Call for Entries Deadline:
Dec. 2, 2026

Great Marketing Makes an Impact.
The Best Gets Recognized.

Great marketing gets noticed. Exceptional marketing earns attention, changes minds, moves audiences and gives people a reason to act.

Ragan’s Marketing Awards celebrate the campaigns, strategies, teams and professionals behind the work marketers wish they had thought of first. From brand launches, B2B and B2C campaigns to content, social media, creator marketing, digital advertising, AI, data, experiential marketing and integrated programs, this is where smart strategy meets standout execution and results worth talking about.

The best marketing starts with an insight and ends with impact. Maybe you found a new way to reach a hard-to-reach audience. Turned a product launch into a moment. Built a community people wanted to join. Made a small budget work much harder. Reintroduced a brand. Generated demand. Created content people actually stopped to watch. If the work made people pay attention and delivered against the goal, we want to see it.

Earning recognition from Ragan gives that work a longer life. It puts credible third-party validation behind your results, gives your team or client something meaningful to celebrate and creates a proof point you can share with leadership, prospects, partners and the wider marketing industry.

Brands, agencies, nonprofits, educational institutions, government organizations, independent practitioners and marketing professionals around the world are invited to enter. Submit your own strongest work, put forward a client campaign you are proud of or recognize a colleague, leader or team whose contribution deserves the spotlight.

So take another look at the campaigns, launches, ideas, pivots, experiments and results your team is still talking about. One of them may belong among the year’s best marketing work.

CATEGORIES

BEST CAMPAIGNS AND CATEGORIES

 B2B Marketing Campaign

Business-to-business marketing succeeds when it reaches the right professional audience and connects strategy to a meaningful business outcome. Entries may feature campaigns for products, services or organizations targeting buyers, decision-makers or industry stakeholders. Show the audience insight, positioning, channel mix, creative approach and results behind the work, including measures such as qualified leads, pipeline, revenue, engagement, account growth or other evidence of marketing impact.

 B2C Marketing Campaign

Consumer marketing must earn attention in crowded markets and give people a reason to respond. This category celebrates B2C campaigns that connected a brand, product or service with consumers through smart audience insight, compelling creative and effective execution. Entries might include brand, acquisition, promotional, seasonal or integrated campaigns and should explain the strategy, channels and measurable results tied to awareness, engagement, conversion, sales, loyalty or customer growth.

 Brand Launch

Launching a new brand or introducing an existing organization under a new brand identity takes more than a memorable reveal. Strong entries will show how research, positioning, messaging, creative, media and audience engagement worked together to establish the brand in the market. Share the launch strategy and evidence of traction, such as awareness, consideration, engagement, customer response, earned attention, adoption, sales or other indicators that the brand made a strong entrance.

 Brand Partnership & Collaboration Campaign

The right partnership can help brands reach new audiences, create cultural relevance and produce value neither partner could achieve alone. Enter a co-branded campaign, strategic collaboration, sponsorship activation or cross-organization marketing initiative that brought complementary brands, properties, creators or partners together. Judges will look for clear partner fit, shared objectives, thoughtful activation and measurable outcomes such as reach, engagement, sales, participation, customer acquisition or brand lift.

 Cause-Related Marketing

Purpose can strengthen marketing when the connection between the brand, audience and cause is credible and backed by meaningful action. Entries may include campaigns supporting charities, social issues, public-interest initiatives, fundraising, awareness or community programs. Explain why the cause mattered to the organization and its audience, how the marketing encouraged participation or understanding, and what the work accomplished for the cause, the community and the organization.

 Community Building & Engagement Campaign

Strong communities turn audiences into active participants, advocates and long-term supporters. This category recognizes marketing programs designed to build, activate or strengthen a community around a brand, organization, product, mission or shared interest. Entries may include ambassador programs, member communities, customer advocacy, online groups, fandom or community-led campaigns. Show how the program encouraged participation, conversation, belonging or advocacy and include results tied to engagement, retention, growth or customer value.

