The winners of the 2026 Prolific North Champions Awards can finally be revealed.
Last night, hundreds of the North’s leading figures from across the creative, digital, tech and media sectors came together at The Point, Emirates Old Trafford for one of the biggest nights in the industry calendar.
The prestigious awards celebrate the very best work, teams and individuals from across the region, with this year’s winners selected by an independent panel of industry experts from organisations including Warburtons, Kellogg’s, Buymedia, Formula 1, CLOUD NINE, AO Retail, Hearst Networks EMEA, Waypoint, Virgin Red and more.
Hosted by presenter and journalist Gemma Care, the flagship event celebrated the teams, innovative companies, remarkable campaigns and influential people making their mark across the region and beyond.
Congratulations to our finalists, highly commended entries, and of course this year’s winners. A huge thank you to our judges, whose expertise and insight underpin the integrity of these awards, and to our category sponsors – BIG Partnership, Colony, Edison Media, Glaisyers, HUB, Brand XYZ and Synergist – for their continued support.
This year’s judging panel brought together senior leaders from across industry, spanning brands, agencies, media owners and academia. They included Amy Jones (Warburtons), Jason Neale (Synergist), Dom Dwight (ex-Yorkshire Tea & Taylors of Harrogate), Jamie Learmont (Waypoint), Mark Camp (Propello Cloud), Jodie Howe (Edison Media), Joel Bransfield (BIG Partnership), Emma Hughes (Pharmacy2U), Nickii Gray (IMA/The Midnight Club), Caroline Anderson (Virgin Red), Helen Potter (Kellogg’s), Holly Davies (Access Creative), Naomi Horan (CLOUD NINE), Fergal O’Connor (Buymedia), Data Adamia (GMCA), Mark Kuhillow (Trimontium), Richard Walker (Mustard Research), Professor Kirsty Fairclough (Manchester Metropolitan University), Arafa Heneghan (AO Retail), Marianna Kritikos (Hearst Networks EMEA), Mirage Islam (University of Salford), Mike Jeffs (Hark by SolarEdge), Ben Davies (PXN Ventures) and Andrew Diggle (Formula 1).
The Prolific North Champions Awards 2026: The Winners
Independent Agency of the Year – Small – Sponsored by Glaisyers
🏆 WINNER: Interim Digital
Also nominated:
C21 Creative Communications
Excite OOH
Independent Agency of the Year – Medium – Sponsored by Glaisyers
🏆 WINNER: Evoluted
Also nominated:
Fantastic Media
ICG Strategic Marketing Agency
Independent Agency of the Year – Large – Sponsored by Glaisyers
🏆 WINNER: HUB
Also nominated:
BIG Partnership
Open Partners
Integrated Agency of the Year:
🏆 WINNER: Open Partners
Also nominated:
BIG Partnership
Bonded Agency
CTI Digital
HUB
PR Agency of the Year:
🏆 WINNER: Viva
Also nominated:
McBryde & Co
The Strong Agency
Digital Agency of the Year: Open Partners – Sponsored by Colony
🏆 WINNER: Open Partners
Also nominated:
Answer Digital
Mutatio Marketing Agency LTD
Pixelbuilders
Production Company of the Year:
🏆 WINNER: Eight Engines
Also nominated:
Sam Teale Productions
The Chase Films
New Agency to Watch – Sponsored by Synergist
🏆 WINNER: EDGEY
Also nominated:
BrandXYZ
Exter Media
Ginger Fury
Hide Marketing Agency
Invested
Novaro Social Commerce
Oceros
Swype®
Tech Company of the Year – Small – Sponsored by Slater Heelis
🏆 WINNER: Cognni
Also nominated:
!Coconut
Crysp limited
Hop Software
Propello Cloud
Salesfire
Tech Company of the Year – Medium-Large – Sponsored by Slater Heelis
