2026 Shortlist
Congratulations to our 2026 UK Social Media Awards finalists!
Make sure to download your finalist assets below
BEST USE OF INSTAGRAM
Extrastaff Ltd
— Don’t Work Alone in the Dark (Halloween 2025)MikeWorldWide & Whole Foods Market
— The Making of Six New Neighbourhood RitualsR&T & Brooklyn Brewery
— The Notorious P.I.E.: A Slice of Brooklyn BreweryRacing Post
— Royal Ascot 2026Socialed & Gett UK
— Championing the London Taxi Trade & Building their Instagram from ScratchSpring The Agency & Tinder UK
— SoleMates 2025BEST USE OF YOUTUBE
Autotrader
— Wheelie Bad IdeasBe A Bear (powered by Spin) & 5
— Content That Earns Its AudienceCox Automotive Europe
— Talk AutoElectrical Safety First
— Battery Breakdown: Inside the UK's E-bike Fire CrisisJeremy Holland & The Golden Kobe Family
— Purpose Led Rescue Storytelling on YouTubeOneFifty & Mazda Europe
Stepping Stone Media & P&O Cruises
— Hart of the CaribbeanTangerine & Specsavers
— Best Worst Team Season 3Transport for London (TfL)
— YouTube relaunchVCCP & Virgin Media O2
— Sidemen Hide & SeekBEST USE OF TIKTOK
Coolr & Tango
— Be Notorious Every Dayeight&four & DHL eCommerce
— Anti-Customer Service on TikTokElectrical Safety First
— The BeepFabric Social & Autotrader
— From Car to Car-ishfrank.social & Weetabix
— Have You Dunked Yours?Mindshare & KFC
— How Paid Social Turned Fandom into Festive SalesMindshare UK & Unilever UK
— Vaseline VerifiedOOB & TikTok Shop
— TikTok Summer Sale Creator CampaignSkyscanner & Shaka Social
— Becoming TikTok’s Go-To Travel InsiderSpinnaker & Sony Pictures UK releasing
— The Infection Never StoppedWavemaker UK & Alpro
— BaristaWe Are Social & Amazon Music
— Becoming the Fan: Amazon Music’s TikTok TransformationBEST AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN
E.ON Next & Big Potato Games
— Switch Off, Game On.Electrical Safety First
— The BeepFavola & The Entertainer
— Real or Cake?Hasbro & Peppa Pig
— Peppa Pig & Conan Gray Surprise Concert AppearanceHelloFranses! & Canesten
— It’s Just ThrushiSiteTV & Currys
— (Mr.) Worldwide AdaptersNational Deaf Children’s Society
— When Daddy Pig Ran the Marathon for GeorgeOneFifty Consultancy & Harvester
— Salad Bar StarsOOB & Ann Summers
— Confidence Looks Good On YouShell V-Power
— Feel CloserSmarts & Asda
— Love is in the AislesTangerine & Specsavers
— Best Worst Team Season 3BEST SOCIAL INFLUENCER CAMPAIGN
1000heads & Snapdragon
— Become EliteBuddy Media Group & Wilkinson Sword Intuition
— Bring The Energy: Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025Campfire & Vaseline
— Say Hya on the SlopesCoolr & Deliveroo
— Route R00E.ON Next & Big Potato Games
— Switch Off, Game On.OneFifty Consultancy & Mazda UK
— Canvas of Your LifeOOB & TikTok Shop
— TikTok Summer Sale Creator CampaignSmoking Gun & Philips
— Floor Play: Cleaning up in a new categorySocialChain & loveholidays
— The GetawaySpinnaker London & Strong Roots
— The Spontaneous Side of the SummerTangerine & Specsavers
— Specsavers Style SquadVCCP & Virgin Media O2
— Sidemen Hide & SeekBEST COLLABORATION WITH A CONTENT CREATOR
1000heads & Purina
— Beyond the Bowl: Turning Marine Restoration Into Social StorytellingBAM! Comedy & Moonpig
— Trying to Bond with your Father-in-LawFabric Social & Garnier UK
— The United StrandSmarts & Asda
— Love is in the AiselsSpin & National Rail
— 200 Years of StoriesStepping Stone Media & P&O Cruises
— Hart of the CaribbeanThe Cast & Channel 4
— ChuglyGirlThe Pokémon Company & Hope&Glory
— The 24hr LivestreamTransport for London (TfL)
— ‘Headphones On’ Travel Kind campaignVirgin
— Head of YesBEST COLLABORATION WITH AN INFLUENCER
Coolr & Deliveroo
