CAMPAIGN BIG AWARDS 2026

THE MOST HIGHLY PRIZED AWARDS IN UK ADVERTISING  


READY TO MAKE A BIG IMPRESSION?

The Campaign Big Awards are back, and in an industry that never stops evolving, the need for true commercial creativity has never been greater. While other schemes get bogged down in the data, we’re here for the bold ideas and exceptional executions that make us stop, stare, and wonder "Why didn't I think of that?".

Following our spectacular 2025 ceremony at The Londoner Hotel, the bar for 2026 has been officially raised. From original ideas to consistent creative excellence, we are looking for the work that defines the future of UK adland.

If you’ve got a big idea that made the industry stop and stare, we want to see it on the shortlist in 2026.


KEY DATES


First entry deadline - 14 May

Second entry deadline - 4 June

Third entry deadline - 2 July

Final entry deadline - 6 August

Awards ceremony - Thursday 26 November

ENTRY FEES

FIRST ENTRY DEADLINE: THURSDAY 14 MAY

ENTRY FEES

FIRST ENTRY DEADLINE: THURSDAY 14 MAY


3 REASONS WHY BRANDS SHOULD ENTER.


Establish your brand reputation via the Campaign network.

In a world obsessed with metrics, a BIG Award is the ultimate "no-noise" validation. Winning proves you are a brave client with the vision to greenlight audacious, culture-shaping ideas that don't need a spreadsheet to justify their brilliance.


Signal creative leadership to shareholders.

In a data-saturated market, winning a BIG award makes a bold statement about your brand's health. It proves you have the creative bravery to lead culture rather than just follow metrics, positioning you as a forward-thinking market leader.


Become an undisputed client of choice.

The most innovative agencies and courageous creative partners seek out brands with a track record of supporting bold work. This award proves you are a brand that allows great ideas to flourish, making you a magnet for the world's most sought-after agency partners.

3 REASONS WHY AGENCIES SHOULD ENTER.


The ultimate stress-test for your creatives.

Unlike other shows that require complex case studies and ROI data, this is the industry's only pure test of creativity. It proves your agency can generate world-class ideas that don't need a spreadsheet to justify them. A win is the validation that your creative department’s raw talent and craft are second to none.

Enter BIG with efficiency and speed.

Save your team weeks of labour. Because the BIG Awards judge the work itself with no written submissions, no case study videos, and no performance data, it is the most time-efficient way to earn top-tier recognition without draining your agency’s resources.

The industry magnet for creative talent.

Winning a BIG Award is the highest form of recognition for your creative team’s talent. It acts as a powerful signal to the industry, helping you attract and retain top-tier creatives who prioritise an agency culture where the "big idea" comes first.

CATEGORIES


Media Excellence

So who has the bragging rights for producing the best work across each of the media channels in a creative’s arsenal? The Media Excellence categories will showcase the very best work in any given media channel with one outright winner. Entries can either be a brilliant single piece of work or an amazing campaign.

30 SECOND TV AD

Awards to the best creative TV ad of 30 seconds or less. This should be an original 30 second ad rather than a cut down.

AMBIENT

This award will recognise the most creative ambient idea. Eligible work includes ambient posters and should be executed in unusual or unexpected places. Judges will consider the concept’s creativity and originality.

AUDIO & RADIO

Awarded to the best creative idea in audio and radio advertising. Includes any form of radio broadcast, internet advertising, streaming audio content, downloadable content and podcasts. 

BEST USE OF DIGITAL TECH

Awarded to the best creative idea using innovative technology to solve a client’s problem

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Awarded to the best creative customer experience idea. Entries could include apps and services designed to improve customers’ experience of a brand. 

DESIGN

Awarded to the best creative design idea. Entries should demonstrate each of the elements of the design and how it served the brand needs.  

EXPERIENTIAL

Awarded to the best creative experience idea. Includes live events, pop-ups, brand activations, festivals and immersive experiences.

FILM

Awarded to the best creative idea in film advertising. Includes TV ads, cinema, idents, branded documentaries and brand films.

