Categories

Judges will be looking for an individual who has identified opportunities, developed compelling solutions, and delivered measurable results for their clients and organisation. This may be demonstrated at a campaign level, across a portfolio of clients, or through a significant client win or retention.

Judges will be awarding a digital sales team that has excelled in the sales function. Entrants should demonstrate a thorough strategic understanding of client business objectives by providing proactive, innovative solutions, benchmarked against clearly defined KPI’s. This could be at a campaign level, or across an entire portfolio of clients.

Judges will be awarding a digital ad operations individual that has truly excelled in their role. Entrants should demonstrate a thorough strategic understanding of client business objectives by providing proactive, innovative solutions, benchmarked against clearly defined KPIs. This could be at a campaign level, or across an entire portfolio of clients.

Judges will be awarding a digital ad operations team that has excelled in their function. Entrants should demonstrate a thorough strategic understanding of client business objectives by providing proactive, innovative solutions, benchmarked against clearly defined KPIs. This could be at a campaign level, or across an entire portfolio of clients.

Judges will be looking for clear evidence of how audio was strategically planned and executed to enhance digital advertising performance, boost audience engagement, and deliver measurable ROI. Entrants should demonstrate how the audio environment informed creative decisions, how targeting and distribution were optimised for digital audio platforms, and how results were measured. Note: entries for Social or paid-Search campaigns for Audio (for example, Facebook, Instagram, or Google Search) are not permitted for this award.

 

 

 

Judges will be looking for campaigns that go beyond standard banner executions to demonstrate strategic use of display formats – including rich media, dynamic creative optimisation (DCO), programmatic display, native display, or high-impact formats – to drive meaningful audience engagement and measurable results. Entrants should demonstrate how display creative and targeting worked together to achieve digital advertising objectives, how performance was tracked and optimised throughout the campaign, and how display contributed to overall business outcomes. Note: entries for Social or paid-Search campaigns for Display (for example, Facebook, Instagram, or Google Search) are not permitted for this award.

 

Judges will be looking for campaigns that demonstrate how DOOH was used as a dynamic, data-driven digital channel – whether through programmatic DOOH, real-time contextual or dynamic creative triggers, location-based audience targeting, or integration with broader digital campaign activity. Entrants should clearly demonstrate how DOOH moved beyond static display to deliver intelligent, responsive digital advertising that connected with audiences in the real world and drove measurable outcomes.

 

 

Judges will be looking for digital advertising campaigns that have achieved exceptional results through the innovative use of social platforms and community-building strategies – including (but not limited to) short-form video, influencer partnerships, community building, user-generated content (UGC), paid social amplification, community management, and reactive or real-time engagement. Entrants should clearly demonstrate how social and community were embedded into the digital advertising campaign's creative and media strategy – from ideation and content creation through to execution, distribution, community activation, and platform-specific optimisation. Success will be measured by impact on digital audience engagement, community growth and loyalty, influence on behaviour, and measurable ROI.

 

 

Judges will be looking for campaigns where video was central to the digital advertising strategy – across formats including pre-roll, mid-roll, outstream, short-form, or long-form – and where creative execution was purposefully designed for digital viewing environments. Entrants should demonstrate how video format selection, audience targeting, and distribution strategy worked together to capture attention, drive engagement, and deliver measurable results. Success will be measured by the strength of the video strategy, the quality of creative execution for digital environments, and clarity of measurable outcomes including completion rates, brand metrics, or conversion.

Judges will be awarding a digital advertising campaign that has excelled in building brand equity, where digital was central rather than a supporting channel. Entrants should demonstrate how a clear brand strategy, informed by audience insight and expressed through digital advertising, delivered a measurable positive uplift against brand metrics – such as awareness, consideration, preference, or purchase intent. Strong entries will show a clear link between digital advertising execution and brand outcomes, supported by robust measurement including brand lift studies, attention metrics, or pre and post campaign research.

 

 

Judges will be looking for campaigns that demonstrate a clear and measurable link between digital advertising activity and commerce outcomes – whether through retail media networks, shoppable formats, first-party commerce data, offsite amplification, or digital strategies that directly connect audiences to purchase. Strong entries will show how commerce media was used not only to drive transactions, but to deliver meaningful brand and business impact, with digital at the centre of the approach.

 

Judges will be looking for campaigns where original, compelling content – across any format including video, native, social, interactive, native, audio, or branded content – was central to achieving strong digital advertising and marketing outcomes. Entrants should demonstrate how a clear content strategy, creative execution, and digital distribution worked together to capture attention, drive engagement, and deliver measurable business results. Strong entries will show a purposeful link between the digital content created, the audiences reached, and the commercial or brand objectives achieved.