— Route R00Crystal Ski Holidays (Komodo)
— Short Break. Epic Escape.Fabric Social & Currys
— Fabrizio Romano breaks the biggest deal of the summerLondon Northwestern Railway
— Spudman 730 TourMSI Reproductive Choices UK & Nelly London
— Demystifying abortion access in the UKOOB & Ann Summers
— Ashley James: Who Is Lingerie Really For?Shell V-Power
— Feel CloserThe Cast & Channel 4
— Madeline Argy (Educating Yorkshire)The Good Influence & Weleda
The Pokémon Company & Hope&Glory
— The 24hr LivestreamVCCP & Virgin Media O2
— Sidemen Hide & SeekBEST USE OF RESEARCH & EVALUATION
Crystal Ski Holidays & Komodo
— Beginner to WinnerStepping Stone Media & P&O Cruises
— Hart of the CaribbeanTangerine & Specsavers
— Specsavers Style SquadThe Pokémon Company & Hope&Glory
— The 24hr LivestreamTUI & Catalyst Creative
— TUI Gives You MoreMOST IMPACTFUL SOCIAL MEDIA INNOVATION
OOB & OOB Labs
— Scoring Content Before It Is PublishedSocial Chameleon & Give Me Cosmetics
— UGMEMOST INNOVATIVE SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
Arnold Clark
— Beyond SponsorshipHearts & Science and Allwyn
— The National Lottery Millionaire Maker EventShell V-Power
— Feel CloserSocial Chameleon & Delta Hotels by Marriott
— EscapeTUI UK Brand Social Team & Pinterest
— Goddess Complex: TUI's Golden HourBEST LOW BUDGET CAMPAIGN
Bigbox & Pellows
— The Sh!t We Deal WithDepartment for Transport
— Great British RailwaysExtrastaff
— No Light Out (Take Me Out Valentine’s 2026)frank.social & Weetabix
— Have You Dunked Yours?Hasbro & Peppa Pig
— Peppa Pig & Conan Gray Surprise Concert AppearanceiSiteTV & Currys plc
— (Mr.) Worldwide AdaptersLeeds Building Society
— We belong to our membersMabo & BHS
— Unlocking Growth Through a Catalogue-First Meta StrategyPretzel Films & GrandpaSpy
— One Grandfather. One Grandson. 4 Million Impressions.The Cast & Channel 4
— Dirty BusinessThe Ripple Effect & The Famous Kind for Street Soccer
— The Hope ShirtTransport for London (TfL) London Cable Car
— Glass Floor ExperienceBEST USE OF UGC
Autotrader UK
— It's Time For AutotraderCampfire & Vimto
— Love the tasteCoolr & WKD
— Got a WKD Side?frank.social & Weetabix
— Have You Dunked Yours?HelloFranses! & Canesten
— It’s Just ThrushMindshare UK & Unilever UK
— Vaseline VerifiedOOB & Ann Summers
— The Squad Spotlight SeriesShell V-Power
— Feel CloserSocial Chameleon & Give Me Cosmetics
— UGMEWavemaker UK & Activia
— Gut Health TrackerBEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR ENTERTAINMENT
Fabric Social & Sky
— Earning Gen Z Love on TikTokIJPR Media & Bad Wolf
— The Other Bennet SisterSpinnaker & Sony Pictures UK
— An Unexpected Sci-Fi BromanceThe Cast & Channel 4
— Educating YorkshireThe Cast & Channel 4
— Tip ToeThe Pokémon Company & Hope&Glory
— The 24hr LivestreamUncovered & KFC
— Into the ndsıpǝ poʍu with Hawkins Fried Chicken, KFC meets Netflix's Stranger ThingsBEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR FINANCE
Buddy Media Group & Aviva
— A Mug Of Life: Cover StoriesGiraffe Social & SAP Taulia
— Supplier Survey 25/26ITCH & BNY Investments
— Making retirement real (one generation at a time)Leeds Building Society
— Fraud awareness campaignSpin & ACCA
— Changing the Perception of AccountancyUncovered & Wise
— Silly MoneyBEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR RETAIL
Asda & Lucky Generals
— TikTok Live GiveawayCoolr, OMD UK & Lidl GB
— Just a LidlFabric Social & Currys, with iSite
— Supercharging Currys SocialsFavola & The Entertainer
— Driving Audience Engagement & Commercial ImpactSocially Powerful & Primark
— Creators Club 2.0Space NK
— Social Media Strategy for RetailBEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR HOSPITALITY
