2026 WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Overview

The Convergent TV Awards celebrate the innovators redefining how television connects with audiences across today’s evolving screen ecosystem—spanning television, streaming, gaming, digital out-of-home (DOOH), retail media and emerging platforms.

On March 5 at The Times Center in New York City, hundreds of industry leaders gathered to recognize the brands, agencies, platforms and technology partners driving the next era of convergent media. This year’s winners were announced live during the ceremony, spotlighting the campaigns, partnerships and breakthroughs pushing the industry forward.

Congratulations to this year’s winners and special recognition honorees—a remarkable group of leaders, teams and organizations shaping the future of the converged television ecosystem.

Special Recognition Awards Recipients

2026 WINNERS

Campaign Excellence

  • AI-Powered Creative Excellence

    Winner
    AI-Driven Creative Intelligence: PurePlay x Sunglass Hut Beats CPV Benchmarks by 38%
    AI-Driven Creative Intelligence: PurePlay x Sunglass Hut Beats CPV Benchmarks by 38%PurePlay AI
    Honorable Mentions
    • Amazon Ads Creative Studio – Agentic AI Creative Partner for TV‑Grade Advertising
      Amazon Ads Creative Studio – Agentic AI Creative Partner for TV‑Grade AdvertisingAmazon
    • Club Canela's Diego
      Club Canela's DiegoCanela Media
    • Generative AI in Storytelling and Interactive In‑Stream Creative
      Generative AI in Storytelling and Interactive In‑Stream CreativeNetflix
    • AI‑Led Convergent Campaign
      AI‑Led Convergent CampaignSLAPS

  • Best Use of Data in a Campaign

    Winner
    Content Data Signals Case Study
    Content Data Signals Case StudySpectrum Reach
    Honorable Mentions
    • Samsung Ads Canada Partners with Porter Airlines on Milestone CTV Campaign Reaching New Audiences
      Samsung Ads Canada Partners with Porter Airlines on Milestone CTV Campaign Reaching New AudiencesSamsung Ads Canada
    • Turning Pause Moments Into Proof: How Princess Cruises and WunderKIND Ads Built a Data-Driven Measurement Framework
      Turning Pause Moments Into Proof: How Princess Cruises and WunderKIND Ads Built a Data-Driven Measurement FrameworkWunderKIND Ads

  • Creative Innovation in Converged Media

    Winner
    Spectrum Reach and NC 911
    Spectrum Reach and NC 911Spectrum Reach
    Honorable Mentions
    • Shoppable Streaming & Branded Destinations
      Shoppable Streaming & Branded DestinationsRoku
    • AR & Lens Studio AI – Lens Fest 2025
      AR & Lens Studio AI – Lens Fest 2025Snap Inc.

  • Most Innovative Ad Sales Solutions

    Winner
    Premion: A Smarter, Curated Approach to Modern CTV Ad Sales
    Premion: A Smarter, Curated Approach to Modern CTV Ad SalesPremion
    Honorable Mentions
    • The First AI Planner Purpose-Built for Local Convergent TV
      The First AI Planner Purpose-Built for Local Convergent TVRibeye
    • Spectrum Reach Architect
      Spectrum Reach ArchitectSpectrum Reach

  • Shoppable / Commerce Campaign of the Year

    Winner
    From Awareness to Action: How Zales and WunderKIND Ads Turned CTV Pause Ads Into Directly Attributable Commerce
    From Awareness to Action: How Zales and WunderKIND Ads Turned CTV Pause Ads Into Directly Attributable CommerceWunderKIND Ads
    Honorable Mentions
    • Developing Content-Specific Shoppable CTV Ads
      Developing Content-Specific Shoppable CTV AdsKerv.ai & WBD
    • Streaming 24/7 on TikTok Shop
      Streaming 24/7 on TikTok ShopQVC

Sell-Side & Platform Innovation

  • Audience Experience Design Award

    Winner
    Disney+ Personalization Engine: Profiles, Recommendations & Franchise-Driven Discovery
    Disney+ Personalization Engine: Profiles, Recommendations & Franchise-Driven DiscoveryDisney
    Honorable Mentions
    • Club Canela
      Club CanelaCanela Media
    • Spotify Wrapped & Daylist: Dynamic, Personalized Audio Experiences at Scale
      Spotify Wrapped & Daylist: Dynamic, Personalized Audio Experiences at ScaleSpotify