🏆 WINNER: fulfilmentcrowd
Also nominated:
BrightHR
Buymedia
Best In-House Marketing Team – Sponsored by HUB
🏆 WINNER: Woodlands Home & Garden Group, trading as Tiger Sheds
Also nominated:
AO Arena
Calderdale College
Corecom Tech Academy
CTI Digital’s in-house marketing team
eStar Truck & Van
Go North East
Ian Cheveau
Leasing Options
Medical Protection Society
B2C Marketing Campaign of the Year – Small:
🏆 WINNER: Calderdale College – Applications Now Open
Also nominated:
Keane Creative Ltd & Wilfreda Beehive
RMS Marketing & Trafford Leisure – Unearthing Hidden Treasure
B2C Marketing Campaign of the Year – Medium Budget:
🏆 WINNER: Weber Shandwick – Knorrplay is the new foreplay
Also nominated:
Edison Media & Visit Blackpool – This Is Blackpool: Reigniting a Seaside Icon
Evoluted & Supplement Hub – Supplementing Success, Sustaining Growth
Jaywing, The Sun, & cardfactory – No Tricks Just Treats
MPS – I’m a Consultant
Trafford Centre – Beautopia
B2C Marketing Campaign of the Year – Large Budget:
🏆 WINNER: Jaywing & Yorkshire Tea – Four Minute Wonders: Turning brew time into time well spent
Also nominated:
Edison Media – JD & Adidas
Immediate – Crown Paints & Good Food
Immediate – Ristorante & Radio Times Book Club
Reigning Media & Leasing Options
Best Brand Activation – Sponsored by Edison Media
🏆 WINNER: Weber Shandwick & Knorr – Knorrplay is the new foreplay
Highly commended:
Cat Among The Pigeons & Birds Eye – Win Trips With Chips
Also nominated:
co&co & Found – Sundown Sessions Vol.2
Dentsu Creative & Valspar – Enjoy & Valspar Colour Consult
Equinox Group & Digitain – ICE Barcelona
Make Events & Salboy x Nobu Hospitality – Groundbreaking: Transforming a construction site into an Iconic Brand Experience
Property/Construction Campaign of the Year – Sponsored by BIG Partnership
🏆 WINNER: Bonded & The Arch Company – Digital Commercial Transformation
Also nominated:
co&co & Found – Found in Good Company
Luma Marketing & Euan Kellie Property Solutions – EK Unlocked
Pixelbuilders & Strata – My Home Finder
Not-for-Profit Campaign of the Year – Sponsored by BrandXYZ
🏆 WINNER: Epilepsy Action & Magpie – If I Told You
Highly commended:
North East International Film Festival
Also nominated:
Fusion Unlimited & Anchor – Closing the Digital Trust Gap in Care
Hitch Marketing & Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance – Bowel Cancer Awareness Campaign
Hotfoot Design & Together an Active Future – Healthy Hearts
ICG & The Big Food Project – Support us or lose us campaign
Medical Protection Society – Medical and Dental Students
Resolution Communications & The Teesside Charity
The Prominence Collective & The Widowed Collective – #WidowedAtChristmas
Yasper & Row4MND – Whipping up a media storm for charity rowers
B2B Marketing Campaign of the Year:
🏆 WINNER: Matter & Kelling Group – Transforming Lead Quality with Prospect Intelligence™ & ABM
Highly commended:
First Internet and Mulmar – AI Answers to Local Enquiries
Also nominated:
Dentsu Creative – The Luximoment
Salesfire – AI Connect Milk Carton
B2B PR Campaign of the Year:
🏆 WINNER: Viva & CoolKit – Electrifying the Cold Front
Highly commended:
Aberfield Communications & The Compleat Food Group
Also nominated:
Altitude PR & IntelliAM AI – The Proof Over Promise Campaign
Petal & Co & ReBound & ASC – Creating a new narrative. Turning retail returns into repeat spending.
