Entries Now Open for the 2027 ADWEEK Marketing Vanguard Awards

Entries are now open for the 2027 ADWEEK Marketing Vanguard Awards, presented by Brand Finance.

The best CMOs exceed not only their board’s expectations, but their customers’. Weaving brand building with the demand for results is a tricky balance that many fail to master—but there are visionaries who truly use marketing to change the trajectory of their brands and businesses.

They are the Marketing Vanguard, and as part of ADWEEK’s Marketing Vanguard program, we’re proud to open entries for the 5th annual Marketing Vanguard Awards.

Who Is Eligible

This award is reserved for CMOs of brands. Executives from agencies, consultancies, and tech are not eligible.

ADWEEK will also consider CEOs who rose from the CMO seat—chief executives who, having once owned the marketing remit themselves, now understand, champion, and drive the marketing agenda across their companies.

What We’re Looking For

CMOs often make key decisions that alter the trajectory of the business—we want to hear about those moments. Along with those decisions and results, submissions should demonstrate that the nominee consistently does the following:

Champions the marketing discipline
Positions marketing as a driver of organizational growth
Quantifies marketing’s value to the organization

Backed By Data

New this year, this award will have a 2-step entry process. After all entries have been reviewed, the finalists will be asked to submit financial and brand awareness data, which will be used to calculate a Brand Strength score in partnership with Brand Finance, the official research partner of the Marketing Vanguard Awards. The score gives judges a consistent, data-backed measurement of each marketer’s impact.

Brand Finance is a leading brand valuation consultancy that helps thousands of companies understand the financial value of their brands and use that information to drive strategic decision making. Their database of metrics is used by financial institutions, non-governmental agencies, and academics.

Note: The brand value calculations for this award are Brand Finance’s and are for general information only. They should not be used as investment, financial or legal advice.