ADWEEK Names 2026 Agency of the Year Shortlist

By Elena Vasquez

ADWEEK has revealed its 2026 Agency of the Year shortlist, with winners to be published in the December issue on 12/8/26. The program is ADWEEK's flagship awards effort. It singles out agencies that set the standard for creative and innovative work each year.

The judging spans creative and media disciplines. ADWEEK says the categories recognize shops that delivered standout work, growth, innovation, and strong talent retention and diversity in 2026. In other words, the award measures business performance alongside creative output.

Which agencies made the global and U.S. creative shortlists?

Five networks compete for Global Creative Agency of the Year. VML, formed from a major agency consolidation, appears alongside independents and veteran creative shops. The full list:

• 72andSunny Creative Collective
• Gut
• Mother
• VCCP
• VML

The U.S. Creative category mixes multinational outposts with independent challengers. BBH, Deutsch, Special US and Uncommon Creative Studio compete against 72andSunny Creative Collective, which also holds a global nomination.

What do the independent and size-based categories show?

Several agencies appear in multiple categories, which signals breadth across the holding-company divide. Mischief @ No Fixed Address earned nominations in both the Midsize Creative and Independent Creative categories. Loop earned three nominations: Small Creative, Breakthrough Creative, and Creator/Influencer Agency of the Year.

Midsize Creative Agency of the Year

• Anomaly
• BBH USA
• Fallon
• McKinney
• Mischief @ No Fixed Address

Independent Creative Agency of the Year

• BarkleyOKRP
• Callen
• Isle of Any
• Mischief @ No Fixed Address
• VCCP

Small Creative Agency of the Year

• Alto
• Conscious Minds
• Iverson
• Laughlin Constable
• Loop

Breakthrough Creative Agency of the Year

• Cape
• Corner Table Creative
• Flower Shop
• Isle of Any
• Loop

BarkleyOKRP and VCCP also hold dual nominations, in Independent Creative and in media categories. Isle of Any carries two nods, in Independent Creative and Breakthrough Creative.

Who is shortlisted in creator, innovation and media?

The Creator/Influencer category reflects the shift of brand budgets toward social platforms. Billion Dollar Boy, Collectively, Influential, Loop and We Are Social North America compete for that title.

Innovation Agency of the Year

• Code and Theory
• Dept
• Digitas
• Gale
• R/GA

U.S. Media Agency of the Year

• Canvas Worldwide
• GALE
• January Digital
• Known
• Tinuiti

Independent Media Agency of the Year

• Arm Candy
• BarkleyOKRP
• Noble People
• PMG
• Tinuiti

Tinuiti holds nominations in both media categories. Gale appears in the Innovation list, and GALE appears in the U.S. Media list.

ADWEEK did not name shortlisted agencies for Multicultural Agency of the Year. The winner in that category will be announced directly in the December issue.

What happens next?

Gold, Silver and Bronze winners across all categories will be published on 12/8/26 in ADWEEK's December issue. Last year's winners remain available on the ADWEEK site for comparison. For shortlisted agencies, the December announcement will serve as the final test of a year built on growth, retention and creative performance.