 Content Marketing Strategy

Content earns value when it answers audience needs and supports a larger marketing objective. Submit a content marketing strategy that used editorial, educational, branded or thought leadership content to attract, engage, inform or convert a defined audience. Entries may span articles, guides, research, newsletters, video, audio, social content or multiple formats. Judges will consider audience insight, editorial planning, distribution, consistency and results such as traffic, engagement, leads, conversions, loyalty or brand consideration.

 Corporate or Brand Website

A high-performing website should communicate the brand clearly while helping visitors find information, take action and move through the customer journey. Entries may include new websites, major redesigns or digital experiences created for a corporation, brand, organization or campaign. Highlight strategy, information architecture, content, design, accessibility, user experience, search visibility and performance. Useful results may include traffic, engagement, conversions, lead generation, task completion, sales or improved customer experience.

 Creator & Influencer Marketing Campaign

Creator and influencer partnerships work best when audience trust, brand fit and measurable outcomes come together. Entries may feature paid or organic creator programs, ambassador relationships, social-first campaigns, long-term partnerships or creator-led commerce. Explain how partners were selected, how creative freedom and brand goals were balanced, and how content reached or influenced the intended audience. Results may include engagement, earned reach, conversions, sales, brand lift, community growth or other business outcomes.

 Crisis Response

When an unexpected issue threatens trust, customer confidence or business continuity, marketing teams may need to respond quickly and carefully. This category is for marketing responses to controversies, operational disruptions, public criticism, misinformation, product issues or other high-pressure situations. Entries should explain the challenge, audience concerns, decision-making, messaging and channel strategy, along with evidence of how the response protected reputation, maintained relationships, corrected understanding or supported recovery.

 Customer Experience, Loyalty & Retention Marketing

The customer relationship does not end at conversion. Enter programs that improved customer experience, encouraged repeat engagement, strengthened loyalty or increased retention over time. Eligible work may include loyalty programs, lifecycle marketing, onboarding, rewards, memberships, personalization, customer communications, win-back campaigns or advocacy initiatives. Show how customer insight informed the strategy and include results such as retention, repeat purchase, participation, satisfaction, lifetime value, cross-sell, renewal or reduced churn.

 Data-Driven Marketing Campaign

Data can sharpen decisions when marketers turn insight into action rather than reporting numbers after the fact. This category celebrates campaigns in which analytics, research, first-party data, audience intelligence, experimentation or measurement played a central role in strategy and optimization. Explain what data revealed, how it changed targeting, creative, media or customer experience, and how the approach improved results. Entries may include evidence such as conversion, efficiency, revenue, incremental lift, engagement or customer growth.

 Demand Generation & Pipeline Marketing Campaign

B2B growth often depends on creating sustained interest well before a prospect becomes a sales-ready lead. Entries in this category should demonstrate how marketing built awareness, captured demand, nurtured prospects and contributed to pipeline across the buyer journey. Campaigns may use content, events, paid media, account-based marketing, email, search or other channels. Judges will look for audience strategy, sales alignment, nurturing and measurable contribution to opportunities, pipeline, revenue or account engagement.

 Digital Advertising Campaign

Digital advertising can combine precise targeting, creative testing and real-time optimization across an expanding mix of channels. Submit paid digital campaigns using display, programmatic, social, search, streaming, connected TV, online video, native or other digital formats. Strong entries will connect audience strategy and creative choices to campaign goals and demonstrate results through measures such as reach, qualified traffic, conversions, acquisition, return on ad spend, sales, brand lift or cost efficiency.

 Email & Marketing Automation Campaign

Email and marketing automation remain powerful tools for reaching people with timely, relevant messages across the customer journey. Entries may include newsletters, nurture sequences, triggered campaigns, lifecycle programs, lead scoring, personalization or automated journeys. Describe the audience, segmentation, timing, creative, testing and automation logic behind the work. Results might include open and click behavior, conversions, pipeline, sales, retention, reactivation, engagement or improvements in marketing efficiency.

