awards

Before submitting your file, please read the rules

AGENCY OF THE YEAR

Objective: The most prestigious recognition, rewarding the agency that has shown outstanding performance, creativity, business impact, and leadership within the Belgian communications industry over the past year.

Evaluation Criteria:

New Business Performance (25%)

• Show your new business portfolio: clients gained vs. clients lost.
• Provide an estimation of income generated from all accounts (in and out).

Client Work & Results (20%)

• Submit 3 cases of work created for your most important Belgian clients over the past 12 months.
• Include figures demonstrating concrete results and impact.

Economic Activity (10%)

• Show the evolution of your agency’s economic activity (growth, revenue trends, key milestones).

Awards & Recognition (10%)

• Highlight major awards won in 2026, both nationally and internationally.

Best Place to Work (10%) (10%)

• Has your agency implemented strong and lasting HR policies that foster a healthy and motivating workplace?
• Do these policies reflect a clear commitment to employee well-being and development?

Business Innovation & Diversification (5%)

• Showcase new business units, initiatives, or services likely to boost future activity.

Corporate Culture & Philosophy (5%)

• Explain your agency’s culture, philosophy, and talent development measures.
• Include a mood board that symbolizes your DNA, vision, and values.

Contribution to the Sector (5%)

• Explain how your agency and/or executives contribute to the sector’s development.
• Mention involvement in national and international associations, think tanks, or industry initiatives.

Overall Impression (10%)

• Is the agency convincing as the Agency of the Year?
• Does it show strong leadership, consistency, and inspiration for the market?

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you submit a case in this category, only an executive summary of maximum 25 pages will be accepted. In the form of a Word document (you can include links to visual material), PDF or a PPT.

BEST NEWCOMER AGENCY

Objective: To celebrate and reward the most promising new agencies (created within the last 5 years) that are already making a strong impact on the Belgian market.

Evaluation Criteria:

New Business Performance (20%)

• Show your new business portfolio: clients gained vs. clients lost.
• Provide an estimation of income generated from all accounts.

Client Work & Results (25%)

• Submit 3 Belgian cases cases of work for your most important clients in the past 12 months.
• Include figures that demonstrate concrete results and impact.

Economic Activity (10%)

• Show the evolution of your agency’s economic activity (gross income, sales revenue, or percentage growth).

Reputation & Visibility (15%)

• Demonstrate your efforts to build the agency’s reputation and increase visibility.
• Examples: press releases, thought leadership, award entries/wins, event participation.

Best Place to Work (10%)

• Has your agency implemented strong and lasting HR policies that foster a healthy and motivating workplace?
• Do these policies reflect a clear commitment to employee well-being and development?

Market Positioning & Vision (10%)

• Explain your positioning, culture, philosophy, DNA, vision, and target.
• Demonstrate why your strategy is set up for long-term success.

Overall Impression (10%)

• Is the agency convincing as a rising star in the market?
• Does it demonstrate clear potential for growth and leadership?

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you submit a case in this category, only an executive summary of maximum 25 pages will be accepted. In the form of a Word document (you can include links to visual material), PDF or a PPT.

MOST ENTREPRENEURIAL AGENCY

Objective: To reward the agency showing the strongest entrepreneurial spirit.

Evaluation Criteria:

Dynamic Business Expansion (40%)

• Has the agency demonstrated a dynamic approach towards business expansion (M&A, geographical, new services, functioning ecosystems…)?

Focused and Strategic Approach (20%)

• Is the expansion effort clearly based on a well-defined strategy, have they demonstrated they have create value by identifying opportunities, taken measured risks, investing in innovation?

Business Impact (20%)

• Can the agency prove the tangible impact of its entrepreneurial initiatives?
• Examples: increased revenue, improved profit margin, stronger market presence, enhanced reputation.

Overall Impression (20%)

• Does the agency convincingly embody entrepreneurship?
• Is it inspiring, credible, and future-ready?

