CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE IN DIGITAL MARKETING AND ADVERTISING

The editors of AdExchanger present the 2025 AdExchanger Awards, the only recognition program honoring the best of the best in programmatic.

    • Best Use Of Technology By A Publisher or Media Seller

      Whether it’s a new integration or going deeper with an existing technology, top publishers have found ways to make the tech work for them to boost results. This category recognizes publishers or media sellers, from audio to social platforms, who have built, partnered or bought technology that is driving notable business success or audience growth.

    • Best Programmatic Consulting Or Advisory Firm
      Navigating the constantly changing world of programmatic requires sharp minds. This award recognizes firms that guide clients deftly through a complex landscape and help them determine how to best apply programmatic to achieve their business goals by, for example, better leveraging agency partnerships, taking programmatic in-house, education or building custom products.
    • Best Use Of Data By An Agency

      Data has always been the lifeblood of media investments, but with the rise of digital – and the growing importance of first-party data – having a data strategy is critical. Agencies nominated for this award show a deft ability to not only use data to improve clients' media investments, but to know which pieces of data can make media dollars work harder.

    • Best Use Of Technology By An Agency

      Agencies must have a deep understanding of platforms and how to best leverage them for their clients' specific needs. Agencies nominated for this award have either demonstrated exceptional understanding and ability to work with top platforms in the space or built technology in-house that solves for identity, buying, measurement and beyond.

    • Best Data-Driven TV Campaign
      This category recognizes nominees that have identified, targeted and purchased an audience on linear TV or over-the-top, including connected TV campaigns. Innovation in targeting, planning, interactivity or measurement are all considered.
    • Best Overall Use Of Programmatic In A Marketing Campaign
      This category recognizes campaigns that applied programmatic concepts and techniques in unique ways, from their planning to execution, use of identity and/or contextual signals, measurement optimization.
    • Best Programmatic Out-Of-Home Activation
      From digital signage to location data, out-of-home marketing offers new ways of customization and measurement. The Best Programmatic Out-Of-Home Activation will recognize a campaign or strategy that exemplifies the success and innovation in OOH marketing.

    • Best Account Support

      The human touch still matters. The top tech companies, publishers and agencies in this category help their customers meet their goals, resolve issues and succeed with outstanding personalized service.

    • Making Media Better Award

      Transparency. Equity. Sustainability. Through tech, process and practices, ad tech can make the indsutry better. This award recognizes initiat ...

    • Leadership In Advertising
      This category recognizes digital advertising and marketing professionals who typify visionary leadership by effectively guiding their organization or business unit to meet business goals while advancing innovation and inspiring their teams.
    • Rising Star - Leadership Under 40

      This category recognizes emerging leaders in digital advertising and marketing, with a focus on mid-level professionals who are in the first two decades of their career. Winners show a demonstrated a track record of achievement, exceptional growth and huge potential to disrupt the industry.

    • The Overall AdExchanger Award

      This category draws from all award entries submitted and recognizes excellence in its service and contribution to stakeholders, such as marketers or consumers, and the industry at large. Entries will be judged on how clearly they align a product, service or campaign with proven results, innovation and creativity. *Only winning entries from other categories will qualify for entry into this overall excellence award. 

    • The People's Programmatic Pick

    • AI Innovators
      These companies are blazing a trail in the evolving field of generative AI and machine learning. They’re ignoring the hype and the buzz to go directly for what drives real value for companies, whether that be to support ideation, monetization, optimization, productivity and more. This rewards creators of AI technology and/or innovative applications of AI in marketing.
    • Best in Commerce Media

      This award recognizes commerce media brands and commerce media tech that is bringing retail media to its next stage of maturity. Whether it's a novel use of data, improved outcomes, powerful tech or an improved shopper experience, this categoy rewards tech that helps commerce media brands and customers seize new revenue opportunities.

    • Best Data Technology
      This award recognizes the leading companies that bring data to bear in programmatic media and beyond, from CDPs to DMPs to identity companies.
    • Best Demand-Side Technology
      This award recognizes outstanding demand-side technology companies that consistently meet the highest standards and show leadership and innovation in areas like identity, targeting, measurement, partnerships, client services and marketplace quality.
    • Best Identity Technology
      Signal loss is one of the biggest challenges facing the online advertising industry today – but it’s also a massive opportunity for smart, future-minded companies that help brands navigate the shifting landscape. This award recognizes identity-focused technology companies that enable brands, agencies and publishers to remain simultaneously effective and ethical.
    • Best Industry Startup
      This award recognizes the best and most innovative of the new wave of technology firms. Applicants should have been founded less than five years ago.  
    • Best Measurement Or Analytics Capability
      This award recognizes the best measurement and analytics that takes into account the evolving identity landscape as well as the need to deliver meaningful insights.
    • Best Privacy Technology
      The advertising industry is being forced to roll with a lot of changes at once, from Apple’s AppTrackingTransparency framework and the imminent phaseout of third-party cookies on Chrome to privacy regulations coming into effect around the world. But brands still need to reach people, albeit in a privacy-safe way. This category recognizes companies that help the ad ecosystem chart a course toward a more privacy-centric web, including privacy tech vendors and companies (brands and publishers) that have effectively woven privacy principles into their own ad tech product or marketing initiatives.
    • Best Sell-Side Focused Technology
      Through technology, publishers can solve many problems: understand their readers better, meet advertisers’ KPIs, drive subscriptions or increase their bottom line. This category recognizes vendors that excel in helping publishers build stronger and more sustainable businesses.
    • Most Innovative Use of CTV Technology

      This award recognizes innovative C/TV technology or an innovative application of C/TV technology. This tech should improve the TV experience or monetization, by improving outcomes, measurement, user experience, application of AI or more. This category recognizes the cutting-edge tech emerging to meet the growing appetite for advanced television advertising solutions.

Eligibility

  • Open to all brands, agencies, publishers, and technology providers.
  • International entries are welcome.
  • All entries must be related to programs/events/campaigns that started after January 1, 2024.
  • Entrants may submit as many campaigns as they wish.
  • Campaigns may be entered in multiple categories to increase chances of winning.
  • Companies can submit on behalf of others (e.g. their client) with the participant’s permission. For example, a vendor could submit for a campaign their client ran using their technology.

Entry Guidelines

Deadline & Cost

Early Deadline:
July 11 at 11:59 PM ET

Final Deadline:
July 18 at 11:59 PM ET

Entries received before midnight ET on July 11 are $475 each. Entries received after incur a $100 late fee.

Prepare Your Entry

Below is a list of the items you will need in order to complete your AdExchanger Awards entry:

  1. Primary entry contact.
  2. For agencies and suppliers, you’ll need a client contact for entry verification.
  3. Brand logo as vector file.
  4. Start and end dates of campaign/project.
  5. Visuals: Videos are optional (but judges love them.)
  6. Full summary of campaign’s goals and any available results (if applicable.)
  7. If the entry wins an AdExchanger Award, what companies should be listed on the trophy, and reference any team members who can be credited for aspects of the project (if applicable.)

VIEW LAST YEAR’S WINNERS

Contact

Should you have any questions about the categories, rules, or gala for the AdExchanger Awards, please contact:

Emily Rocca
[email protected]