ENTRY DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 10
LATE DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 18
Recognizing the Best in Marketing Innovation and Brand Building
Welcome to the 2nd annual IGNITE Awards—the only program celebrating innovation and excellence across the full spectrum of modern marketing.
From groundbreaking experiential activations and game-changing retail strategies to powerhouse PR campaigns and sustainable brand practices, this program shines a spotlight on the marketers redefining what’s possible.
Eligibility Period: Campaigns must have launched or debuted between September 1, 2025 – September 31, 2026
Advertising | Content Marketing | Event & Experiential | Marketing Technology | Retail & E-Commerce | PR & Communications | Sustainability & Purpose
Why Enter?
- Unmatched Reach: Recognition across a global audience of 1.1M+ marketers
- Editorial Credibility: Coverage and exposure through ChiefMarketer.com and our award-winning brand network
- Prestige & Influence: Validation in front of top CMOs, agency leaders, and innovators
- Amplification: Winners badge and PR toolkit to spotlight your success across channels
- Celebration of Excellence: Honor your team’s creativity, strategy, and results
Ready to Raise the Bar? Whether you’re an in-house brand team, agency, startup, or tech partner, if your work is making waves—we want to see it.
Entry Fees
-
ENTRY DEADLINE
Friday, September 10, 2026
$450/per entry
-
LATE DEADLINE
Friday, September 18, 2026
$199 fee added per entry
FAQ
For each entry, we’ll ask for information on:*
- Objectives
What was the goal of the campaign?
- Research
What metrics set the stage for the work your campaign sought out to do?
- Strategy
What was the thinking and the strategic approach behind your work?
- Execution
What actions did your campaign take or how was your campaign implemented?
- Evaluation of Success
How was success measured for this campaign? What metrics show that this campaign performed well and met its goals?
- Supporting Materials
Supporting Materials can include anything that best represents the success of your work. Examples include:
- Websites
- ROI Stats
- Media Coverage
- Press Materials
- Testimonials
- Research Documents
- Videos
- Photos
*NOTE: Each section of the application has a 500 word limit
Categories
Strategy & Engagement
Celebrating the boldest marketing strategies and engagement approaches that connect brands with their audiences in authentic, creative and results-driven ways.
- Best Brand Partnership or Collaboration
- Best Celebrity Partnership
- Best Creative Use of Budget
- Best Creator or Influencer Campaign
- Best Field Marketing Campaign
- Best Game, Contest or Sweepstakes
- Best Integrated Campaign, B2B
- Best Integrated Campaign, B2C
- Best Long-Term Brand-Building Campaign
- Best Multichannel/Omnichannel Campaign
- Best Multi-Demographic Campaign
- Best New Product/Service Launch
- Best Organic Social Campaign
- Best Sponsorship Campaign
Advertising & Performance Marketing
Honoring the campaigns and strategies that push the limits of paid media, optimize performance and deliver measurable business impact.
- Best Advertising Campaign
- Best Affiliate Marketing Strategy
- Best Audio/Podcast Advertising Campaign
- Best B2B Performance Campaign
- Best Commerce Media Campaign
- Best Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) Initiative
- Best Creative in a Performance Campaign
- Best CTV/Streaming Campaign
- Best Customer Acquisition Program
- Best Digital Out of Home Campaign
- Best DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) Performance Campaign
- Best Email Marketing Performance
- Best Guerrilla Marketing Campaign/Stunt
- Best Lead Generation Campaign
- Best Local/Regional Campaign
- Best Paid Search Campaign (PPC)
- Best Paid Social Campaign
- Best Programmatic Advertising Campaign
- Best Retail Media Campaign
- Best Retention or Loyalty Campaign
- Best TV Campaign
- Best Use of Data in a Campaign
- Best Video Advertising Campaign
Design & Creativity
Showcasing the artistry and innovation of marketing’s visual, experiential and sensory storytelling across mediums and touchpoints.
- Best AI-Generated Creative
- Best Brand Collateral
- Best Brand Identity
- Best Branded Exhibit
- Best Customer Experience
- Best Data Visualization
- Best In-Store POS/POP Collateral
- ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Best Outdoor
- Best Pop-Up Store
- Best Sonic Branding
- Best Packaging Design
- Best Use of Music/Audio
- Best Use of Sustainable Materials
- ​​​​​​​Best Use of Video/Media
- Best Website/Microsite
Content
Celebrating content strategies and storytelling that educate, entertain and engage audiences through compelling brand narratives.