 Employer Brand & Talent Marketing Campaign

Competing for talent requires a clear and credible story about why people should join, stay and grow with an organization. This category is for employer branding, recruitment marketing, employee advocacy, talent attraction or candidate experience campaigns. Entries may show how audience research, employee stories, content, media or digital experiences strengthened the employer brand. Include results such as applicant quality, applications, career-site engagement, hiring, awareness, employee participation or reputation among target talent.

 Event Strategy

A successful event begins with a clear marketing purpose, not just a date and venue. Submit the strategy behind a live, virtual or hybrid event designed to support customer, prospect, partner, employee, community or brand goals. Entries should explain audience targeting, promotion, programming, experience design, content and follow-up. Judges will consider how the event supported broader marketing objectives and results such as registrations, attendance, engagement, leads, revenue, satisfaction, retention or post-event action.

 Experiential Marketing Campaign

Experiential marketing gives audiences a direct way to interact with a brand, idea, product or service. Entries may include pop-ups, immersive installations, sampling programs, mobile tours, brand activations, interactive experiences or hybrid experiences. Show how the concept translated brand strategy into a memorable audience journey and how participation extended beyond the moment itself. Results may include attendance, engagement, social sharing, earned attention, leads, sales, sentiment, brand lift or other measurable response.

 Inclusive Marketing

Inclusive marketing reflects audiences with accuracy, respect and cultural understanding while creating work that is accessible and relevant to the people it aims to reach. Entries may feature multicultural marketing, accessibility, representation, language strategy, community insight or campaigns created for historically underserved audiences. Explain how people with relevant lived or professional expertise informed the work, how the strategy avoided stereotypes, and how the campaign produced meaningful audience or business results.

 Integrated Marketing Campaign

The strongest integrated campaigns make multiple channels feel like one connected experience. Enter a campaign that coordinated paid, earned, shared, owned, experiential, digital, social, content, email, PR or other marketing channels around a common audience insight and objective. Judges will look for consistency without duplication, smart use of each channel and evidence that the combined approach produced stronger results. Share outcomes tied to awareness, engagement, conversion, sales, reputation or customer growth.

 Lead-Gen Campaign

Lead generation campaigns are judged on more than the number of form fills they produce. This category recognizes marketing efforts designed to identify and capture qualified prospects with a clear path toward sales or another defined conversion. Entries may include gated content, paid media, landing pages, webinars, events, search, email or integrated tactics. Show how targeting, offer strategy and follow-up influenced lead quality, conversion, cost per lead, opportunities, pipeline or revenue.

 Nonprofit Campaign

Mission-driven organizations often need marketing to build awareness, inspire participation and turn limited resources into meaningful action. Entries may include nonprofit marketing campaigns focused on fundraising, advocacy, membership, services, education, donor engagement, volunteer recruitment or public awareness. Explain the audience challenge, strategy, creative execution and channel mix, then show the impact through results such as donations, participation, engagement, registrations, awareness, behavior change or progress toward the organization's mission.

 Out-of-Home (OOH) & Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) Campaign

Out-of-home marketing can turn public spaces into high-impact brand experiences, whether through a single placement or a data-informed digital network. Submit OOH or DOOH campaigns using billboards, transit, street furniture, place-based media, digital screens, projections or other public-facing formats. Entries should explain location and audience strategy, creative execution and any integration with mobile, social, search or other channels, along with results such as reach, recall, engagement, traffic, sales or brand lift.

 Overall Marketing Program

Some marketing achievements are best understood as a sustained body of work rather than a single campaign. This category recognizes an overall marketing program that connected strategy, audience understanding, channels, operations and measurement across multiple initiatives or an extended period. Entries should show how the program supported organizational or client goals, adapted to changing needs and produced consistent value. Judges will consider the quality of the work as well as measurable business, audience and brand outcomes.

 Podcast

A branded podcast can build trust and attention by giving audiences a reason to return for useful, entertaining or insightful conversations. Entries may include ongoing series, limited-run podcasts or audio programs created for customers, prospects, members or broader communities. Share the editorial concept, target audience, host or guest strategy, production quality, distribution and promotion. Results may include listens, subscribers, completion rates, engagement, leads, brand awareness, audience growth or other evidence of value.

