The North’s creative glitterati descended on Manchester’s iconic Victoria Warehouse last night as the winners of the 2026 Prolific North Creative Awards were announced.
Hosted by TV presenter Jenny Powell, the ceremony brought together the agencies, brands, production companies and creative talent behind some of the region’s most outstanding work, celebrating excellence across advertising, branding, production, social impact and creative craft.
The awards attracted an incredible standard of entries this year, with judges praising the quality, ambition and originality of work submitted across branding, advertising, social impact, production, content and creative craft.
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Among the night’s biggest winners were Vivid Everywhere, which picked up multiple awards for its work with public sector and community partners, Sam Teale Productions, which secured victories in both the Master of Narrative and Creative for Good categories, and production company adam+gary, which was named Production Company of the Year.
Other standout winners included Ocean Outdoor and TBWA\MCR for their life-saving prostate cancer awareness campaign Dodge the Finger; Gate for The National Lottery’s Because of You campaign; Factory International’s campaign for Marina Abramović: Balkan Erotic Epic; and Very’s ambitious multi-brand Party Season campaign.
Alexandra Balazs, Managing Director at Prolific North, said: “The quality of work submitted this year was exceptional. Across every category, our judges saw entries that combined creativity, strategic thinking and measurable impact in equal measure.
“What stood out was the breadth of talent across the North. From global brands and major agencies to independent production companies, charities, challenger brands and emerging creative talent, the standard of work demonstrates why the North continues to be one of the UK’s most exciting creative regions.
“Congratulations to all of our winners, highly commended entrants and shortlisted organisations. The judging discussions were incredibly competitive, which reflects the strength of the work being produced across the sector.”
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The winners were selected by an independent judging panel featuring senior creative, marketing and communications leaders from organisations including MediaCity, SocialChain, Dentsu Creative, Together, TBWA\MCR, School of Thought, Drummond Central and GAS Music.
A huge thanks to our generous sponsors Print.com, BuyMedia, Colony and Propello – and of course to everyone who entered. Congratulations to all the finalists, highly commended campaigns and winners.
Prolific North Creative Awards 2026: The winners
Brand Launch – Activation or Event
Winner: Holdens x Rocket Sports & Novuna – Novuna Champions
Judges described the campaign as “something new to the sports activation scene”, praising its originality, participation levels and meaningful audience engagement.
Also nominated:
- Mearns & Gill x Wild Goose – Brand Launch
- Visual Architects & CASA SEAT – ‘Magic Days’
Best Use of Social & Engagement
Winner: Vivid Everywhere & Halton Borough Council – Beyond the Tracks
Judges praised the campaign’s inclusive and participatory approach, saying it created a genuine sense of shared cultural pride.
Also nominated:
- Hedonist Creative & Pepsi – In The Mix
- Perfect Storm & Stagecoach – A Ticket For Life
Branding & Visual Identity – Small sponsored by Print.com
Winner: Influential & Champs Public Health Collaborative – Smoking Ends Here
Developed in close consultation with its target audience, judges praised the campaign’s bold departure from traditional stop-smoking communications.
Highly commended: Vivid Everywhere & East Staffordshire / Burton – Upon It All
Also nominated:
- co&co & Found – Sundown Sessions Vol.2
- Hitch Marketing & Leicestershire Police – ‘Speak Out Space’ hate crime hub
Branding & Visual Identity – Medium/Large sponsored by Print.com
Winner: BWP Group & Victoria Centre – City Heart. High Street Soul.
A visually striking rebrand that judges said delivered consistency, impact and measurable success against clear objectives.
Also nominated:
- Chilli & Ringtons
- CreativeRace & Asda – In-store brand evolution
- CreativeRace & Greggs – Always on visual identity
- Chilli & Kopparberg – Kopparberg Rebrand
Production Company of the Year
Winner: adam+gary
Judges praised the team’s passion, ambition and commitment to creative excellence, describing them as “brilliant creative thinkers, crafters and grafters.”
Also nominated:
- Eski
- Sam Teale Productions Ltd
Best Brand In-House Team
Winner: Wienerberger Marketing Team
The judges highlighted the team’s robust framework, clear success metrics and long-term strategic approach.
Also nominated:
- CARZAR Creative
- Northumbrian Water Group
Master of Narrative
Winner: Sam Teale Productions – Rock Face Father’s Day Campaign
A simple but powerful piece of storytelling that relied on authentic voices and achieved impressive audience engagement.
- Two Stories & Lancaster BID – Love Lancaster, A City with a Story
- Neil Anderson Media Ltd & Sheffield Blitz Memorial Trust – Defiant Voices: Telling the Story of the Sheffield Blitz Generation
- Poke Marketing – Novo Nordisk “The Knowledge”
- “We’re Northern, just like you” – CreativeRace x Northern Trains
Rebrand
Winner: THINK & Agecko – Waste Not, Want Not
Judges praised the work as a genuine strategic repositioning that successfully elevated the business’s consultancy credentials.
Also nominated:
- Outdo
- Pharmacy2U
- The Bigger Boat – Dominion
- The Bigger Boat – William Henry Smith Foundation
Most Impactful OOH & Ambient Campaign
Winner: Ocean Outdoor and TBWA\MCR – Dodge the Finger
The campaign was recognised for combining attention-grabbing creative with a potentially life-saving public health message around prostate cancer awareness.
Highly commended: driven & Toft Cricket Club – The World’s Biggest Wickets
Also nominated:
- Equinox Group & Digitain – ICE Barcelona
- Halton Borough Council/Tony Mallon – Winds of Change
- The Broadway Bradford – Delivering Social Value at the Heart of the Community
- Weber Shandwick & Knorr – Knorrplay is the new foreplay
Healthcare Campaign
Winner: Vivid & Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance – Two Minutes of Chat and an Early Screening
Judges praised its community-first approach, bringing healthcare conversations into pubs, markets and football stadiums to engage harder-to-reach audiences.