- Best Branded Entertainment & Content
- ​​​​​​​Best Content Marketing Campaign
- Best Content Partnership
- Best Content Series
- Best Creator Content
- Best Demand Generation Content Strategy
- Best Lead Generation Content Strategy
- Best Newsletter or E-Letter
- Best Podcast
- Best Shoppable Content
- ​​​​​​​Brand Storytelling Strategy
- ​​​​​​​Best Short-Form Video Content
- ​​​​​​​Best Short-Form Video Content
- Best User-Generated Content Program
- Best Use of AI in Content Creation
- Best Visual Storytelling Campaign
PR & Communications
Honoring communications strategies that build trust, generate coverage and elevate brand reputation.
- Best AI for PR Tool
- Best Crisis Communications Campaign
- Best Digital and Social Media PR Campaign
- Best Employee Engagement Program
- Best Executive Thought Leadership Campaign
- Best Influencer or Celebrity Collaboration
- Best Internal Communications Campaign
- ​​​​​​​Best Media Relations Campaign
- Best Measurement/Reporting Program
- ​​​​​​​Best PR Event/Experiential Campaign
- Best PR/Communications Campaign (B2B)
- ​​​​​​​Best PR/Communications Campaign (B2C)
- ​​​​​​​Best Press Event
- Best Press Tour
- Best PR Stunt
- ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Best Product Launch Communications Campaign
Events & Experiential
Spotlighting activations and experiences that connect brands with audiences in memorable, meaningful ways.
- Best Corporate Conference or Summit
- ​​​​​​​Best Entertainment Tie-In/Activation
- ​​​​​​​Best Event on a Budget
- Best Event/Experiential Campaign (B2B)
- Best Event/Experiential Campaign (B2C)
- Best FIFA World Cup Campaign
- Best Holiday or Seasonal-Themed Campaign
- Best In-Store Shopper Marketing Campaign
- Best Mobile Marketing Tour
- Best Olympics Campaign
- ​​​​​​​Best Product Launch
- Best Roadshow or Multi-City Tour
- Best Sports Tie-In/Activation
- Best Tentpole Event Campaign
- ​​​​​​​Best Tradeshow Exhibit/Experience Program
- ​​​​​​​Best Use of Talent & Influencers
- Best Virtual or Hybrid Event
Digital & Technology
Recognizing campaigns that push the boundaries of digital innovation and smart applications of technology.
- Best AI-Powered Digital Experience
- Best Creative Use of Media
- Best Marketing Automation Implementation
- Best CTV/Connected TV Campaign
- ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Best Customer Data Platform (CDP) Implementation
- Best Gamification Campaign
- Best Identity Resolution Strategy
- Best Mobile Marketing Campaign
- Best Measurement & Attribution Program
- Best Overall Use of Technology in a Campaign
- Best Use of Artificial Intelligence in a Campaign
- Best Use of Emerging Media Channels
- ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Best Use of Emerging Technology
- Best Use of Data/Analytics in Marketing
- ​​​​​​​Best Use of Interactive Technology in a Campaign
- Best Use of Personalization at Scale
- Best Website Experience
Shopper/Retail
Highlighting programs that redefine the shopper experience and drive awareness, loyalty and sales.
- Best Brand Experience
- Best Customer Acquisition Campaign
- Best DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) Performance Campaign
- Best Holiday or Seasonal-Themed Campaign
- Best Immersive Shopping Experience
- Best In-Store POS/POP Collateral.
- Best In-Store Shopper Marketing Campaign
- Best Loyalty, Awareness, Sales, Trial Campaign
- Best Multi-Retailer Program
- Best New Product/Service Introduction
- Best Private Label or Owned Brand Campaign
- Best Pop-Up Store
- Best Retail Media Campaign
- Best Retention or Loyalty Campaign
- Best Shoppable Content
- Best Single-Retailer Program
Purpose & Sustainability
Celebrating campaigns that champion purpose, inclusivity and positive impact for people and planet.
- Best Accessibility Campaign
- Best Cause Driven Campaign
- Best Community Engagement Campaign
- Best Employee Engagement Campaign
- Best Indigenous or Native Community Campaign
- Best Mental Health Campaign
- Best Multicultural Campaign
- Best LGBTQ+ Campaign
- Best Non-Profit Campaign
- Best Public Service Announcement (PSA)
- ​​​​​​​Best Sustainability-Focused Campaign
A Global Benchmark for Marketing Innovation
The IGNITE Awards are powered by the Chief Marketer Network—the leading marketing intelligence hub connecting a global portfolio of specialized media brands serving the primary channels of media and marketing, ranging from advertising technology to PR/Communications.
Our editors scan the marketing universe, connect the dots between disciplines, and deliver trusted insights that help marketers cut through the overload of information. By uniting this collective expertise, the IGNITE Awards stand as a true benchmark for the best work in modern marketing.
Contact
If you have any questions or need assistance entering the IGNITE Awards, please contact
Julia Kim at jkim@accessintel.com
If you have any inquiries about sponsorships for the IGNITE Awards, please contact
Danielle Sikes at dsikes@accessintel.com
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