 PR Campaign

Marketing and public relations often work together to earn attention, shape perception and support business goals. Enter a PR-led campaign that helped a brand, product, organization, executive or initiative reach priority audiences through earned media, storytelling, events, thought leadership, partnerships or other public-facing tactics. Strong entries will explain the communications strategy, message, media or stakeholder approach and results such as coverage quality, awareness, sentiment, engagement, traffic, leads or reputation impact.

 Rebrand or Refresh

A successful rebrand or brand refresh should make an organization more relevant and recognizable without losing what audiences value. Entries may include full rebrands, visual identity systems, messaging changes, repositioning, naming projects or significant brand refreshes. Show the business or audience need, research, strategic decisions, creative development, rollout and adoption. Judges will look for evidence that the work improved clarity, differentiation, awareness, engagement, customer response, employee alignment or market performance.

 Retail & Commerce Marketing Campaign

Commerce now happens across stores, websites, marketplaces, social platforms, creators, retail media networks and other shoppable environments. This category recognizes marketing that connected audience insight, media and the path to purchase. Entries may include retail media, shopper marketing, e-commerce, social commerce, marketplace campaigns, in-store programs, shoppable content or omnichannel commerce. Show how the work improved discovery, engagement or conversion and include results such as sales, return on ad spend, basket size, acquisition or repeat purchase.

 Search & AI Discovery Marketing

Search behavior now spans traditional search engines, AI-generated answers, conversational tools and other discovery experiences. Enter organic search, SEO, answer-engine or AI discovery programs designed to improve how a brand, organization, product or expertise is found and understood. Entries may address technical SEO, content strategy, structured information, authority, discoverability or search experience. Judges will look for a clear strategy and evidence such as visibility, qualified traffic, citations, engagement, conversions, leads or business impact.

 Small Budget, Big Impact

Limited resources can make strong marketing strategy even more important. This category celebrates campaigns or programs that produced impressive results without a large budget. Entries should explain the financial or resource constraints, the choices made to focus effort where it mattered most and the creative or strategic thinking that helped the work break through. Judges will consider efficiency and ingenuity alongside results such as awareness, engagement, leads, revenue, participation, earned attention or community impact.

 Social Media Marketing Campaign

Social media marketing succeeds when platform behavior, audience expectations and brand goals align. Entries may feature campaigns across one or multiple social platforms, including organic content, paid social, real-time marketing, social listening, community engagement or platform-native creative. Explain why the selected channels and formats fit the audience and how the team adapted content to each environment. Results may include engagement, reach, community growth, traffic, conversions, sales, sentiment or other meaningful outcomes.

 Sustainability Campaign

Sustainability marketing must connect environmental commitments to credible actions and useful audience communication. Entries may include campaigns focused on climate, waste reduction, circularity, conservation, responsible sourcing, sustainable products or other environmental priorities. Show how the marketing made a complex issue understandable, supported organizational goals and avoided unsupported claims. Judges will consider strategy, transparency, audience response and evidence of impact such as participation, behavior change, awareness, adoption, reputation or measurable environmental outcomes.

 Thought Leadership Program

Thought leadership earns attention by offering useful expertise, original perspective or research that helps an audience understand an important issue. Submit an ongoing or campaign-based program featuring executives, subject-matter experts, research, commentary, speaking, content, media or social channels. Entries should explain the audience need, point of view, editorial strategy and distribution. Results may include visibility, engagement, media opportunities, search discovery, leads, invitations, reputation gains or influence within a market or professional community.

 Trade Show or Conference

Trade shows and conferences can create high-value moments for awareness, relationship building and demand generation when marketing extends before and after the event floor. Entries may cover exhibitor strategy, sponsorships, booths, speaking programs, hosted experiences, customer meetings, lead capture or integrated event campaigns. Describe how the experience stood out, supported audience needs and connected to larger business goals. Results may include attendance, meetings, leads, pipeline, engagement, earned attention, sales or partner value.

