Hey Human – Robinsons
Priority from O2: Blue Mondays – tms – O2
Catch-A-Matcha Tour for Costa Coffee – Circle Agency – Costa Coffee
Peroni Summer Campaign – Savvy Marketing – Peroni
Rustlers BNI On-pack & Experiential – Savvy Marketing – Rustlers
Group 2. Craft
Best Idea/Concept
Sendmybag.com – Ardmore – SendMyBag
Spotify Listening Lounge Launch – Axe + Saw – Spotify
Spudway – Circle Agency – Subway
Craft House Coffee – Blend out. Never blend in. – Cygnus – Craft House Coffee
Triumph Motorcycles – True Originals Never Settle – Drummond Central – Triumph Motorcycles
Poretti – Pablo London – Poretti
Best Art Direction & Design Campaign
Control or Speed – Ardmore – Department for Infrastructure
We Find Our Edge At The Edge Of What’s Possible – BBD Perfect Storm – Mishcon de Reya
Brand Refresh of Dublin Airport Travel Services – Dynamo Creative Consultancy – Dublin Airport Travel Services
Wimbledon Arrivals Campaign – Space – Wimbledon
Best use of Copy
We Find Our Edge At The Edge Of What’s Possible – BBD Perfect Storm – Mishcon de Reya
Everyone Hates Contact Centres – Department of Creativity – Cirrus
Meantime – The London Bunk Holiday – The Ninety-Niners – Meantime
Made to Share – VCCP – Cadbury
Group 3. Sectors
Best B2B Campaign
eBay Open 2025 – AVANTGARDE Marketing Ltd – Ebay
We Find Our Edge At The Edge Of What’s Possible – BBD Perfect Storm – Mishcon de Reya
Fit For Success, Abnormal – Bite IT Marketing – Abnormal AI
Craft House Coffee – Blend out. Never blend in. – Cygnus – Craft House Coffee
Powered by AI, Governed by Human Ingenuity – ROAST – WEX
Acron Aviation – Innovating for Safer Skies – The Think Tank – Acron Aviation
Brian-Proofing the Industry: How Autodesk Reframed Digital Project Delivery for the AECO World – Torpedo – Autodesk DPD
Best B2C Campaign
Humfree – Ideas + Outcomes – Humfree
Engineering Demand: How We Turned Cultural Buzz into Sustained Commerce for Dr. Barbara Sturm – Millena Limited – Dr. Barbara Sturm
Swaledale Butchers – Outranking Retail Giants Through Tactical SEO – SALT.agency – Swaledale Butchers
Peroni Summer Campaign – Savvy Marketing – Peroni
Store Sommeliers – Sunny Side Up – Majestic Wine
Strengthen your Pension – Third City – Strengthen your Pension
Strength Through Kindness – Vega & Propaganda – Cloud Nine
Cheez-It UK&I Launch – ZEAL – Cheez-It UK
Best FMCG Campaign
Jason’s Sourdough: An Every Day Obsession – Alchemy Media – Jason’s
Cheez-It UK&I Launch – ZEAL – Cheez-It
Dr Pepper, Doctor’s Orders – Pablo London – Dr Pepper
Putting the Fizz Back Into Magners – Republic of Media – Magners
Poretti – Pablo London – Poretti
Wilkinson Sword Blade Masters – Pablo London – Wilkinson Sword
Bed Head – Ban the Bland – Cream – Bed Head
Best Retail Campaign
Store Sommeliers – Sunny Side Up – Majestic Wine
Catch-A-Matcha – Circle Agency – Costa Coffee
Club Card – PrettyGreen – Tesco
Inspire Someone This Christmas – Dynamo – EASON
Best Specialist Sector Campaign
UV-U-SEE – Pablo London – UV-U-SEE
Be Ready: Harnessing Social Media, AI, and Data to Drive Fertility Awareness and Empowerment – Foundry3 – Gedeon Richter
Young Hearts Run Free: How Tinder redefined the dating sector – Cream – Tinder
Already Doin’ It – Cirkle – Chemist4U
AJ Bell – Pablo London – AJ Bell
Off Peak with Tim Peake – Mediaplus UK – E.ON Next
‘The Commentators’ – Migrante – Ram
Best Entertainment, Leisure and Travel Campaign
VisitBritain – Pablo London – Visit Britain
Why Do Ordinary? – Accord Marketing – Oliver’s Travels
Dream Destination – Catalyst Creative – TUI
Disney+ Alien: Earth Tour – Experience12 – Disney+
All Change: Rebranding Rail for a Post-Commuter World – Anything is Possible – West Midlands Trains (WMT)
From Invisible to Unmissable: Reframing Pennsylvania for Irish Travellers Through Cultural Immersion – Ardmore Advertising – Pennsylvania
Best ‘Not for profit’ Campaign
Women’s Aid – Hear Them or Grieve Them – Hijinks – Women’s Aid
UV-U-SEE – Pablo London – UV-U-SEE
Life-saving moment campaign – Crafted – MSF UK
Making Hunger Visible – The Maverick Group – The Felix Project
NHS Somerset – HPV (16–25 cohort) – Teapot Creative Ltd – NHS Somerset
DKMS Aunties Campaign – Blood Cancer Awareness Month 2025 – GottaBe! – DKMS
In Kind Direct Not A Choice – Aduro Communications – In Kind Direct
Best Purpose Driven Campaign
For F**k’s Sake Productions – MikeWorldWide – LADBible
STRUT SAFE: STRUT STOP – The Heard – Strut Safe
Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority: ‘The Future of Work is Parent-Friendly’ – Action Global Communications – Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority
Empower Cafe at Cannes Lions 2025 – Propeller Group – WACL
25 Years of Giving – Tigerbond – JustGiving
JWI X Gillette: Fathers Day Is Closer Than You Think [UAE & GCC] – JWI – Gillette
Agency Purpose Awards
December19 | Gen B Corp Unlocked – December19
Building an Agency We Wanted to Work For – Piqniq
APS – Make More Possible – APS Group
Making human connections – Salt
Putting People First: Passion Beats Scale – ROAST
Best International Campaign
VisitBritain – Pablo London – VisitBritain
Vinted’s US Launch – Axe + Saw – Vinted
Artistry In Oak: Re-defining Exclusivity – Republic of Media – Gordon & MacPhail
Guinness Smooth ‘Make it Yours’ – Hey Human – Guinness
Engineering Demand: How We Turned Cultural Buzz into Sustained Commerce for Dr. Barbara Sturm – Millena – Dr. Barbara Sturm
bet365 x UEFA Champions League – 2025/26 Partnership Campaign – Drummond Central – Bet365
Acron Aviation – Innovating for Safer Skies – The Think Tank – Acron Aviation
The Freedom Awards…
Winners for the Freedom Awards will be announced on the 7th July at MAD//Fest.
The Freedom awards are 4 extra trophies that will be selected by the judges.
The four extra awards are: Agency Collaboration, Agility, Bravery, Client Service
MAD//Fest Female Leaders Club
Alice Buttling – AJ – Attinger Jack
Alex Crawley – A*live
Clare Arndell – Join the Dots
Coraline Millena – Millena
Fiona Wylie – Brand Champions
Hannah Penn and Harriet Knight – Pablo London
Julia Linehan – The Digital Voice™
Pamela Uddin – re:act
Rachel Allison – Axe + Saw
Independent Agency of the Year £1m Revenue or Under
The shortlist will be announced on the 4th June.
Independent Agency of the Year
The shortlist will be announced on the 4th June.