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you submit a case in this category, only an executive summary of maximum 10 pages will be accepted. In the form of a Word document (you can include links to visual material), PDF or a PPT.

INNOVATOR AGENCY

Objective: To recognize agencies reinventing themselves with new expertise, structures, tools, or ways of working.

Evaluation Criteria:

Adapting to Market Trends (30%)

• Has the agency successfully adapted to a significant market trend (geared towards own and/or client business impact)?
• Examples: new expertise, structures, models, ways of working, new product/service development, or new talent profiles.

Differentiation (25%)

• Does the new or adapted set-up clearly differentiate the agency from its peers?

Sustainability of the Approach (25%)

• Is the innovative model geared towards long-term success?
• Does it appear more sustainable and effective than the previous approach?

Overall Impression (20%)

• Does the agency convincingly embody innovation?
• Is it credible and inspiring for the industry?

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you submit a case in this category, only an executive summary of maximum 10 pages will be accepted. In the form of a Word document (you can include links to visual material), PDF or a PPT.

SPECIALIST AGENCY

Objective: To reward agencies positioned as true specialists in a defined field.

Evaluation Criteria:

Relevance (30%)

• Prove through max 3 cases that your focused area is relevant for client’s needs
• Prove that at least 60% of your clients are served through your specialist expertise?

Business Impact (30%)

• • Has the agency demonstrated that this focus translates into successful business results for their own company?

Differentiation & Proof Points (20%)

• Is the agency clearly doing better than its competitors in this field?
• Are the USPs clear and the RTBs convincing?

Overall Impression (20%)

• Does the agency convincingly position itself as a leader in its specialist field?
• Is it credible and inspiring for the market?

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you submit a case in this category, only an executive summary of maximum 10 pages will be accepted. In the form of a Word document (you can include links to visual material), PDF or a PPT.

AI PIONEER AGENCY

Objective: To recognize agencies with a clear, credible, and sustainable vision of AI integration.

Evaluation Criteria:

Strategic Vision on AI (20%)

• Does the agency articulate a coherent and inspiring vision for how AI can be applied to marketing and communications?
• Is this vision focused on creating long-term value rather than chasing a short-term trend?

Operational Integration of AI (25%)

• Are AI tools already embedded into the agency’s workflows, or at least in structured pilot phases?
• Is AI becoming a structural part of the business rather than a one-off project?

Business Impact (20%)

• Can the agency demonstrate that its AI transformation contributes to its own business performance?
• Are there measurable results or clear KPIs linked to AI adoption?

Ethics & Responsible AI (20%)

• Does the agency show awareness of ethical issues related to AI (transparency, data privacy, bias, accountability)?
• Has it established governance or guiding principles to ensure responsible use of AI?

Overall Impression (15%)

• Does the agency convincingly position itself as a true AI pioneer?
• Is the approach innovative, credible, and sustainable?

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you submit a case in this category, only an executive summary of maximum 10 pages will be accepted. In the form of a Word document (you can include links to visual material), PDF or a PPT.

SMALL AGENCY

Objective: To recognize and reward small agencies (up to 10 FTE) that punch above their weight through a distinctive positioning, strong client relationships, and outstanding work, demonstrating that size is no barrier to creativity, business success, and impact.

Evaluation Criteria:

Agencie DNA (30%)

• Does the agency have a clear positioning, philosophy, DNA, vision, target… and is their business strategy set-up for long term success
• Is the approach innovative, credible, and sustainable?

New Business (30%)

• Has the agency demonstrated a healthy balance between new and existing clients (retention)?

Client Work and Result (30%)

• Submit maximum 3 Belgian cases demonstrate or prove the overall competencies of this small agency?

Overall Impression (10%)

• Is the agency set-up for success and are they convincing?

IMPORTANT NOTICE:: If you submit a case in this category, only an executive summary of maximum 10 pages will be accepted. In the form of a Word document (you can include links to visual material), PDF or a PPT.