The first notable finalist is for Best Use of Short Form Video. BBC StoryWorks and Brand USA teamed up for “USA Through Film,” a short-form video series spotlighting the nation’s cultural and geographic diversity through the eyes of familiar film and television personalities. Blending personal narratives with cinematic cityscapes, the series gave global viewers an intimate look at destinations across the U.S. With 332 million impressions on BBC platforms and a marked increase in travel intent among international audiences, the campaign demonstrated the power of human-led storytelling to drive engagement and tourism.

Showtime’s “The Chi” executed a dynamic multi-channel strategy across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X and Threads to deepen fan engagement and expand its digital footprint. This earned Showtime and its partner, MTV Entertainment Studios, a nomination for Best Multi-Channel Strategy. Tailored content — from meme-driven clips to behind-the-scenes videos — was designed to suit each platform’s strengths, while support from Paramount+ and Showtime social handles amplified reach. The approach paid off, delivering 161 million views, nearly 8 million engagements and 365,000 new followers. A standout TikTok post alone garnered over 10.8 million views, marking the show’s most viewed and engaging social content to date.

YouTube TV’s product marketing management team has redefined how live television reaches and resonates with audiences, earning it a nomination for Most Innovative Marketing Team, a new category for this year’s awards. Fusing customer insight with growth-oriented innovation, the team has launched standout features like Watch With and Multiview while driving user acquisition through strategic programs and experimentation. Their collaborative, values-driven culture has earned them internal accolades and industry awards. With over 8 million subscribers and recognition from the Webby and ​​AVA Digital Awards, their work has been pivotal in YouTube surpassing $50 billion in ad and subscription revenue, setting the stage for YouTube TV to become the leading pay-TV distributor by 2026.

From redefining tourism storytelling to building immersive fan communities and transforming how live TV connects with viewers, this year’s finalists demonstrate the impact of innovative content marketing across industries. BBC StoryWorks, Showtime and YouTube represent a new standard for creativity, collaboration and measurable success — offering a peek into what the rest of the entrants have to offer. As the media landscape continues to evolve, these campaigns provide a glimpse into the strategies shaping the future of content-driven engagement.

See the complete list of finalists below.

Advertising Agency of the Year
January Digital

Best Agency/Client Collaboration
First Media’s So Yummy & Coca-Cola’s Simply Branded Campaign
Fortune Brand Studio & Accenture—Reinventing the Fortune 500
Movers+Shakers x e.l.f. Cosmetics
Taste of KFC Value with Deion Sanders & Family
The Arena Group and 5-Hour ENERGY – Take Your Shot Campaign
Viral Nation X MGM Resorts: Redefining Hospitality

Best Brand/Influencer Collaboration
Carhartt & Luke Grimes: A Legacy of Hard Work
DIMES COOL LIME MIX – MORE THAN IT LOOKS
e.l.f. Cosmetics X Viral Nation: Mikayla “CEO of the Day”
QYOU Media x Paramount Pictures
Reach Agency: A Mindful Partnership
Shell Helix

Best Branded Content Series – B2B
Bizzabo and the swaggers disrupt the event software industry
CCWSJ/Unlikely Collaborators -Perception Box: Corner Office
Interac Corp & Group SJR – From Dollar One
McKinsey & Company – Beyond Why to How
McKinsey & Company – Never Just Tech
Wistia – Fix My Setup Series

Best Branded Content Series – B2C
Boy Room – Amazon
Celebrity Substitute – Amazon
Dove Self-esteem Project x Blippi
Engaging new audiences with an idea-centric strategy
Honda Stage x Billboard starring Davido & Lila Ike
Showtime’s Dexter: Final Cut

Best Branded Content Site – B2B
BBC StoryWorks x Amazon Web Services
Custom Content from WSJ & USPS – Delivering Advantage
Esri & GIS: The Technology That’s Quietly Changing the World
McKinsey & Company – Beyond Why to How
McKinsey & Company – Never Just Tech
Volkswagen Erhvervsbiler and Brand Movers – Værktøjskassen

Best Branded Content Site – B2C
AllGear Digital x Fjällräven: Guide to Outside
Dotdash Meredith Travel and Visit California, “Let’s Play”
Morgan Stanley at Work’s Participant Website
NBCUniversal & UBS The Anatomy of Craft: Formula for Success