GAMING

Awarded to the best creative idea using in-game technology. Campaigns entered into this category will have utilised the comms opportunities of any type of gaming (including console games, PC games, social or mobile gaming) to reach audiences in new and exciting ways. 

INTEGRATED

Awarded to the best creative idea across multiple channels. Campaigns into this category must make use of at least two different medium channels

PRINT

Awarded to the best creative idea in print advertising. Includes advertising in local and national press, business and consumer magazines, inserts, wraps and covers

OUT OF HOME - SINGLE

OUT OF HOME - CAMPAIGN

OUT OF HOME (single/ campaign)

Awarded to the best creative idea in out of home advertising. Includes 6-sheets, 48-sheets, 96-sheets, giant posters, digital and interactive posters, cross tracks, bus sides, taxis and special builds.

SOCIAL

Awarded to the best creative social idea. Includes online viral film, digital advertising, streaming video, photo sharing and gifs.

Product Sectors

The Product Sector categories have been a staple of the Campaign Big Awards for as long as we’ve been running them. Industry feedback has told us you like them. Being able to showcase the best work from each sector side by side, regardless of media used is a great thing.

AUTOMOTIVE

Awarded to the best creative idea for an automotive brand or service.

CHARITY

Awarded to the best creative idea for a charity, not-for-profit organisation, NGO or public sector organisation.

CONSUMER GOODS

Awarded to the best creative idea for a consumer retail product or brand. Including but not limited to food and drink, consumer durables, fashion, health & beauty and other FMCG brands.

ENTERTAINMENT & LEISURE

Awarded to the best creative idea for an entertainment & leisure brand. Including but not limited to media brands, sports and gaming, museums and galleries, live events, health clubs, gambling and other recreation brands.

RETAILERS

Awarded to the best creative for a retailer. Including but not limited to eCommerce, department stores and supermarkets, restaurants and fast food, tourism, and estate agents.

SERVICES

Awarded to the best creative idea for a service provided. Including but not limited to utilities, telecoms and internet, financial & legal, online platforms, ticketing sites, social media, IT and travel.

Creative Excellence

We believe the Creative Excellence categories really compliment our other categories. They have been developed to ensure the Campaign Big Awards remain relevant and current, and showcase the different ways agencies are pushing their creative output for their clients.

BEST BRAND REPOSITIONING

Amid competition from new brands, established brands need to evolve to meet modern consumer needs. Entries should focus on the delivery of the transformed brand itself, rather than any advertising or marketing created to promote it. Judges will consider the refreshed brand’s quality and distinctiveness as well as its ability to cut through.

BEST IDEA FOR A SOCIAL PURPOSE

Consumers want more from brands than just utility. This category will reward creative ideas that raise awareness or positive sentiment towards a social cause/ issue, and/or help shift culture or change behaviour.

BEST IDEA FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL PURPOSE

Consumers want more from brands than just utility. This category will reward creative ideas that raise awareness or positive sentiment towards an environmental cause/ issue, and/or change behaviour.

BEST IDEA FROM AN AGENCY INITIATIVE

This category celebrates creative ideas that have originated internally with no official client brief. From internal communications, CSR, community impact, workplace equality and staff well-being, this category is the only one to recognise these non-client creative ideas.

BEST NEW BRAND

This award will celebrate the best new brand developed and launched during the eligibility period. Entries should focus on the development of the brand, not the creative work developed to support it. Judges will consider the brand’s quality and distinctiveness, as well as its ability to stand out.

BEST REACTIVE IDEA

Brands now have the ability to “be on” 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. While this allows consumers to have a continuous conversation with them, it also means that smart brands can respond and react to wider events or moments in time. This category goes to the best creative idea that was quick off the mark.

BEST USE OF AN INFLUENCER OR CELEBRITY

This category awards the most creative campaign that used one or more social media influencers or a celebrity’s social platforms to increase the brands reach. This can be as a standalone initiative or as part of a wider campaign.

CONSISTENT CREATIVE EXCELLENCE

This category celebrates an agency’s consistent and longer-term creative contribution (3+ years) across its client’s portfolio, using two or more examples. Previous clients that have won in this category are eligible for entry after a two year gap.