B2C PR Campaign of the Year:
🏆 WINNER: Smoking Gun & Philips – Fry & Mighty: Taking back market share for Philips airfryer
Also nominated:
Brazen PR & Sudocrem® – Sudocrem® Gets Uncovered with Brazen
Citypress & Lurpak – Lurpak: The Taste Test
HAVAS Red & GetYourGuide – Ibiza Unplugged
Jam & Raisin: The Newsroom That Simplified Saving
Prohibition PR & Martin House Children’s Hospice – THE BUILD
RMS Marketing & Swizzels – Celebrating 70 years of Refreshers for Swizzels
Viva & Bolton Food & Drink Festival – Secret Menu Hits the Spot
Weber Shandwick & Mars Petcare – A New Leash on City Life: Helping Mars Pet Build a Pet-Friendly World
Weber Shandwick & McAfee – Repositioning McAfee for the AI Era
E-commerce/Retail Campaign of the Year:
🏆 WINNER: Vega & Propaganda – Cloud Nine – Strength Through Kindness
Highly commended:
HUB x Jorvik Tricycles – Putting the wheels in motion for a tricycle revolution
Also nominated:
Be Found Be Chosen & Superdry – Paid Media driving Prominence & Performance
Edison Media & Sik Silk – Black Friday
Evoluted & Supplement Hub – Supplementing Success, Sustaining Growth
Jaywing & Euro Car Parts – Stabilising Growth Through Search
Social Impact Campaign of the Year:
🏆 WINNER: Weber Shandwick & Cadent – From Cold Truth to Warmth and Dignity
Highly commended:
The Broadway Bradford – Delivering Social Value at the Heart of the Community
Also nominated:
Charter Walk Shopping Centre – Minutes Not Money Campaign
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority & OneMay – Digital Inclusion
Northumbrian Water Group – Local Action
One Minute Briefs & PAPYRUS – Suicidal Thoughts Don’t Wait
Sam Teale Productions – Destination Florida Children’s Charity
St Johns Shopping Centre – Fit n Fresh January
Tech Platform of the Year:
🏆 WINNER: Lloyds Banking Group – Bereavement Digital Journey & Transformation
Also nominated:
Be Your Own Coach
Propello Cloud & South Western Rail – Full steam ahead for South West Railways ROAS
Salesfire – AI Connect
Tech for Good Award:
🏆 WINNER: Ciptex & Debt Free Advice – Video Advice Kiosk with Agent AI Assist
Highly commended:
Novi & Senior Stairlifts – “step-by-step” growth
Also nominated:
HelloU Creative & Sewell Construction – AR Careers Ambassadors Campaign
Hitch Marketing & Leicestershire Police – ‘Speak Out Space’ hate crime hub
Hop Software
Lhasa Limited – Rapid CPCA integration into Derek Nexus following global nitrosamine guideline changes
Numodo & Severn Trent Water – Turning the Tide on Carbon Emissions
Pharmacy2U – Healthy Heart Workplace Programme
R-2 Energy – Roadwave Technology
Silvia Health – Structured Menopause Intelligence for Primary Care
Best Application of AI/Data:
🏆 WINNER: Matter – Prospect Intelligence™
Highly commended:
OneTwo – AI Avatar Event Assistant
Also nominated:
Key Group – More2Life
Layopay – Ratechecker
Talent Development Champion:
🏆 WINNER: AND Digital – AI Ignition
Also nominated:
Corecom Tech Academy
Culture & Workplace Champion:
🏆 WINNER: Bonded Agency
Highly commended:
AND Digital
Also nominated:
Art of Cloud
Prolific Leader of the Year:
🏆 WINNER: Catherine Forshaw – Brabners LLP
Also nominated:
Chris Burgess – CTI Digital
Edwin Buckley – The Prominence Collective
Jordan Stachini – co&co
Lucy Gugas – Bloom North
Sam Teale – Sam Teale Productions
Zoë Blogg – Reboot Online
Prolific Rising Star of the Year:
🏆 WINNER: Declan Real – Edison Media
Also nominated:
Dr. Giovannie Jean-Louis – PROBr
Isobel Waterworth – HUB
Matt Owens – Edison Media
Matthew Haywood
Millie Jackson – Jaywing
Petr Bednarik – Numodo
Pippa Gilroy – Bonded Agency
Samantha Levene – Reboot
Shoaib Ahmed – SA Personal Branding
Tilly Ogden – Matter
Wezi Mulenga – CGI
Young Entrepreneur of the Year:
🏆 WINNER: Niall Ratcliffe – noticed
Also nominated:
Elliot Ward – Excite OOH
Samuel Marriott-Dowding – Marriott Communications
Female Entrepreneur of the Year:
🏆 WINNER: Danielle Hewitt – Reigning Media
Also nominated:
Dr. Meghana Nadella – PROBr
Ginny Nicholls – Interim Digital
Jordan Stachini – co&co
Kathy Brooke – Be Your Own Coach
Lifetime Achievement Award:
🏆 WINNER: Christina Clarke – C21 Creative Communications
Also nominated:
Ian Wallace – Gaydio
Malcolm Clifford – Jaywing