Best Branded Podcast
Crucible Moments – Season 2
Into the Mix – Season 3
L’Oréal Groupe x T Brand Studio—This is Not a Beauty Podcast
Truist and Pace – Launch of Wealth Podcast
Storythings/GPA – Phoenixed:Inside Canada’s Payroll Disaster
StrollerCoaster: A Parenting Podcast

Best Community Building Campaign
Bumble’s #LoveLetterstoBlackWomen
DIMES COOL LIME MIX – MORE THAN IT LOOKS
e.l.f. Cosmetics X Viral Nation
Forbes Creator Upfronts in Partnership with Walmart Creator
How Audible Brought Audiobooks to #BookTok

Best Content Marketing Platform
Flodesk: Empowering Businesses with Smarter Email Marketing
Golden 1 Credit Union & Questus – Life is a Journey Campaign
nDash
Planoly

Best Event
H&M Hosts Surprise Charli xcx Concert in Times Square
MTV’s 2023 VMA Block Party
Purdue University and IMS Total Solar Eclipse Event
STARSCAPE at Genesis House
The Outside Festival and Summit 2024
Thrive -Morgan Stanley at Work Workplace Benefits Conference

Best Experiential Marketing Campaign
America Has Voted by Violife and Small Girls PR
Fine’ry-verse x Best Experiential Marketing Campaign
H&M Hosts Global Event Series Celebrating Music and Fashion
In Our STEM Era” Makerspace by Purdue University
Weber Shandwick x Trigger(House: Cheez-It “Cheez-In Diner”
YAH + Cricket, putting Chair Phone in the hands of WWE fans

Best In-House Content/Brand Studio
Big Think and Unlikely Collaborators: Perception Box
CNN Create Brand Studio
Fortune Brand Studio
Purdue Brand Studio
The Telegraph’s commercial content studio
The Foundry at Dotdash Meredith

Best Interactive Content Piece or Series
Atlas Obscura & Maine Office of Tourism – Interactive Guide
BigStory+Attention – new billing and user engagement.

Best Multi-Channel Strategy
AstraZeneca and Edelman – “What science can do”
CO Tourism Office x Atlas Obscura: Blue Apron Partnership
Forbes x ServiceNow: Multi-Channel AI Thought Leadership cam
Kendall-Jackson & La Crema launch NBA & WNBA partnerships
MiraLAX Partners with Linqia to Close “The Gut Gap”
Showtime’s The Chi

Best Multi-Platform Video Campaign – NEW
Carhartt & Luke Grimes: A Legacy of Hard Work
KCL x Kenvue Success: From Medicine Cabinets to Checkout
Little Dot Studios for Netflix UK/IE – One Day
Lookfantastic Goes Viral with Shoplooks Influencer Strategy
theSkimm & the NAR Present Video Series: “Making THE Move”

Best Personalization Strategy
Campbell’s Dinner Inspiration: AI-Fueled Content Creation
Funko Product Launch – Pop! Yourself x NFL
Unifying Personalization Across the Home Depot Universe

Best Product Launch Campaign
EF Ultimate Break – On Location, Thailand
Jack in the Box x Deadpool Mini Chimi Bang Bangs
MAC Cosmetics – I Only Wear M·A·C – M·A·C New Nudes Launch
PERFECT – Alternate Vitality 2024 Jersey – Team Vitality
The Mac-A-Roni Experience: The Launch of Mac-A-Roni
Wondery Means Business, Wondery

Best Use of AI Generated Content
Deloitte Stories Gallery – Storytelling with AI-Enhanced Art
DIMES COOL LIME MIX – MORE THAN IT LOOKS
Fine’ry
How trivago used HeyGen to localize TV ads worldwide
PUMA AI Creator Launch with Manchester City
Starburst – Different Every Time

Best Use of Brand and Performance Marketing – NEW
Business Insider and Dell Technologies – Generation AI
LinkPrefer: Influencer-Driven Brand & Performance Growth
Rewardoo and Boden UK – A Best Practice in Brand-Performance
Steve Madden + January Digital: ‘NEVER MISS A BEAT’
Timberland ICONIC Campaign
WSJ: Best Use of Brand and Performance Marketing

Best Use of Data
AstraZeneca and Edelman – “What science can do”
GIPHY — 2025 Trend Forecast Report
Guild x Extra x Nexxen
Showtime’s The Chi
Soaring to Success: United Airlines x Movable Ink
The Telegraph and Sage, enhancing game time for rugby fans

