Announcing the 2026 Microsoft Advertising Partner Awards Finalists: North America

Each year, the Microsoft Advertising Partner Awards recognize the remarkable achievements, innovation, and client impact delivered by our partner ecosystem. Today, we are proud to unveil the finalists for the 2026 Microsoft Advertising Partner Awards and celebrate the organizations raising the bar for excellence around the world.

These finalists were selected from submissions across North America, recognizing work completed between July 2025 and July 2026. Their entries showcase how partners are advancing the industry through AI-powered innovation, data-driven marketing, omnichannel excellence, gaming solutions, and strong collaboration, reflecting the breadth of creativity and innovation across the Microsoft Advertising ecosystem.

In addition, the Agency, Independent Agency, and Channel, Partner of the Year awards honor the best in class and will be awarded based on performance across submissions and are not open to direct nomination. The award winners will be recognized at the in-person events.

Let’s celebrate in style

The Microsoft Advertising Partner Awards culminate in a series of regional celebrations that bring together partners, customers, and Microsoft leaders to recognize outstanding achievements, share success stories, and celebrate the innovation shaping the future of advertising. This year, we'll gather with our partner community in New York on October 29 to honor this year's winners and the exceptional work driving business impact around the world.

These celebrations are designed to be more than award ceremonies. They are an opportunity to connect with peers, reflect on the successes of the past year, and spotlight the partners who continue to raise the bar through creativity, innovation, collaboration, and performance. We look forward to celebrating with our finalists, winners, and the broader Microsoft Advertising partner community in the months ahead.

Finalists Announcement

AI Innovation Awards

Recognizes a partner and their client that have used Microsoft-powered AI—including generative AI, intelligent agents, Copilot, and the Microsoft Advertising platform—to drive innovation across creative development, customer experience, and campaign performance. 

Finalists were selected in two categories: Creative AI Innovation, recognizing breakthrough uses of AI to elevate creative development and customer experiences, and Performance AI Innovation, recognizing AI-driven excellence in campaign effectiveness and measurable business results.

• CAMP Digital – Performance AI Innovation
• DEPT® + Checkr – Performance AI Innovation
• Horizon Media – Performance AI Innovation
• Mediaplus Realtime + Chiquita - Performance AI Innovation
• Publicis Groupe – Creative AI Innovation
• Scorpion – Performance AI Innovation
• The Aber Group + Diabetes Canada – Performance AI Innovation - Canada

Data Innovation Excellence Award

Awarded to a partner that delivers creative, scalable solutions using data and signals to drive successful campaign outcomes. Winning partners will demonstrate how they leverage advanced data integration—including coding to the Microsoft Advertising stack of APIs and use of Clean Rooms—to connect campaign execution with real‑time enterprise data, enabling more intelligent automation, decision‑making, and performance optimization.

• Assembly Global
• Found Search Marketing
• Hibu
• Horizon Media
• Logical Position
• Publicis Media
• Scorpion
• Tinuiti
• Yellow Pages Canada - Canada

Gaming Excellence Award

Recognizes a partner and their client that deepened brand engagement through gaming by harnessing Microsoft solutions—including Xbox, King, and Microsoft Casual Games—to connect with audiences across immersive mobile, console, and PC experiences. This is a global category where the winner will be announced in their respective regions.

• Beauty Co-Lab (Omnicom) + CeraVe – United States of America
• MiltonONE (Publicis Groupe) + Hershey’s – United States of America
• VML Live (WPP Media) + Nestlé KitKat - United Kingdom
• Wavemaker (WPP Media) + DoorDash – United States of America

Omnichannel Performance Partner of the Year

Recognizes a partner and their client that has delivered measurable business outcomes through integrated campaigns spanning Search, Audience, Video, and Gaming. Winning partners must demonstrate how execution and AI-driven optimization across multiple Microsoft Advertising solutions drives performance across the consumer journey from discovery to decision.

• C-4 Analytics + Al Serra Auto Plaza
• DEPT®
• Experian
• Hibu
• Monks + Quicken
• PMG + Best Western
• The Aber Group + The Ontario Caregiver Organization - Canada
• Wpromote + Purina

Rising Partner of the Year

Celebrates a Select tier partner that has achieved sustained business growth with Microsoft Advertising by driving measurable performance outcomes across revenue expansion, feature adoption, and successful client onboarding and retention.

• CAMP Digital
• C-4 Analytics
• Ferocious Media
• Scorpion
• SmartSites

Search Performance Partner of the Year

Recognizes a partner and their client that has demonstrated exceptional ability to create, capture, and convert intent and consumer demand through AI-driven optimization and innovative use of Microsoft Advertising Search solutions. Winning partners will showcase strategies that enable brands to show up in critical intent moments across the consumer decision journey, delivering measurable performance and ROI, including examples of how AI is used to identify and unlock new intent categories.

• CAMP Digital + Bonfe
• Crealytics + EILEEN FISHER, Diesel, and Staples
• dentsu
• Found Search Marketing + Grand Canyon University
• Logical Position + Universal Accounting Center (UAC)
• MissionOne Media + Williams Sonoma
• Rise, a Quad agency + Jewelers Mutual (JM)
• Skai + IHG
• SmartSites + Phrasly
• Tinuiti + Equifax

Trailblazer of the Year

Recognizes an individual who leads the way in championing Microsoft Advertising by creatively evangelizing its value, inspiring internal teams, and shaping industry perception through thought leadership and influence while driving AI adoption and acting as a Copilot champion to unlock new levels of performance and innovation.

• Alex Melen - SmartSites
• CJ Keepes - Logical Position
• Deanna Cullen - Wpromote
• Emily Kirk - MissionOne Media
• Ilona Maslanka - Razorfish (Publicis Groupe)
• Joe Kerschbaum - DEPT®
• Justin Sorrentino - Havas
• Lena Goodman - CMI Media Group
• Michelle Merklin - Tinuiti
• Rachel Bonomo - Beauty Co-Lab (Omnicom)
• Trevor Spiro - C-4 Analytics

Finalist Badge Request

If you’re a finalist and would like a badge graphic to announce your status, please reach out to your Microsoft Advertising representative or email msapartnerawards@microsoft.com.

Thank you to our partner community

To every partner who submitted a nomination, thank you. The quality of submissions this year was extraordinary and highlighted the tremendous impact our partners continue to have on customers worldwide.

Congratulations to all our finalists. We look forward to celebrating your achievements and announcing this year's winners in the months ahead. For more on our finalists from other regions, please visit our APAC and EMEA regional blogs.