Shortlist

After an intense day of judging, we are pleased to announce the shortlist of finalists for the MPA Inspiration Awards 2026.

It has been fantastic to see the boundaries once again pushed in terms of quality and content, as well as seeing many new faces getting involved.

Your shortlist is as follows:

Campaign Categories

Best Digital Campaign

  • Mobsta, Wavemaker and Triple Dry Driving Sales of Deodorant? No Sweat
  • Mobsta, Republic of Media, and TfGM TfGM – Have You Got Your Ticket?
  • EssenceMediacom, a WPP Media Brand Recipe for Absolute Collagen’s AI Win
  • McCann Manchester Importance Of Flipping Industry Norms
  • Crimtan, Fusion Unlimited & University of Leeds UoL Applications: Powered by Data
  • EssenceMediacom, a WPP Media Brand Making 180 Stores Feel Truly Local
  • Edison Media Sandcastle Waterpark: A Record Year
  • PHD Manchester & Grupo Bimbo (Takis) Can’t Hide Your Intensity
  • Wavemaker, a WPP Media Brand We’re Going Places
  • Wavemaker, a WPP Media Brand When the House Is Invisible, Change Odds
  • Carat, Greggs, Blis From Insight to Impact: Greggs Xmas Wins

Best Creative Campaign

  • EssenceMediacom, a WPP Media Brand From Fine Lines To Laughter Lines
  • EssenceMediacom, a WPP Media Brand Understanding Greatness Needs No Service
  • Seventy7 Making Proper Good Things Happen
  • Dentsu & News UK Newsstands to Catwalks: Next A/W

Best Media Campaign

  • Leasing Options & Reigning Media From Sceptic to Sky Sports Sponsor
  • The Guardian From Play to Purpose with Co-op & Carat
  • Notorious Communications Butchers x Chanel 5’s Country Living
  • Mail Metro Media, Carat, VisitScotland Good for the Soul
  • McCann Manchester Importance Of Flipping Industry Norms
  • Republic of Media A ‘Powerfully Simple’ Venture into TV
  • EssenceMediacom, a WPP Media Brand From Media Interruptions to Healthcare
  • EssenceMediacom, a WPP Media Brand Turning Tyres Into a Performance Story
  • EssenceMediacom, a WPP Media Brand How an Unofficial Sponsor Beat 50:1
  • EssenceMediacom, a WPP Media Brand Tetley Chose Rituals Over Reach
  • TBWA\MCR Dodge The Finger
  • Edison Media We Run This City with JD Sports x Nike
  • Wavemaker, a WPP Media brand Out of Your Head and Into Your Home
  • News UK No Parental Guidance
  • PHD Manchester & Grupo Bimbo (Takis) Can’t Hide Your Intensity
  • Wavemaker, a WPP Media Brand Nothing Beats Playing the Long Game
  • Carat, Co-op Funeralcare “From Behind to Front of Mind”

Best Sales Team Campaign

  • Mobsta, Wavemaker, and Triple Dry Driving Sales of Deodorant? No Sweat
  • Channel 4 Sales & Wavemaker for Wayfair Filtered Interiors
  • Mail Metro Media, Carat, VisitScotland Good for the Soul
  • Immediate, Crown Paints & Notorious Communications Colour your Senses

Best Integrated Campaign

  • Channel 4 Sales & Carat for VisitScotland Where to Next?
  • McCann Manchester Schär: Better Media for Better Health
  • EssenceMediacom, a WPP Media Brand From Media Interruptions to Healthcare
  • Wavemaker, a WPP Media brand Clarkson’s Farm, Sponsored by Morrisons
  • Wavemaker, a WPP Media brand Dr Oetker’s Book Club Hit the Aisle
  • Edison Media We Run This City with JD Sports x Nike
  • Wavemaker, a WPP Media brand Reigniting Passion for Teaching
  • Mail Metro Media, Havas, Matalan Your Tribe
  • News UK & Specsavers Grab a Grant – Specsavers x The Sun
  • Wavemaker, a WPP Media Brand Original Source x HYROX
  • Carat, Nerds, Global ‘Make it a NERDS Summer’
  • WPP Media Search It & Weep

Best PR/Social Campaign

  • Smoking Gun Fry & Mighty
  • Channel 4 Sales, Vega & Propaganda for Cloud 9 GRWM: Roots & Resilience
  • EssenceMediacom, a WPP Media Brand From Fine Lines to Laughter Lines
  • Wavemaker, a WPP Media brand From Hardship to Hope
  • Mail Metro Media, Havas, Matalan Your Tribe

Specialist Categories

Best Animation

  • Flow Creative Releasing Hope
  • TBWA\MCR Dodge The Finger

Best Video

  • TBWA\MCR That Time Of The Month
  • Edison Media This Is Blackpool: The Two Day Stay

Best Podcast

  • Roland Dransfield We Built This City
  • JCDecaux UK Digital Changemakers

Best Audio

  • TBWA\MCR Gardaland 50th Anniversary
  • EssenceMediacom, a WPP Media Brand Making Results Day Sound Different
  • Wavemaker, a WPP Media brand From Missed Flights to Must-Book Nights

Unique Categories

Big Bang Award

  • Reigning Media x Bruntwood Turning David into Goliath
  • Nano Interactive x Republic of Media for ScotRail The Scenic Route to CTR
  • Hoopla Digital & Dentsu Galderma Acnecide
  • TBWA\MCR That Time Of The Month
  • TBWA\MCR Dodge The Finger

Collaboration Award

  • Whistl, HH Global, Co-op Co-operative Christmas Growth
  • Peachy and Screen Manchester Peachy and Screen Manchester Outreach
  • Immediate Media North and Wavemaker North Dr Oetker Ristorante Book Club
  • Wavemaker, a WPP Media brand Making Wayfair Feel Like Home
  • Cash for Kids Bringing Back the Magic of Christmas
  • Wavemaker, a WPP Media Brand TRU x Reach – On Track to Better

Martyn Hett Inspiring Manchester Award

  • Ocean Outdoor The Corinthians: We Were The Champions
  • Roland Dransfield We Built This City

Innovation Award

  • PHD Manchester Establish MCR as a Gaming Powerhouse
  • WPP Media OMA PagePal Beats Google’s Crackdown

People categories

Apprentice Award

  • Olivia Darbyshire One Agency Media
  • Aarti Schwob Wavemaker, a WPP Media brand
  • Mia Cunningham Republic of Media

Rising Star Award

  • Joshua Dagger Bauer Media Outdoor
  • Grace Noakes One Agency Media
  • Luis Rogers Republic of Media

University Student Award

  • Amy Louise Mead Manchester Metropolitan University
  • Nikola Gonczar Manchester Metropolitan University
  • Shannon Fahey Manchester Metropolitan University
  • Queenie Quayson Manchester Metropolitan University

Freelance Hero Award

  • Jude Hodges
  • Oliver Hardingham
  • Roxanne Parker
  • Natalie Meziani

Agency of the Year

  • I-COM
  • Wavemaker, a WPP Media brand
  • Edison Media
  • Republic of Media
  • Roland Dransfield

Media Sales Team of the Year

  • Mobsta
  • Transport for Greater Manchester
  • JCDecaux UK
  • News UK
  • Channel 4

Grand Prix Categories

Best Place to Work

  • JCDecaux UK
  • Bauer Media Outdoor

Best of the Best

  • To be announced on the night

Business of the Year

  • To be announced on the night

MPA Award

  • To be announced on the night