Best Use of Influencer Marketing
Adolescent Content – Never a Bother Suicide Prevention
Disrupt Marketing and Wizz Air: Let’s Get Lost London
Rocket: Own the Dream
Shell Helix
The Home Depot x Dotdash Meredith: Home Services
Totino’s Fever Dream Influencer Roster

Best Use of Live Video
The Worldwide Toast to Kentucky Bourbon

Best Use of Long Form Video
Celebrity Substitute – Amazon
Fortune Brand Studio & Accenture—Reinventing the Fortune 500
MTV’s RuPaul’s Drag Race – The Pit Stop with Trixie Mattel
Purdue Brand Studio presents “Boilers to Mars”
Showtime’s Dexter YouTube Channel
Team Vitality and ALDI: Rifts in the Rift

Best Use of Native Advertising/Sponsored Content
Fortune Brand Studio & Accenture—Reinventing the Fortune 500
Jefferson’s Bourbon Partners with “The Penguin”
Outside and Toyota Tacoma – Ready for Adventure
SPLASH REFRESHERxBETCHES: Primo Brands, Grit, Horizon Media
The Campbell’s Company & DDM: AI and Always-On Content
YAH + Cricket, tagging in our Small Business Superstars

Best Use of Shoppable Content
Billboard x Walmart Nuevolution Video Lounge
e.l.f. Cosmetics x Movers+Shakers – Mt Rushmore Pimple Patch
First Media’s So Yummy & Coca-Cola’s Simply Branded Campaign
FOX Sports & Cirkul Super Bowl Shoppable Campaign
The Home Depot & AMC: Best Christmas Ever

Best Use of Short Form Video
AMC x The Home Depot – “Making Holiday Magic” Campaign
Atlassian Creative Studio x Noble People: Zach Woods & Jira
BBC StoryWorks and Brand USA Launch USA Through Film
BDG Studios and Google Search: “Get Ready With Leah Kateb”
The Campbell’s Company & DDM: Real-Time Social Engagement
ZoomInfo – Gold Rush

Best Use of Social
Carhartt’s Bold Social Strategy: Record eComm Growth in 2024
Dunkin’ and Cornelia Creative: Spider Donut Social Takeover
Ford and Born Social – The Legend…Is Back
MAC Cosmetics – I Only Wear M·A·C – M·A·C New Nudes Launch
Outside and Samsung – The Ultimate View
Spider-Verse Sony BRAVIA Campaign

Best Use of TikTok
Boy Room – Amazon
eos Lotion Lock Campaign
Later and Crumbl – The Gift of Crumbl Holiday Campaign
QYOU Media x Paramount Pictures
Uncovered x KFC Oil Up
Uncovered: BYD X EUROS 2024

Brand Publication of the Year
Dotdash Meredith Travel and 2024 West Virginia Travel Guide
Esri ArcNews Magazine
Starling brings money storytelling to life with Noteworthy

Content Marketing Partner of the Year
BDG Studios: Content Marketing Partner Of The Year
Fortune Brand Studio
Movers+Shakers – Content Marketing Partner of the Year
The Trust (Custom Content from WSJ)
The Telegraph’s content partnerships team

Most Effective/Measurable Campaign
Citi Mastercard Usage campaign – Trip.com SG
Guild x Extra x Nexxen
H&M and Meta partner on ‘Find Your Beach’ summer campaign
Joint collaboration between Citi, Mastercard & Trip.com HK
Microsoft and Pearpop – Share Your Gift with the World
The Telegraph proves there’s more to Argos than you think

Most Innovative Content Marketer – NEW
Alex Dousie: Dow Jones and WSJ’s Head of Brand Marketing
Blad Norman, Global Head of Marketing, Wondery

Most Innovative Marketing Team – NEW
Fine’ry: Most Innovative Marketing Team
Most Innovative Marketing Team — Optimum Media Marketing
Purdue Brand Studio
The Worldwide Toast to Kentucky Bourbon
YouTube TV PMM Team: Driving Innovation & Engagement

Most Innovative Use of Content
AI-Powered Travel Planner: Your Guide to Exploring Germany
Atlas Obscura & Lincoln – Panoramic Discoveries
BDG Studios and e.l.f. Beauty: “Beauty Hotline”
Custom Content from WSJ & Equitable – Great Wealth Transfer
Gyeongsangbuk-do – The Spirit of Tradition: Korean Soju
State Farm, OMD, TMA & Realtor.com – Jake’s House

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