  • FAST/AVOD Platform Excellence Award

    Winner
    The Roku Channel: America’s #1 FAST Service
    The Roku Channel: America’s #1 FAST ServiceRoku
    Honorable Mention
    • Tubi
      TubiTubi

  • Streaming Platform of the Year

    Co-Winner
    Disney – The Streaming Platform of the Year
    Disney – The Streaming Platform of the YearThe Walt Disney Company
    Honorable Mentions
    • Akta AI First Video Platform
      Akta AI First Video PlatformAkta Tech
    • Roku
      RokuRoku

  • Streaming Platform of the Year

    Co-Winner
    Genre Packs
    Genre PacksDIRECTV
    Honorable Mentions
    • Akta AI First Video Platform
      Akta AI First Video PlatformAkta Tech
    • Roku
      RokuRoku

Tech & Measurement

  • Ad Tech Innovation of the Year — Infrastructure & Ecosystem

    Winner
    EX.CO’s Machine Learning Technology Redefines CTV Monetization
    EX.CO’s Machine Learning Technology Redefines CTV MonetizationEX․CO
    Honorable Mentions
    • TV by OpenX: Powering Transparent, Biddable CTV at Scale
      TV by OpenX: Powering Transparent, Biddable CTV at ScaleOpenX
    • PubMatic AI Live Sports Marketplace
      PubMatic AI Live Sports MarketplacePubMatic
    • Digital Revolution on the Big Screen: How Virtual Minds' Media Manager Powers TV-LOAD to Transform Linear Television in the Austrian Market
      Digital Revolution on the Big Screen: How Virtual Minds' Media Manager Powers TV-LOAD to Transform Linear Television in the Austrian MarketVirtual Minds / AGTT / TV-Insight

  • Ad Tech Innovation of the Year — Performance & Outcomes

    Winner
    Turning Converged TV Into a True Performance Channel
    Turning Converged TV Into a True Performance ChannelTatari
    Honorable Mentions
    • Closing the Knowledge Gap in Convergent TV
      Closing the Knowledge Gap in Convergent TVNexxen
    • WunderKIND Ads: Turning the Pause Moment Into Scalable CTV Performance
      WunderKIND Ads: Turning the Pause Moment Into Scalable CTV PerformanceWunderKIND Ads

  • AI in Action Award

    Winner
    PubMatic AI Live Sports Marketplace
    PubMatic AI Live Sports MarketplacePubMatic
    Honorable Mentions
    • AI Creative Tagging
      AI Creative TaggingKantar
    • Developing Custom AI Ads As Netflix Content Tie-Ins
      Developing Custom AI Ads As Netflix Content Tie-InsNetflix
    • Reinventing Brand Outcomes Reporting for the AI Era
      Reinventing Brand Outcomes Reporting for the AI EraUpwave

  • Identity & Privacy Innovation Award

    Winner
    Vault: Privacy-Safe Identity Infrastructure for Converged TV Measurement
    Vault: Privacy-Safe Identity Infrastructure for Converged TV MeasurementVault
    Honorable Mentions
    • Authenticated Traffic Solution (ATS): Consent-Based Identity for Addressable & Measurable Advertising
      Authenticated Traffic Solution (ATS): Consent-Based Identity for Addressable & Measurable AdvertisingLiveRamp
    • Unified ID 2.0: Open, Privacy-Centered Identity for the Open Internet
      Unified ID 2.0: Open, Privacy-Centered Identity for the Open InternetThe Trade Desk

The Convergent TV Influence Awards: 2026 Honorees

Honoring the leaders shaping the future of convergent TV and video advertising.

The Convergent TV Influence Awards spotlight a select group of trailblazers whose work is redefining the convergent TV landscape. From media investment and creative innovation to advanced measurement and platform evolution, these honorees are driving the strategies, solutions, and partnerships that are moving the video advertising ecosystem forward.