Judges will be awarding an integrated digital exclusive campaign (one or more digital channels) that has truly excelled in its strategic approach; through increased performance, customer engagement and purchase behaviour, to drive ROI and deliver outstanding results. 

Judges will be looking for campaigns that demonstrate how two or more digital channels were planned, integrated, and activated together to deliver a cohesive audience experience and strong measurable results. Entrants should show how digital-only execution drove performance, customer engagement, and purchase behaviour, with a clear connection between integrated digital strategy and business outcomes.

 

Judges will be looking for campaigns that go beyond running across multiple channels – entrants should demonstrate how digital and offline activity were connected through shared strategy, audience data, or measurement frameworks to deliver a seamless customer experience and outstanding results. Clear evidence of how digital amplified, informed, or enhanced offline activity – or vice versa – will be key to a winning entry.

POST-CAMPAIGN MEASUREMENT AND INFLIGHT OPTIMISATION.

Judges will be looking for entries that demonstrate a truly data-driven and innovative approach to audience creation – whether through first-party data, modelling, clean rooms, or advanced segmentation techniques – and show clearly how that targeting approach drove campaign success.

 

 

PRE-CAMPAIGN AUDIENCE CREATION.

Judges will be awarding best use of data and insights to form a campaign target segment. The targeting approach must be truly data driven and innovative. Entrants should demonstrate how the audience segment, creation, or modelling, has led to campaign success.

 

 

Judges will be awarding a campaign that has excelled through the innovative application of generative AI technologies: including prompt engineering, data integration, and creative automation that enhanced insight, execution or measurable business outcomes.

 

Judges will be looking for entries that demonstrate clear, measurable results stemming from sophisticated programmatic strategy – including efficient use of technology, data-driven decisioning, transparent processes, and effective placement across digital channels.

 

 

Judges will reward campaigns that showcase exceptional execution of search techniques to boost discoverability, traffic, and business outcomes. Whether through technical SEO, content architecture, on-page enhancements, authority-building, or optimisation for AI-powered search environments (such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, or AI Overviews), entries should demonstrate a clear link between search initiatives and performance metrics.

Judges will look for clear, measurable impact – whether through data-driven platforms, privacy-enhancing tools, creative ad tech, or cross-channel solutions. Examples could include technologies like data clean rooms, customer data platforms, geo-targeting, cookieless solutions, or attribution frameworks. Success lies in how technology was applied to solve a business challenge, enhance customer engagement, or improve ROI.

 

 

Digital Product or Service of the Year

 

This award will be presented to an entrant who can demonstrate innovation in developing, designing and/or adapting a product or service within New Zealand, (which could be implemented using a local or global platform), that has enabled New Zealand advertisers to deliver hugely successful digital advertising campaigns. Entrants should include how their product or service has been innovative over the past year and what makes them stand out from the crowd. 

 

 

Council Member of the Year

 

Judges will be awarding an individual who has contributed to growing and shaping the industry by participating in one or more of the IAB New Zealand Councils or Working Groups. This Award is community sourced, and we invite nominations for dedicated Council or Working Group members, however Council or Working Group members can also nominate themselves. There is no entry fee to enter this Award. 

Emerging Talent

This award celebrates individuals who are new to the digital advertising industry and are already making their mark. We welcome entries from recent graduates taking their first steps in their careers, as well as experienced professionals who have transitioned into digital advertising from another industry and brought fresh perspectives and new thinking with them. Regardless of background or career stage, judges will be looking for someone who exemplifies emerging talent through their commitment to the industry, their drive to learn and develop, and their willingness to go above and beyond for the people and organisations they work with.

Service to the Industry

 

Judges will be awarding an individual with long-standing industry service who has contributed to growing and shaping the digital industry over the past ten years. This Award is community sourced, and we invite nominations for extraordinary industry leaders. There is no entry fee to enter this Award. 

 

 

Media Publisher of the Year

 

Judges will be awarding a Media Publisher that can demonstrate innovation in developing and

implementing digital executions that have delivered successful campaigns, platform innovations and ROI.

Media Agency of the Year

 

Creative Agency of the Year

 

Best in Show

 

In 2026, Judges will be awarding Best in Show to a Gold winner from any of the five Award categories: Sales and Ad Operations, Channel Excellence, Campaign Effectiveness, Data and Effectiveness, or Grand Awards, that truly excels and stands out from the crowd.