 Use of AI in Marketing

Artificial intelligence can support marketing when it solves a real problem and improves the quality, speed or effectiveness of the work. Entries may feature generative AI, agents, personalization, analytics, optimization, content workflows, audience intelligence, media, search, customer experience or other applications. Explain where AI was used, where human judgment remained essential and how the approach addressed privacy, accuracy or governance as relevant. Judges will prioritize measurable marketing or business outcomes over novelty alone.

 Use of Emerging Technology

New technology creates marketing value when it improves the audience experience or enables an approach that would not otherwise be possible. Entries may include augmented or virtual reality, spatial experiences, interactive technology, connected devices, voice, gaming, immersive media, blockchain or other emerging tools. Show why the technology fit the audience and objective, how people actually used it and what happened as a result. Judges will focus on strategic relevance, usability, creativity and measurable impact.

 Video Marketing Campaign

Video can explain, persuade, entertain and move audiences across nearly every stage of the customer journey. Enter a video-led marketing campaign using short-form, long-form, social, online, streaming, branded entertainment, customer stories, product content or other video formats. Entries should show how creative choices matched the audience and channel strategy, how video supported a larger marketing objective and what results followed, including views, completion, engagement, traffic, conversion, sales, sentiment or brand lift.

PEOPLE, TEAMS AND BEST IN SHOW

 ICONIC Award

The ICONIC Award celebrates marketing achievement with exceptional influence, recognition and staying power. Eligible work may include a campaign, program, brand initiative or body of work that moved beyond short-term performance to become a memorable reference point for audiences, the organization or the broader marketing profession. Entries should explain what made the achievement distinctive, the strategy and execution behind it, measurable results and the evidence that its impact endured beyond the original moment.

 Best in Show

Best in Show represents marketing excellence at the highest level across the program. The strongest work will combine a clear audience or business challenge, sharp strategic thinking, memorable execution and results that demonstrate meaningful impact. Entries should make it easy to understand why the work mattered, what made the approach distinctive and how performance was measured. Judges will look for an achievement that stands out not only within its discipline, but across the full field of Marketing Awards entries.

 Agency of the Year: Large

Large marketing agencies operate at scale, but size alone does not create excellence. This category recognizes a large agency that paired exceptional client work with strong leadership, talent, culture and business performance. Entries may highlight major campaigns, client results, retention, new business, team development, innovation, operational improvements or contributions to the marketing profession. Judges will look for a sustained record of high-quality work and evidence that the agency created meaningful value for clients and its people.

 Agency of the Year: Midsize

Midsize agencies often balance expanding capabilities with the agility and closeness clients value. Enter an agency that delivered outstanding marketing work while strengthening its business, team and client relationships. Submissions may include campaign results, new business, client retention, growth, talent development, culture, specialization or new capabilities. Judges will consider the quality and consistency of the agency's work, its strategic contribution to clients and the achievements that distinguished it during the eligibility period.

 Agency of the Year: Small

Small agencies can make an outsized impact through specialization, close client partnerships and smart use of resources. This category celebrates a small marketing agency that produced exceptional client results while building a strong business and team. Entries may cover standout campaigns, growth, client wins, retention, culture, talent development, creative problem-solving or community contribution. Show what makes the agency distinctive and how its size became an advantage rather than a limitation.

 In-House Marketing Team of Year

Exceptional in-house marketing teams connect audience needs, organizational priorities and execution across a wide range of responsibilities. Nominations may highlight the team's strongest campaigns, brand work, content, digital programs, customer initiatives, events, measurement or cross-functional partnerships. Explain how the team collaborated, handled challenges, used resources and contributed to larger business or mission goals. Judges will look for consistent quality, strategic value, measurable results and a team culture that helped strong marketing happen.

 Marketing Leader of the Year (CMO or VP)

Senior marketing leaders shape more than campaigns. They influence strategy, investment, talent, brand direction and the role marketing plays across the organization. Nominate a CMO, vice president or comparable senior leader whose recent work produced meaningful business or audience results. Entries may highlight strategic decisions, team leadership, innovation, cross-functional influence, major campaigns, customer growth, brand performance or organizational change, along with evidence of the leader's personal contribution and impact.