Their influence spans streaming, linear, FAST, addressable, digital video, and beyond—powering the next era of audience engagement and cross-platform excellence.

  • Dan Aversano

    Dan Aversano

    CEO
  • Jason Brown

    Jason Brown

    EVP
  • Sean Cunningham

    Sean Cunningham

    President & CEO
  • Will Doherty

    Will Doherty

    SVP, Inventory Development
  • Sean Downey

    Sean Downey

    President, Americas & Global Partners
  • Molly Finnerty

    Molly Finnerty

    Chief Investment Officer
  • Lauren Fisher

    Lauren Fisher

    EVP, Business Intelligence
  • Justin Fromm

    Justin Fromm

    Head of Insights & Thought Leadership
  • Gary Guarnaccia

    Gary Guarnaccia

    Head of Investment, Ad Tech
  • Sarah Harms

    Sarah Harms

    VP, Advertising Marketing & Measurement
  • Michael Holmquist

    Michael Holmquist

    Director, Media Investment
  • Sarah Iooss

    Sarah Iooss

    Director of Global Agency & Global Twitch
  • Jim Keller

    Jim Keller

    EVP Head of Advertising and Sponsorship Sales
  • Meghan Kirsch

    Meghan Kirsch

    SVP, Brand & Marketing
  • Amy Leifer

    Amy Leifer

    Chief Advertising Sales Officer
  • Alison Levin

    Alison Levin

    President, Advertising & Partnerships
  • Peter Liao

    Peter Liao

    Head of Global Marketing & Media
  • Brian Lin

    Brian Lin

    Senior Vice President of Product Management, Advertising
  • Charlotte Maines

    Charlotte Maines

    Director, Devices Content & Advertising
  • Laura Martin

    Laura Martin

    Senior Analyst
  • Ryan Mayward

    Ryan Mayward

    SVP, Sales
  • Ryan McConville

    Ryan McConville

    Chief Product Officer & EVP, Ad Products & Solutions
  • Ramsey McGrory

    Ramsey McGrory

    President
  • Kelly Metz

    Kelly Metz

    Chief Investment Officer
  • Dave Morgan

    Dave Morgan

    Founder & CEO
  • Scott Nagy

    Scott Nagy

    Vice President, Commercial Partnerships
  • Joanna O’Connell

    Joanna O’Connell

    Chief Intelligence Officer
  • Nicolle Pangis

    Nicolle Pangis

    Vice President
  • Jamie Power

    Jamie Power

    SVP of Addressable Sales
  • Stephan Pretorius

    Stephan Pretorius

    Chief Technology Officer
  • Michael Provenzano

    Michael Provenzano

    CEO & Co-Founder
  • Samantha Rose

    Samantha Rose

    EVP, Head of Integrated Investment and Programmatic
  • Anthony Russell

    Anthony Russell

    Director, Social Commerce, Emerging Media, Gaming & Innovation
  • Jessie Schwartzfarb

    Jessie Schwartzfarb

    EVP, Head of Video Investment
  • Travis Scoles

    Travis Scoles

    EVP, Advanced Advertising
  • Evan Shapiro

    Evan Shapiro

    Media Influencer
  • Mike Shehan

    Mike Shehan

    Chief Revenue Officer
  • Brittany Slattery

    Brittany Slattery

    Chief Marketing Officer
  • Maureen Svoboda

    Maureen Svoboda

    Director, Media Excellence
  • Albert Thompson

    Albert Thompson

    Director, Digital Innovation
  • Lisa Valentino

    Lisa Valentino

    President
  • Jill Wittkopp

    Jill Wittkopp

    VP Product
  • Sasha Wolfe

    Sasha Wolfe

    Global Director of Media
  • Tanya Zvonkin

    Tanya Zvonkin

    SVP, National Video Investment

Honorees will be recognized on-site during Convergent TV World’s Awards Ceremony, taking place March 5 in NYC.

INTERESTED IN SPONSORSHIP?

There are multiple opportunities for you to get involved in the 2026 conference and awards.

Contact Vernesa Merdanovic at vmerdanovic@accessintel.com for more information.