ADWEEK has revealed the shortlist for the 2026 Experiential Awards.
As the internet becomes flooded with AI slop, in-person events and experiences are more important than ever.
The following agencies and brands are maximizing creativity and in-person interaction while delivering on business goals.
Final winners will be published in the December issue of ADWEEK on 12/8/26.
2027 Shortlist
Experiential Activation Less than $1 Million
- Creative Artists Agency | Kaiser Permanente | “The Training Bay”
- Pubity Group | Paramount Pictures | “Hotboxing Times Square”
- Sinclair, Inc | AMP Sports | “Unfiltered Soccer Live”
- Solomon Group | Tales of the Cocktail | “Tales House”
Experiential Activation over $1 Million
- Amplify | Lego | “World Play Day”
- George P. Johnson Experience Marketing | Google Cloud | “Google Cloud Next 2026”
- Solomon Group | Topps & Fanatics | “Topps Collector’s Destination at the 2026 NFL Draft”
- The·Team | Fox One x Indeed | “Fox One Chief World Cup Watcher Hired Through Indeed”
Experiential Activation by an Auto Brand
- Anthemic | Toyota | “Toyota Super Bowl LXI”
- Imagination | Ford Racing | “Ford Racing and Red Bull Racing: 2026 Launch”
- Innocean USA | Hyundai Motor America | “Next Starts Now”
- m ss ng p eces | Meta x Mercedes | “Trackside”
- NVE Experience Agency | Waymo | “Waymo at CES 2026”
Experiential Activation by a Retail Brand
- Anthemic | Levi Strauss & Co. | “Levi’s Home Turf”
- Mirrored Media | Mattel | “Mattel Uno Social Clubs”
- Mirrored Media | Mattel | “Barbie x Coachella Activation & Influencer Brand Trip”
- Salt Productions | lululemon | “Studio Yet”
- Wpromote x Giant Spoon | Walmart | “Walmart Delivers”
Experiential Activation by a Technology Brand
- George P. Johnson Experience Marketing | IBM | “IBM AI Sports Club”
- Jack Morton | AWS | “AWS x Formula 1: Made for This”
- Left Field Labs | Salesforce | “Agentic AI on the American Main Street: Building Salesforce’s Largest Dreamforce Experience Yet”
- m ss ng p eces | Meta x UFC | “Ultimate Barbershop”
- m ss ng p eces | Meta x Mercedes | “Trackside”
Experiential Activation by a Media Brand
- Fox Sports | Fox One x Indeed | “Fox One Chief World Cup Watcher Hired Through Indeed”
- Glue Society | Channel 4 | “Fountain of Filth”
- Nylon | Nylon | “Nylon House in the Desert Presented by Matrix”
- Salt XC | Rogers | “Rogers Replay”
- Spotify | Spotify | “The Life of a Showgirl: A Spotify Experience”
Experiential Activation by a Packaged Goods Brand
- Inspira | So Delicious Dairy Free | “The Pint of No Return”
- NVE Experience Agency | Liquid I.V. | “Liquid I.V. Bodega”
- Salt XC | Liquid I.V. | “The Liquid I.V. Fuel Fit”
- The·Team | Unilever | “Unilever House of Fresh x FIFA World Cup 2026”
- Welch’s | Welch’s | “Break Out the Fancy Juice!”
Experiential Activation by an Entertainment Brand
- Civic Entertainment Group | Audible | “Audible Story House: The First-Ever Bookless Bookstore”
- Invisible North | Netflix | “You Season 5”
- Monks | Netflix | “Darkminito”
- NBCUniversal | Peacock | “The Traitors Experience”
- Pubity Group | Paramount Pictures | “Hotboxing Times Square”
Experiential Activation by a Spirits or Alcoholic Beverage Brand
- City Eventions | Teremana Tequila | “Share the Table, Share the Mana”
- Gradient | Hendrick’s Gin | “Hendrick’s Anotherland”
- m ss ng p eces | Coors Light | “The Cold Tux”
- NVE Experience Agency | Diageo/Don Julio | “Don Julio Por Amor: An Immersive Tasting Experience”
- Team Epiphany | Cîroc | “Cîroc Athletic Club”
Experiential Activation by a Beverage Brand
- Inspira | Café Bustelo | “Bodega de Café Bustelo”
- Inspira | illy | “illy Takes Manhattan”
- Motive | Muscle Milk | “Muscle Milk Prodega: Protein for All”
- Newbridge Marketing | Sparkling Ice | “Sparkling Ice Caffeine Sweet Spot Soda Shoppe”
- Thinkingbox | Amazon Studios | “Brisk x Invincible: An Immersive SXSW Experience”
Experiential Activation by a Travel Brand
- rEvolution World | Wheels Up | “Wheels Up Clubhouse in Augusta”
- Tripadvisor | Tripadvisor | “Tripadvisor Tourism Northern Territory Domestic Partnership”
- Webedia | All Accor | “Dream Tournament”
Best Use of Mobile in an Experiential Activation
- CNC Agency x Mother | Uber | “Uber Defeated Discounts: Sorry for Your Team’s Loss, Consolation on the Move”
- Salt XC | Rogers | “Rogers Replay”
Best Use of Video in an Experiential Activation
- m ss ng p eces | KFC | “11 Secrets”
- VML | Oreo/Mondelēz International | “Oreo Cows”
Best Use of Data Insights in an Experiential Activation
- George P. Johnson Experience Marketing | IBM | “AI Sports Club at the Park”
- NVE Experience Agency | Amazon Web Services | “AWS: The Ultimate Playbook”
- Wpromote x Giant Spoon | Walmart | “Walmart Delivers”