Also nominated:
- Epilepsy Action & Magpie – If I Told You
- Eski & South East Smokefree Alliance – Stop Smoking, Feel Happier
- Influential & North West Cancer Research – SPF, even in the North West!
- Lhasa Limited – Rapid CPCA integration into Derek Nexus following global nitrosamine guideline changes
- Medical Protection Society – Medical and Dental Students
- SM92 & Home Instead – A Story In Every Home
Social Impact & Public Good
Winner: Weber Shandwick & Cadent – From Cold Truth to Warmth and Dignity
A campaign recognised for tackling fuel poverty with clear objectives, strong results and genuine human impact.
Also nominated:
- Calderdale College – Applications Now Open
- Influential & Liverpool City Council – Talking Bins
- Jack Fox Productions – Think North Project
- STV Creative – Glasgow City Council Cycle to School
- The Gate & Northern Ireland’s Department of Infrastructure – Ardmore Group & Road Safety Campaign
Excellence in Creative Craft (Audio, Visual & Motion)
Winner: Flow Creative – Releasing Hope
Judges praised the campaign’s emotional storytelling, exceptional animation and high level of visual craft.
Also nominated:
- APS Group & Joint Maritime Security Centre – Operation Keel Film
- BWP Group & Trafford Centre – Escape Ordinary
- CreativeRace & Greggs – Christmas Characters
- Distant Future Animation Studio & Lloyds Register Foundation – Maritime Connected
- Our Studio Ltd – Visual Storytelling for the Built Environment
- Poke Marketing – EFL Rainbow Ball
- STV Creative & Glasgow City Council – That Cycle to School Feeling
- The Gate / Ardmore Group & Northern Ireland’s Department of Infrastructure – Road Safety Campaign
Advertising Campaign – Small sponsored by Buymedia
Winner: Poke Marketing & Alder Hey Children’s Charity
A highly effective campaign that used a modest budget to communicate Alder Hey’s achievements through relatable, fact-led storytelling.
Also nominated:
Advertising Campaign – Medium sponsored by Buymedia
Winner: Factory International – Marina Abramović: Balkan Erotic Epic Campaign
The judges praised its discovery-led approach, building intrigue through outdoor advertising before expanding into social and editorial storytelling.
Also nominated:
- Cairn & Blum – MERIVOBOX launch
- IMA & Autotrader – It’s Time for Autotrader
- The Gate / Ardmore Group & Northern Ireland’s Department of Infrastructure – Road Safety Campaign
Advertising Campaign – Large sponsored by Buymedia
Winner: Gate & The National Lottery – Because of You
Recognised for its authentic portrayal of National Lottery-funded projects and the positive impact they have on communities across the UK.
Also nominated:
CreativeRace & Northern Trains – “We’re Northern, just like you”
Challenger Brand Award sponsored by Buymedia
Winner: Films Not Words & The Corinthians – We Were The Champions
Judges described the campaign as fearless, bold and a perfect example of challenger brand thinking.
Also nominated:
- !Coconut
- Be Your Own Coach
Best Collaboration sponsored by Propello
Winner: Very & various brands – Party Season: From Midnight to Morning Light
The judges praised the campaign’s ambitious objectives, seamless execution and strong commercial results.
Highly commended: IMA & Adidas – The Band with the 3 stripes
Also nominated:
- Bish Bash Bentos – Reigniting love for a Great British brand
- Cat Among The Pigeons & Birds Eye – Win Trips With Chips
- Listen to your body – NWCR & Cancer Alliance
- Liverpool City Region Combined Authority & OneMay – Digital Inclusion
Creative for Good Award sponsored by Colony
Winner: Sam Teale Productions – 2025 Christmas Advert
A deeply emotional campaign that judges said demonstrated the power of authenticity and emotional honesty.
Highly commended:
- Neil Anderson Media Ltd – Sheffield Blitz 85th: Preserving a City’s Living Memory
- Sheepish Productions Theatre Company Limited – Fishlake
Also nominated:
- A Few Good Things & National Museums Liverpool – What Artists Wear Series
- Absolute Agency – Race to Save Lives Campaign
- Applied Systems & hūmānus – Rebrand to open new funding pathways and partnerships with law firms
- Bewonder* & Capture DSRCT Charity – The first international DSRCT charity
- BSC Socials & KidsBank Chester – “A Gift of Forever”
- Hitch Marketing & Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance – Bowel Cancer Awareness Campaign
- Studio OBI & The Macari Centre – A Stepping Stone
Creative Rising Star sponsored by Colony
Winner: Jack Donohoe, Jack Fox Productions
Recognised for producing outstanding work while simultaneously building and leading a successful creative business.
Also nominated:
- Eleanor Duckers – Chilli
- Emma White – Key Integrated Services
- Eraj Lodhi – Plot Out Loud
- Hannah Robinson – Home Marketing
- Hannah Wainwright – PureGym
- Luis Wyatt – Gaydio
- Matthew Haywood – Matthew Haywood (@MatthewHaywoodX)
- Rowan Monk – Bold St Media
- Yasmin Stringer – Pharmacy2U
Creative Trailblazer
Winner: Brett Harris, Gaydio
Judges highlighted Harris’s ability to combine commercial success with cultural impact, transforming Gaydio into a multi-platform media brand while championing LGBTQ+ communities.
Also nominated:
- Dr Ria Meera Munshi
- Michael Nixon – Mike Nixon Ltd
- Samuel Marriott-Dowding – Marriott Communications