CREATIVE IDEA FOR A NEW BRAND

Disruptive to the market, new brands are driving consumer choice within every sector of the economy. Achieving cutthrough is essential and this category will reward those creative ideas for new brands doing just that.

ORIGINAL IDEA

Commercial creativity manifests itself in many different forms beyond the confines of traditional advertising. This award will be given to the most groundbreaking and original idea. 

BRANDED CONTENT

This category celebrates the most artistic and powerful storytelling through branded content films that tell a brand’s story in a creative, innovative and effective way.

SPONSORSHIP

Brand partnerships are a proven way to build equity and create an emotional resonance with consumers. This category will award creative ideas which through partnerships enhance the brands image.

People Awards

THE TONY CULLINGHAM AWARD FOR EMERGING TEAM

This category is designed to recognise the most promising and talented creative teams making waves within the industry through fresh, creative ideas. Teams will be judged on their creative output. The emerging team should be 3 years or less in the industry. Work at previous agencies can be included where they are the named creatives.

Judges Choice Awards

BEST SINGLE IDEA

BEST CAMPAIGN

Grand Prix

CAMPAIGN BIG AWARDS AGENCY OF THE YEAR

ENTERING IS EASY



Select your categories and add to basket.



Enter the essential information.



Upload the creative and summarise.



Click submit, check out and wait for the shortlist!


MEET YOUR 2026 CO-CHAIRS OF JUDGES


Kate Stanners

Chief Creative Officer, UK & International - Edelman

Nearly 30 years working in creatively lead advertising agencies. Founder of 2 creative boutiques, as well as creative leadership roles at a UK and global level. Most recently Global CCO and Chairwoman at Saatchi and Saatchi before joining Edelman earlier this year.

Experience across all sectors including Automotive, FMCG, Finance, Telecoms and Retail on Brands like Toyota, P&G, Visa, Telekom, Walmart, HSBC and Nivea.

Have been president of many juries at Cannes, most recently Film President ’25, and D&AD, as well as being the president of D&AD in 2020.


Darren Bailes

Global Chief Creative Officer - VCCP

Global Chief Creative Officer Darren Bailes oversees creative output for VCCP's offices in London, Madrid, Prague, New York, and Singapore. In over two decades, he's become an exceptional creative leader; Campaign has recognised him among the Top 10 Creative Leaders a mega 11 times since 2013. Under his guidance, VCCP have earned numerous Integrated Agency of the Year awards. Daz regularly represents  the industry, appearing on BBC and Sky News, TV and radio, commentating on advertising and culture. The Cadbury “Glass and a Half” campaign secured two Grand Prix wins for APG and IPA Effectiveness, the UK's top effectiveness awards. Other achievements also include recognition from Cannes, The Clios, British Arrows, The One Show, BIMA, and Kinsale Shark's International Creative Agency of the Year for 2025.


JOIN THE JUDGING PANEL

We invite you to nominate yourself or a colleague using the form below. The final judging panel will be comprised of an inclusive range of individuals to fully represent the industry. Nominations to get involved are welcome from across the sector, either for yourself or a colleague.

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR


In a world where brands have more avenues to reach consumers than ever before, the unrivalled power of original creative ideas endures.


Brands, their agencies, and partners have innovated and evolved their approach to creative work in recent years amid a challenging economic and political backdrop. One thing is clear: the need for true commercial creativity has never been greater. 

The Campaign Big Awards 2026 will bring together the UK advertising industry to celebrate all that it has achieved in the last year and inspire us for the future. 


Maisie McCabe

UK Editor, Campaign

SAVE THE DATE

NEW VENUE!

Join us for the Awards Ceremony at the Nobu Hotel London Portman Square
Thursday 26 November 2026


AMPLIFICATION PACKAGES

If you're a winner at these awards, we can now help you shout about your success, even more, via our amplification packages...

You've had a brilliant night out, you've picked up your award, and you've slept off the celebrations, but do the people who REALLY matter know that you've won? 

We're here to help... We want to get your win out there, to the audience, in front of prospective clients (and competitors!). 

That's why we've put together an instant shout-about-it package: quick turnaround content, that won't break your marketing budget. 

For our Global awards, head over to our sister site

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