Creativepool has unveiled the judging line-up for Annual 2026, bringing together an international panel of brand marketers, creative leaders, strategists, producers and design voices to assess the work shaping the industry right now.
As the creative industry’s “Most” Award, the Annual continues to stand apart for its scale, visibility and relevance, with submissions now open across work and nomination categories.
The Annual 2026 is positioned as the “Most” distributed, “Most” voted, “Most” shared, “Most” collaborative and “Most” environmentally responsible awards programme in the creative industry.
Winning and shortlisted work is published in the Annual, winners receive limited-edition hardcover books, 5,000 physical copies are sent to leading figures inside agencies and brands with the digital version being downloaded tens of thousands of times by the wider marcomms community. Winners and shortlisted entrants also receive Pro Membership, profile badges and ranking benefits that extend the value of recognition well beyond the trophy itself.
This year’s judges reflect the breadth of modern creativity, bringing together an exciting and experienced mix of creative leaders alongside marketers from brands and companies. They will assess work across a wide range of over 59 categories including Advertising, AI, B2B, Low Budget, Post Production, Social Good, Graphic, PR and Wave, while also selecting the prestigious overall winners, including Designer of the Year, Agency of the Year, Best Place to Work and Creative Leader of the Year.
Creativepool’s judging model remains one of the Annual’s biggest differentiators, bringing together the marketing and creative worlds to give a fuller, more balanced view of creative excellence and impact. After submissions are collated, shortlisted work is reviewed by judging panels who score each entry on its own merit rather than in direct competition with others.
The Annual also remains the only creative awards programme with a separate People’s Choice vote, giving entrants two routes to recognition. Shortlisted entrants receive feedback from the judging panel, adding a level of transparency and developmental value rarely seen in awards programmes.
That combination of visibility, opportunity and insight is a large part of why the Annual continues to position itself differently. The awards are not just built to celebrate finished work, but to create commercial and professional momentum around it.
With global distribution, direct visibility among decision-makers, expert feedback, People’s Choice engagement and long-tail profile benefits, Annual 2026 is designed to turn recognition into something more useful for agencies, brands and individuals alike.
Submissions for Annual 2026 are open now.
Work entered must have been released publicly between 1 January 2025 and 28 May 2026, and entrants can submit work categories or nominate agencies and individuals through the Annual 2026 platform.
Submissions close on 23 April 2026, with late submissions closing on 28 May 2026.
What This Year's Judges Are Looking For
Rather than rewarding safe work or familiar formulas, this year’s jury is looking for ideas with conviction.
Salla Kozma, Founder/Executive Producer at Pig and Horse Productions and a judge in Director of the Year, said she is looking for “work that takes creative risks and demonstrates a genuine point of view” and for ideas “where that worldview requires courage to execute... The work that stays with you is always the work that risks something.”
Across the specialist categories, judges are also signalling a clear appetite for work that is culturally tuned in, strategically grounded and commercially meaningful.
Nancy Anderson, EVP, Social & Content at Havas PR North America and a judge in Social, said she is looking for ideas “grounded in real insight, creatively strong and built to resonate with audiences in a meaningful way,” while Stephanie Clarke, EVP, Consumer & Lifestyle at Havas Red and a judge in Integrated, said the most compelling entries are those that “occupy a real place in culture”, spark conversation and have impact beyond the brief.
That same standard runs through the newer frontiers of the industry too.
Marc Maleh, CTO at Huge and a judge in Artificial Intelligence, said he wants to see “solutions that genuinely use AI/GenAI, not just those chasing a headline or a buzzword,” adding that he is interested in work shaped by real curiosity and a clear understanding of business impact.
In Next Gen Leader of the Year, Maximilian Herr, Chief Growth Officer at Active Theory, framed the moment even more starkly, arguing that as AI commoditises quality, what becomes scarce is judgment: knowing what to make, why it matters and how to make it exceptionally well.
The jury also reflects Creativepool’s continued effort to bring brand-side and agency-side perspectives together.
In B to B, judges include Andy Burrell, Head of Portfolio Marketing at Nokia, and Kate Matlock, Managing Director at distillery. Burrell noted that B2B marketing is too often seen as conservative, despite the fact that business audiences increasingly demand creativity, storytelling and compelling content.
Matlock added that she is looking forward to celebrating ideas that “push boundaries and drive impact” at a time when innovation is evolving rapidly.
Craft remains just as important as strategy.
In Animation, Henry Purrington, Managing Director at Golden Wolf, said he will be looking for projects with “clear execution, clever beats, and a strong command of the fundamentals of motion and design,” while Ralph Karam, Chief Creative Officer at Final Frontier, said he is excited to help shape “the values that guide the animation industry and the Creativepool community.”
In Graphic, Donya Davis of Omnicom Production said she is keen to see work that gives “voices to the unheard”, pairing beautifully crafted design with storytelling rooted in cultural relevance.
The “Of the Year” categories continue that broader industry lens. Antonio Conte, Creative Studio Director at OLIVER and a judge in Designer of the Year, said he wants to see “fearless design, unexpected thinking, immaculate execution, a confident POV, and cultural relevance that lands emotionally.”
Heitor Piffer, Executive Creative Director at Design Bridge and Partners and a judge in Design Agency of the Year, said he is looking forward to championing agencies doing “brave, culturally connected and craft-driven work”, the kind of work that genuinely moves the industry forward.
That sense of substance over spectacle is echoed elsewhere on the panel.
In PR, James Woods, Executive Creative Director at Edelman, said the work that stands out is not the work that simply points at a problem, but the work that solves one, using creativity as a solution rather than noise.
In Publishing, Caroline Smith, Chief Marketing Officer at Luxury Group, said she will be looking for work with “outstanding craft, originality, and strategic intent” through brand storytelling that resonates deeply and leaves a lasting impression.
Submissions Close - 23rd April
Late Submissions Close - 28th May
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