- VML | KitKat | “The KitKat Heist”
Best Use of Out-of-Home Media in an Experiential Activation
- City Eventions | Teremana Tequila | “Share the Table, Share the Mana”
- City Eventions | Universal Pictures, Illumination | “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Installation”
- Innocean USA | El Pollo Loco | “The Towel Coupon”
- Monks | Netflix | “Darkminito”
- Wpromote x Giant Spoon | Disney Consumer Products | “Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Skyline Stakeout”
Best Use of Social Media in an Experiential Activation
- Fanatics | Fanatics | “Fanatics Fest 2026”
- m ss ng p eces | Burger King | “The Bite”
- m ss ng p eces | KFC | “11 Secrets”
- Pubity Group | Paramount Pictures | “Hotboxing Times Square”
- Wpromote x Giant Spoon | Prime Video | “Prime Video Obsessed Fest”
Best Use of Celebrity in an Experiential Activation
- Fanatics | Fanatics | “Fanatics Games 2026”
- Manifest | Grindr | “Grindr x Madonna: Confessions II”
- McCann XBC | Mastercard | “Hidden In The Great Divide”
- m ss ng p eces | Taco Bell | “Davante’s House”
- Monks | Netflix | “Juan Gabriel—The Ballad of Alberto”
Best Use of Music/Audio in an Experiential Activation
- Civic Entertainment Group | Audible | “Audible Story Tiles: A New Platform for Audio Discovery”
- Inspira | International Delight | “International Delight Flavor Studio”
- McCann XBC | Mastercard | “Hidden In The Great Divide”
- Monks | Netflix | “Juan Gabriel – The Ballad of Alberto”
- Spotify | Spotify | “Spotify x Lady Gaga: The Little Monster Press Conference”
Best Use of Partnership in an Experiential Activation
- m ss ng p eces | Meta x UFC | “Ultimate Barbershop”
- Mod Op | Sheetz | “Sheetz x The All-American Rejects: House Party Pop-Up Concert”
- NVE Experience Agency | Amazon Web Services | “AWS: The Ultimate Playbook”
- Salt XC | Liquid I.V. | “The Liquid I.V. Fuel Fit”
- Spotify | Spotify | “Spotify Presents: John Summit CTRL Escape Sponsored by LinkedIn”
Best Use of Influencers in an Experiential Activation
- Fox Sports | Fox One x Indeed | “FOX One Chief World Cup Watcher Hired Through Indeed”
- Mirrored Media | Prime Video | “Prime Video Beast Games Season 2 VIP Creator Screening”
- Mirrored Media | Mattel | “Mattel UNO Social Clubs National Campaign”
- The·Team | Unilever | “Unilever House of Fresh x FIFA World Cup 2026”
- Unboxed Group | Hulu | “Get Real House: Reality TV’s Biggest Names Under One Roof”
Best Experiential Activation to Launch a Brand/Product
- Burson Global | adidas | “The Hottest Drop: Taking adidas Originals Sport to New Heights”
- The·Team | Giving 4th | “America250 Launch of Giving 4th”
- De-Yan | Meta | “Meta Lab”
- Ideas United | Emory Healthcare | “Painting the Town Green”
- NVE Experience Agency | Liquid I.V. | “Liquid I.V. Bodega”
Best Sports-Related Experiential Activation
- De-Yan | Puma | “Rolling Nations”
- Fox Sports | Fox One x Indeed | “Fox One Chief World Cup Watcher Hired Through Indeed”
- m ss ng p eces | Meta x Mercedes | “Trackside”
- m ss ng p eces | Taco Bell | “Davante’s House”
- VML | Wisła Kraków FC | “Lucky Fan Index”
Best Community-Focused Experiential Activation
- Activate | Coach | “Explore Your Story Tour”
- Amplify | Lego | “World Play Day”
- De-Yan | Puma | “Rolling Nations”
- Innocean USA | Kia Motor America | “Inspiration Connects Us All”
- Motive | Tostitos (Frito Lay) | “Tostitos Cantina”
Best International Experiential Activation
- Glue Society | Street Doctors | “The Fatal Question”
- Glue Society | Channel 4 | “Fountain of Filth”
- Monks | Netflix | “Darkminito”
- Salt XC | Rogers | “Rogers Replay”
- VML | The Coca-Cola Company | “Chicken Screams for Coke”
Best Cause-Related Experiential Activation
- All Terrain | United By Nature | “We’re Going Public!”
- Glue Society | Street Doctors | “The Fatal Question”
- Rock + Paper | Planned Parenthood Federation of America | “No Matter What”
- VML | Fuck Cancer | “Beat Cancer Off”
Best Consumer Activation
- Imagination | Visa | “Visa Live at the Rocket Garden”
- NBCUniversal | Bravo | “BravoCon 2025”
- NVE Experience Agency | HBO Max | “Peacemaker Presents PeaceFest at San Diego Comic Con 2025”
- NVE Experience Agency | HBO Max | “Lanterns Training Headquarters”
- Salt XC | Rogers | “Rogers Replay”
Experiential Agency of the Year
- Kamp Grizzly
- Momentum
- De-Yan
- Left Field Labs
Experiential Brand of the Year
- Canva
- Nylon
- Yahoo
Experiential Executive of the Year
- David Wisely, SVP of Experiential, Innocean USA
- Dejan Jovanovic, Founder & CEO, De-Yan
- Lylle Breier, EVP of Partnerships, Promotions, Synergy & Events, The Walt Disney Studios
- Nicole Iwaki, AVP of Marketing, AMP Sports
- Yann Caloghiris, Chief Experience Officer, Left Field Labs