 Marketing Manager/Director of the Year

Managers and directors often turn strategy into action while leading teams, projects and day-to-day marketing performance. This category recognizes a marketing professional at the manager or director level whose work made a clear difference for an organization, brand or client. Nominations may include campaign results, leadership, collaboration, problem-solving, mentorship, process improvements or new ideas. Show the individual's responsibilities, accomplishments and the measurable value they created during the eligibility period.

 Rising Star (age 30 or under)

Early-career marketers can make significant contributions long before reaching senior titles. Nominate a marketing professional age 30 or under who has already demonstrated strong judgment, initiative, creativity and results. Entries may highlight campaigns, projects, audience or business impact, collaboration, professional growth, leadership potential or contributions to the team and organization. Judges will look for evidence that the nominee is making a meaningful mark now and shows clear promise for continued influence in marketing.

HOW TO ENTER

All entries must be submitted through the online entry form.

  1. Choose your category. Review the Marketing Awards categories and select the category or categories that best reflect your campaign, strategy, project, team or individual nominee.
  2. Tell the story behind the work. Give judges a clear understanding of the challenge or opportunity, your objectives, audience insights, strategy, execution and what made the approach effective.
  3. Show the results. Include meaningful metrics and supporting materials such as creative assets, campaign examples, analytics, research, dashboards, media coverage, testimonials, videos or links that help demonstrate impact.
  4. Submit and complete payment. Submit your entry by December 2, 2026. Entries will remain open through the late deadline of December 9, 2026, with an additional late fee.

If the same work is a strong fit for more than one category, you may submit it in multiple categories. Each entry is evaluated independently, giving your work additional opportunities for recognition.

ENTER

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Ragan’s Marketing Awards are open to organizations, agencies, in-house marketing teams, independent practitioners and vendors worldwide. Eligible entrants may represent corporations, private companies, nonprofits, educational institutions, government organizations, associations and other sectors.

You may enter work completed by your own organization or team, submit work on behalf of a client or recognize an eligible colleague, marketing leader or team. Self-nominations are also welcome in applicable individual categories.

All entries must be submitted in English. Campaigns, projects and professional achievements must fall within the eligibility period established for the 2026 Marketing Awards.

If you are unsure which category best fits your work, review the full category descriptions or contact the Ragan Awards team for guidance.

This year’s program is open to any work executed between Dec. 1, 2025, and Dec. 9, 2026, inclusive.

ENTRY FEES

The fee for this program is $550 per entry into standard categories, and $600 per entry into our Awards of Distinction category.

A late fee of $325 per entry will be added to all entries received after 11:59 p.m. Central time, December 2, 2026.

Do you have a campaign or project you'd like to enter into multiple categories? Pay the original entry fee, and then only $250 for each additional category!

All entries are non-returnable and non-refundable.

