2026 Winners
WINNER: Starring GREAT BRITAIN
Brand: Visit Britain
Entered by: OMD Germany
Judges’ Comments:
A confident, simple campaign that recognised people’s existing emotional connection to Britain through film and TV, and turned that connection into real travel destinations, shifting the conversation from winning tourists to winning fans. An ambitious collaboration between studios, rights holders and tourism partners, delivered through a clear, memorable and insightful idea, and exceptionally well written. Judges singled this out as a staggeringly simple but effective campaign, with a clear strategy and genuine commercial impact.
WINNER: Afreximbank: Impact Stories
Brand: Afreximbank
Entered by: CNN
Judges’ comments: Emotionally connected stories around the impact Afreximbank made through investing in people who could positively impact lives with the stories tying back to the economics of the regions involved. The judges remembered both the stories and the people who spoke about the difference this investment had had on their lives. An outstanding and very memorable entry.
WINNER: The Craft of Sport
Brand: UBS
Entered by: New York Times Advertising
Credits: The Athletic, Publicis Groupe
Judges’ comments: A genuine emotional connection, built on a brand with a long-standing, well-regarded reputation and a message that resonated strongly with judges. Strong content, done authentically and elegantly, carrying real hope and optimism throughout. Judges described it as a proper piece of journalism that cut through the noise of the category.
WINNER: Samsung’s Journey to AI Brand Visibility
Brand: Samsung
Entered by: Starcom Worldwide
Credits: Brandlight
Judges’ comments: The entry tackled a broader industry challenge around generative and AI-driven search, addressing LLMs directly as the key audience, redefining what search means for a brand. As one of the first campaigns to take this approach, judges described it as ahead of its time in its strategy, metrics and results, both within its category and against the wider field.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Own Your World
Brand: Deutsche Telekom
Entered by: Mindshare/WPP Media
Credits: Emetriq GmbH, INFO Stockholm, Whalar
Judges’ comments: The campaign found a way to have a conversation we all need to have, in a different way, and addressed it in a tone of voice that meets the audience in a place they inhabit.
WINNER: Starring GREAT Britain
Brand: Visit Britain
Entered by: OMD Germany
Judges’ comments: A confident, simple campaign that recognised people’s existing emotional connection to Britain through film and TV, and turned that connection into real travel destinations, shifting the conversation from winning tourists to winning fans. An ambitious collaboration between studios, rights holders and tourism partners, delivered through a clear, memorable and insightful idea, and exceptionally well written. Judges singled this out as a staggeringly simple but effective campaign, with a clear strategy and genuine commercial impact.
WINNER: Life on a Train
Brand: Belmond
Entered by: New York Times Advertising
Judges’ comments: A very memorable hook with ‘Train Mode’; which anchored a set of engaging stories encompassing a variety of perspectives – travellers, workers, people with children – all built around the idea of the journey itself. Judges praised how beautifully the campaign was filmed. Positive impact was shown through the full marketing funnel and results, making this a real standout winner.
SPECIALIST CATEGORIES
UNDER €1M WINNER: Where Innovation Thrives
Brand: Brand Scotland
Entered by: BBC StoryWorks
Credits: Carat UK
Judges’ comments: A beautifully shot campaign telling stories of innovation and business success from Scotland, spanning a wide range of businesses and tackling misconceptions head-on. It neatly avoided the whisky-and-shortbread clichés, while still capturing much of what people love about Scotland. A human, well-shot creative, delivered through partnerships, and a campaign that produced strong results on a comparatively small budget.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: People Power: Humanising the Energy Transition
Brand: Equinor
Entered by: Financial Times
Credited: UM Worldwide
Judges’ comments: The judges described this as a strong partnership, and enjoyed the FT’s push back on the original brief to redirect the content. The campaign demonstrated well-executed assets that were aligned to the campaign objectives, with a human approach to the storytelling, all reflected in strong results.
OVER €1M WINNER: Meeting the Moment
Brand: L’Oréal Groupe
Entered by: New York Times Advertising
Credits: Beauty Co-Lab
Judges’ comments: The glossy, striking visual creative felt like a natural fit between brand and publisher. The partnership leveraged multiple touchpoints across the publisher’s ecosystem, from podcasts to screenings, and spoke about beauty in a fresh, innovative way.
WINNER: How to Ski Italian Style with Alberto Tomba
Brand: Ferragamo
Entered by: CNBC
Judges’ comments: An elegantly efficient content activation. The judges praised the choice to film on 16mm as simultaneously the right aesthetic call and an efficient one. Three editorial chapters gave the campaign genuine narrative architecture, with products woven naturally into the scenes rather than simply placed within them. Content created under considerable constraints became opportunities, ultimately leveraged as print advertising for a luxury house with a century of heritage, which was the ultimate stamp of approval for the judges.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Making HIV History: Reaching an HIV-free Generation
Brand: Viiv Healthcare
Entered by: CNN
Credits: CNN Create Brand Studio, Publicis Media (Platform GSK)
Judges’ comments: The campaign successfully demonstrated how living with HIV has changed with different treatment options available based on authentic storytelling in everyday locations. The campaign delivered key messages while allowing contributors to speak in their own worlds, which ensured high levels of engagement despite commercial messaging at the core.
WINNER: The Resilient Food Systems Index
Brand: Cargill
Entered by: Economist Enterprise
Judges’ comments: In a category where it is often easiest to reward the campaign that moves audiences emotionally through picture-heavy storytelling, judges instead recognised the entry that had done the hard work of pairing deep, expert-led information with a powerful media partner. A well-developed, long-term approach, rooted in research and data, executed with a partner who brought credibility and trust.
WINNER: LEGO ® SMART Play – OOH That Plays Back
Brand: LEGO
Entered by: Starcom Worldwide
Credits: Sphere, Our LEGO Agency
Judges’ comments: The judges described this as a masterclass in marketing activation, one that should be taught in every business school. It was built on a clear understanding of the brand’s audience and mission. An event that lived well beyond its initial execution, with media environment, message and creative working together perfectly.
WINNER: Victoria Pawsey, BCG
Victoria Pawsey, Global Brand & Media Partnerships Director at BCG, was announced as the winner of the 2026 World Media Award (WMA) for Content Leadership & Innovation last night at the annual awards ceremony in London. This prestigious accolade celebrates individuals recognised by their peers for creating outstanding international content-led campaigns that embody brand bravery, creativity and innovation.
WINNER: Marta Samper, Omnicom Media
Marta Samper, International Partnerships Director at Omnicom Media, took home the 2026 World Media Award for Rising Star last night at the annual awards ceremony in London. The award recognises emerging talent in international media who are already making a difference to the creativity, impact and effectiveness of international content-led advertising strategies.