Observed Signal · Jun 2, 2026 · Awards Announcement · Source: Digiday · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Digiday Announces 2026 Media Buying & Planning Finalists
Digiday published the list of finalists for the 2026 Digiday Media Buying and Planning Awards on June 2, 2026. Finalists span agencies, brands, publishers and technology vendors across categories including Media Campaign of the Year, Media Plan of the Year and Best Omnichannel Campaign. Highlighted nominations include Uber Advertising’s full‑funnel holiday campaign for Diageo; the NFL and CBS/Paramount+ for the “Count on Sundays” 360 campaign; and WPP Media & Mazda for the docuseries “First to the Finish,” which reported 16 million minutes watched and nearly 587,000 full-series viewers. The awards also feature new AI-related categories (Best AI Platform; Best Creative Use of AI; Best Use of AI in Planning/Search) and recognize campaigns using omnichannel, CTV, DOOH and data-driven tactics.
Industry awards highlight notable campaigns, agency work and emerging trends (AI in planning, omnichannel, CTV/DOOH) but do not represent policy, technical releases, or major platform product changes.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Digiday published the finalists for the 2026 Digiday Media Buying and Planning Awards on 2026-06-02.
- Uber Advertising was nominated in Media Campaign of the Year for a full‑funnel holiday campaign for Diageo that used Journey Ads, homepage takeovers and post‑checkout placements and included a Don Julio activation and a Bryant Park Winter Village experience.
- The NFL and CBS/Paramount+ were finalists in Media Plan of the Year for the “Count on Sundays” 360 campaign, which spanned TV, streaming, social, digital, stadium media and dynamic OOH and helped CBS achieve its highest NFL opening weekend ratings in 27 years (viewership +15% vs prior season kickoff).
- WPP Media and Mazda were nominated in Best Omnichannel Campaign for the docuseries “First to the Finish,” which generated 16 million minutes watched, nearly 587,000 full‑series viewers, and 1.68 billion earned impressions.
- The awards introduced or highlighted AI-focused categories, including Best AI Platform, Best Creative Use of AI, Best Use of AI in Planning, and Best Use of AI in Search.
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Finalists Named for 2026 Digiday Media Buying Awards
Digiday published the finalists for the 2026 Media Buying and Planning Awards on June 2, 2026. Notable nominees include Uber Advertising for a full-funnel holiday campaign for Diageo, the NFL and CBS/Paramount+ for the “Count on Sundays” 360-degree media plan, and WPP Media and Mazda for the docuseries “First to the Finish.” The article lists finalists across multiple categories (Media Campaign, Media Plan, Omnichannel, Connected TV, Retail Media, AI planning/search categories and more) and highlights campaign tactics and outcomes such as multi-channel activations, experiential events, streaming and OOH placements, and measured performance metrics (e.g., a 15% uplift in NFL opening weekend viewership; 16 million minutes watched for Mazda’s docuseries). The list illustrates industry trends toward omnichannel, audience-driven personalization, and integration of commerce and experiential activations.
Digiday Announces 2026 Media Buying & Planning Winners
Digiday published the winners of its 2026 Media Buying and Planning Awards, highlighting campaigns and companies that used AI, data-driven planning and omnichannel strategies. Kepler won Most Innovative Media Agency for its AI-led consultancy work and its proprietary Kip platform (including a Kip AIR capability to measure visibility in generative-AI environments). Samsung Ads and Havas won Best Connected/Streaming TV Campaign for Domino’s GameBreaks interactive CTV format on Samsung TV Plus. Heinz Away From Home (Kraft Heinz) won B2B Media Campaign of the Year for its Heinz Verified program, which used trade media, digital lead generation, creator partnerships and an Uber Eats integration and generated more than 300 million impressions. The awards list includes several new AI categories and a broad set of winners across planning, creative, omnichannel and emerging-technology campaigns.
Digiday 2026 Media Buying & Planning Awards Winners
Digiday published the winners of its 2026 Media Buying and Planning Awards, highlighting campaigns and agencies that used AI, data-driven planning and omnichannel strategies. Kepler won Most Innovative Media Agency after expanding into an intelligence-led growth consultancy and launching its Kip platform and Kip AIR for generative-AI visibility. Samsung Ads and Havas won Best Connected/Streaming TV Campaign for Domino’s GameBreaks, an interactive CTV format on Samsung TV Plus. Kraft Heinz’s Heinz Verified (Kraft Heinz & Salt XC) won B2B Media Campaign of the Year after a national B2C2B approach that included Uber Eats integration and generated over 300 million impressions across six markets. The awards list includes new AI categories and recognizes a wide range of creative, media-mix, retail media, and omnichannel work across brands and agencies.
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