This category will reward brilliant display advertising within news brands, be it in print, digital or a combination of publisher-owned platforms. We’re looking for a campaign that used news brands in an engaging way to drive real impact for advertisers.  

The judges will be particularly interested in

• The strategic approach to display advertising  
• The role of news brand display advertising within the wider communications mix  
• Innovative and engaging use of display formats which attract attention and create impact  
• The link between the communication activity and commercial performance against the defined objectives — i.e. what happened as a result of the activity  

This category will reward the best content collaboration between advertisers and publishers, where brands were integrated into the editorial fabric of news brands to really resonate with readers (think content partnerships, advertorials, sponsorships and so on).   

This category will be split into two separate awards to recognise and celebrate more content collaborations, of different shapes and sizes 

• Campaigns up to £250k media investment 
• Campaigns over £250k media investment   

The judges will be particularly interested in 

• The unique role of the news brands content partnership within the wider communications mix  
• The big idea which fuelled the content   
• The extent to which different news brand platforms were used to bring the campaign to life  
• The power of collaboration and examples of where this was apparent across the planning process  
• The link between the communication activity and commercial performance against the defined objectives — i.e. what happened as a result of the activity   

It’s no secret that news brands are brilliant when it comes to taking advantage of a particular moment in time. From quick-witted responses to all-important announcements, this category will reward best in class tactical advertising, which demonstrates how an advertiser has used news brands to react quickly to make an impact.  

The judges will be particularly interested in 

• The thinking behind using news brands as a tactical communication opportunity  
• The tactical/creative idea and how this was activated across news brand platforms  
• What was unique and powerful about the campaign  
• How tactical use of news brands drove short term (and potentially longer term) results   

With the news agenda changing constantly, this award will go to a campaign that cleverly uses editorial content and media placement to amplify and elevate their message to boost overall impact. 

The judges will be particularly interested in 

• The role of news brands in harnessing the power of contextual planning  
• The big idea — what was unique and powerful about the campaign  
• Collaboration between the media agency, creative agency and the news publisher   
• How contextual use of news brands drove short-term and longer-term objectives  

We know that news brands deliver return on investment and boost long-term brand health. This category will reward a campaign that can demonstrate the role that news brands played in enhancing those all-important business results. Get your best-case study at the ready! 

The judges will be particularly interested in  

• The link between the communication activity and commercial performance against the defined objectives i.e. what happened as a result of the activity  
• More specifically how the campaign drove business outcomes (results are the big scorer for the effectiveness category)  
• Whether it’s possible to isolate the specific impact made by news brands?  

This category is for purpose-led campaigns with a conscience that support an important cause and inspire or provoke change. Whether this is tackling sustainability to drive change for a greener future, addressing a taboo subject or pushing boundaries, telling unheard stories, championing diversity, inclusion and equality, and campaigning for a better society. Tell us how you’re changing the world.  

The judges will be particularly interested in 

• Campaigns with an ambition to make a measurable positive impact on society  
• The role that news brands played in the campaign   
• The level of impact that has come from the campaign and how effective it’s been in delivering results  
• Considerations taken around sustainability, inclusivity and representation when planning the campaign 

This special award commends young talent across the industry: someone who has made a real difference to their agency and their clients, who champions news brands and has made an outstanding contribution to news brand planning. Winners should be making a positive impact, internally or externally, making waves and going over and above what is expected of them.  

The judges will be particularly interested in  

• The individual’s passion for the news publishing industry  
• How the individual has gone above and beyond to contribute to the industry or deliver a news brand campaign for advertisers   

Individuals can work in any department and either nominate themselves or receive a nomination from an agency colleague.   

It’s worth knowing that this category often receives fewer entries than others, however we know the industry is full of brilliant young talent, and we’re excited to see more of them recognized and celebrated. Please do nominate your team’s rising stars (more than one is encouraged!) — while they might be too modest to celebrate their fantastic work with the industry, we’re certainly not! We will also be encouraging judges to keep an eye out for diversity of submissions made.    

This category will hero the advertiser of the year: a brand that has used news brands consistently as a core part of their media plan over the last year to deliver on their overall communications strategy and drive effective long-term objectives.   

The judges will be particularly interested in 

• A consistent commitment to news brands over the longer term (12 months or more)  
• The strategy behind this, including the unique role that news brands played as part of a broader communications mix  
• How this strategy was activated    
• The extent to which news brands drove both short-term (3 months) and longer-term (12 months plus) brand and business objectives as a result of long-term investment.

No need to submit an entry for this award but you can play a part in choosing the winner.  

The shortlist for this award comes from the winners of Newsworks’ ‘Ad of the month’ competitions, our regular feature that celebrates stand out display, content-rich partnerships and brilliant multiplatform campaigns in news brands. Every month, our eight shortlisted ads go up against each other in a week-long poll, with the winner chosen by you.  

Our nine winners from January until November 2025 will be in with a chance to win the coveted ‘Ad of the year’ award and a shiny Newsworks Award trophy to boot. Again, it’ll be up to you to choose the winner, with the results announced at the Newsworks Awards party on 2 December.  

This is the big one! Whether cleverly using publishers’ ever-increasing portfolios of trusted content or an amazingly brilliant campaign that pushes boundaries, this award will celebrate the very best of the best in news brand advertising. The winner will be selected by the chair of judges from all submitted entries across the different categories outlined above. 

What’s more, entries do not need to have won one of the above categories to be eligible for the grand prix, meaning it’s all up for grabs at the end of the night!