The countdown to the MPA Awards 2026 is officially on!
As anticipation builds for this year’s finalist announcement, we are diving behind the scenes with the incredible sponsors making it all possible.
Kickstarting the excitement is our brilliant headline sponsor, StackAdapt. Sponsors of the Awards since 2024, StackAdapt’s, Senior Programmatic Manager Richard Roycroft, reveals their industry secrets, why they love backing these awards, and exactly what keeps them coming back for more in our Q&A. Over to you Richard …
Could you introduce yourself and give us a brief overview of StackAdapt and your role within it?
I’m a Senior Programmatic Manager at StackAdapt, and part of our growing team based in Manchester.
StackAdapt is one of the fastest-growing ad-tech businesses in the world, and we’re a self-serve programmatic advertising platform that helps brands and agencies plan, buy, and optimise digital media campaigns across multiple channels from one platform.
Basically, we help make digital advertising smarter, slicker, and hopefully a little less headache-inducing.
What are you and the team most looking forward to at this year’s MPA Awards ceremony?
Seeing friends, clients, and familiar faces from across the industry, celebrating everyone’s brilliant work, and having a good old dance.
We’ll be bringing the enthusiasm, possibly questionable moves, and definitely strong appreciation for a good awards-night playlist.
In your opinion, why is it so vital for the MPA Awards to recognize and celebrate excellence across our sector?
Because our sector is full of incredibly talented, creative, hard-working people who spend so much of the year making other brands look brilliant. It’s important to take a night to shine the spotlight back on them. The MPA Awards celebrate the ideas, graft, collaboration, and occasional caffeine-fuelled miracles that keep this industry moving.
Which MPA Awards category excites you the most?
Anything that celebrates innovation and creative effectiveness really stands out for us. We love seeing work that not only looks great, but genuinely delivers results. That sweet spot between big ideas and measurable impact is where the magic happens.
For attendees looking to network on the night, what types of businesses or collaborators is your team most eager to connect with?
We’re always keen to chat with brands, agencies, media teams, and curious marketers who are thinking about how to get more from their digital campaigns. Whether you’re deep into programmatic already or just wondering what all the fuss is about, come and say hello. We promise not to open with a 47-slide deck. 
What does it mean to your organization to be a key partner of the MPA community?
It means a lot. The MPA community brings together some of the best talent, thinking, and energy in the industry, especially here in Manchester. Being a key partner gives us the chance to support that community, build stronger relationships, and play a part in celebrating the brilliant work happening across the sector.
If you had to describe the energy of the MPA Awards in just three words, what would they be?
Big. Northern. Sparkle.
Entries for this year’s MPA Awards are now closed. The Shortlist will be announced later this month.
Tickets are already. on sale for this year’s Awards Ceremony on Thursday 15th October at The Midland Hotel, Manchester here.
If you are interested in getting involved with an MPA event contact us.