W-9 Form / Tax ID Number Request

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Ragan’s Marketing Awards?
Ragan’s Marketing Awards are a global recognition program honoring outstanding marketing campaigns, strategies, professionals and teams. The awards recognize work that combines clear objectives, audience insight, strong strategy, creative execution and measurable results across a wide range of marketing disciplines.
Why should I enter Ragan’s Marketing Awards?
Entering gives your marketing work the opportunity to earn respected third-party recognition from Ragan. Finalist and winner recognition can validate results, celebrate the people behind the work, strengthen credibility with executives and clients and provide a meaningful proof point for pitches, presentations, internal communications, recruiting and future marketing efforts. Recognition also gives teams a chance to benchmark their work alongside successful marketing programs from organizations and agencies across industries.
Who can enter the Marketing Awards?
Brands, corporations, agencies, nonprofits, educational institutions, government organizations, associations, vendors, independent practitioners and marketing professionals worldwide may enter. Entries can recognize work produced by an in-house team, an agency for a client, a cross-functional group, an individual marketing professional or another eligible organization. All submissions must be in English.
Can an agency enter work on behalf of a client?
Yes. Agencies may submit eligible marketing work created for their clients. Agencies and clients may also collaborate on the entry to ensure the submission clearly explains the strategy, execution, partnership and results behind the work.
Can I enter a colleague, client or marketing team?
Yes. Applicable categories recognize marketing professionals and teams as well as campaigns and initiatives. You may nominate yourself, recognize someone within your organization or submit an entry on behalf of a colleague, client or team.
What types of marketing work can be entered?
The Marketing Awards recognize work across the marketing profession, including B2B and B2C campaigns, brand marketing, integrated marketing, content marketing, social media, creator and influencer marketing, digital advertising, data-informed marketing, AI applications, experiential programs, events, websites, video, demand and lead generation, customer engagement, brand launches, rebrands and other marketing initiatives. Review the category descriptions to identify the strongest fit for your work.
Can I enter the same marketing campaign in multiple categories?
Yes. A campaign, project or initiative may be entered in more than one category when it genuinely fits multiple areas of recognition. Each entry is evaluated independently. Consider adjusting each submission to focus on the goals, strategy, execution and results most relevant to that specific category.
What do the judges look for in a Marketing Awards entry?
Judges look for a clear challenge or opportunity, well-defined goals, meaningful audience insight, sound strategic thinking, strong execution and evidence of results. The strongest entries do more than describe what was created. They explain why decisions were made, how the work addressed a marketing or business need and what happened as a result.
What marketing results or metrics should I include?
Include results that connect directly to the goals of your work. Depending on the campaign, useful measures may include revenue, sales, leads, conversions, pipeline, customer acquisition, retention, website traffic, engagement, audience growth, event attendance, brand awareness, sentiment, search performance, media performance, content consumption or other business and marketing outcomes. Not every campaign needs the same metrics. Judges are looking for evidence that demonstrates whether the work achieved what it set out to accomplish.
Does my campaign need a large budget to compete?
No. Strong marketing is not defined by budget size alone. Judges consider the challenge, strategy, creativity, execution and results in the context of the work. A focused campaign with limited resources can be highly competitive when the entry clearly demonstrates smart decision-making and meaningful results.
How much does it cost to enter Ragan’s Marketing Awards?
The standard entry fee is $550 per entry. A $325 late fee will apply to each entry submitted after the December 2, 2026 entry deadline. Late entries will be accepted through December 9, 2026. Discounted pricing is available when eligible work is submitted into additional categories.
When is the 2026 Marketing Awards entry deadline?
The entry deadline is December 2, 2026. Entries submitted after the standard deadline will be accepted through the December 9, 2026 late deadline, with an additional late fee.
How will Marketing Awards finalists and winners be recognized?
Finalists will be recognized, and category winners revealed, at a live awards event in 2027. Recognition gives organizations, agencies, teams and professionals an opportunity to celebrate their achievements alongside marketing peers and share their accomplishment with colleagues, clients and industry audiences. Winning work may also receive visibility across Ragan’s editorial, marketing and social channels, along with resources that help recipients promote their recognition.
Will information in my entry be made public?
Information from an entry may be used to create editorial profiles and other coverage of recognized work. Financial information and materials identified as confidential will not be disclosed. Entrants should clearly indicate any information or supporting materials that should remain confidential.
How do I choose the right Marketing Awards category?
Start with the primary goal and strongest proof point of your work. Consider what the campaign was designed to accomplish, which audience it served and which part of the strategy you most want judges to evaluate. If the work clearly demonstrates excellence in more than one area, you may enter multiple categories. Each category is judged independently.

Additional Questions

If you have any questions about the program or problems submitting your entry, please call Brendan Gannon at 312-960-4407 or email [email protected].

Sponsorship Opportunities

If you are interested in sponsoring one of Ragan Communications’ award programs, please contact Morgan Einspanier at [email protected]. 

Ragan Communications is not responsible for shipping fees related to trophies or certificates.