A Friendly Bunch & Paradox Museum London
— Mind-bending organic socialCartwright & Slick City
— A slick UK launchfrank.social & Frites Atelier
— London's most talked about restaurant openingBEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR FMCG
Coolr, OMD UK & Lidl GB
— Just a LidlMikeWorldWide & Whole Foods Market
— The Making of Six New Neighbourhood RitualsSpinnaker London & Brillo
— Meet the Shiny 6Stakked & Golden Kings
— Handpicking Kingsley the PotatoWavemaker UK & Activia
— Gut Health ChallengeBEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR FASHION
SEEN Connects & George at ASDA
— The George CollectiveSocialChain & Primark
— In My DenimSocially Powerful & Primark
— Major FindsBEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR HEALTH & BEAUTY
1000heads & Nails.INC
— #NailingLifeCampfire & Vaseline
— Say Hya on the SlopesDot Dash Digital & Henshaw Hyperbarics
Fabric Social & Garnier UKI
— Low Key Beauty LegendOOB & Natural Cycles UK
— Big Sister EnergySpace NK
— Social Media Strategy for Health & BeautyBEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM
200 Years of Stories
— National Rail & SpinCrystal Ski Holidays & Komodo
— Why Banff & Lake Louise?Disrupt & Wizz Air
— Let's Get Lost LondonMy Canada Trips
— The Great Canadian RV TripStepping Stone Media & P&O Cruises
— Hart of the CaribbeanBEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR FOOD & DRINK
Campfire & Vimto
— Love the tasteCoolr & WKD
— Got a WKD Side?Coolr, Burger King UK & Pringles
— Flip the FOMODigital Native & Takis
— Can't Hide Your IntensityFabric Social & Subway
— The Sub-CultureFINN Partners & Dole
— Tinned Hawaiian Pizza April Fools CampaignPublicis London & Foster’s UK
— Love You CansR&T & Brooklyn Brewery
— The Notorious P.I.E.: A Slice of Brooklyn BrewerySEEN Connects & Arla Skyr
— Live Like an IcelanderSpinnaker London & Strong Roots
— Serving up scroll-stopping Sweet Potato FriesTSA & Jack Daniel's (Brown-Forman)
— That's What Makes Jack, JACKUp Digital & BANK Restaurant Group
— Michelin PossibleBEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SPORTS & FITNESS
BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR HOME & GARDEN
Rightmove & Uncovered
— Cake, Content and 25 Years of RightmoveSocial Chameleon & DEWALT
— From Catalogue to CultureSofa Club
— Black Friday Campaign Fresh Off The RunwayBEST CHARITY / NOT-FOR-PROFIT CAMPAIGN
eight&four & Cancer Research UK
— Making History with Royal AssentElectrical Safety First
— Battery Breakdown: Inside the UK's E-bike Fire CrisisElectrical Safety First
— The BeepMires Beck Nursery
— Down Syndrome Awareness DayOxford City Council
— 3CouncilsSwwim & Orca
— Growing the Citizen Scientist CommunityThe Ripple Effect & The Famous Kind for Street Soccer
— The Hope ShirtBEST LONG-TERM STRATEGIC USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Dot Dash Digital
Edson Evers & Bostik Ltd
— #BluHacksOOB & Ann Summers
— Bringing a British Icon Back Into CulturePHA & JAECOO UK
— Earning Our BadgeS&P Global Digital Engagement & Inclusion team
— The LinkedIn Growth Engine: Scaling Influence Without SpendSeen Agency & Josie’s
— Keeping It OrganicSocial Chameleon & BKT Tires
— Global Social Media PartnershipSocially Powerful & Pernod Ricard Global (Kahlúa + Malibu)
— Building Social-First Drinks Brands Through Culture, Community & CreativitySpinnaker London & Sony Pictures UK
— Journey to 1.2MThe Cast & Channel 4
— Altogether Different Creator SquadWe Are Social & Amazon Music
— Building Fandom at Scale: Amazon Music's Fan-first Social EcosystemYRS TRULY & Ubisoft UK
— Ubisoft UK in 2025BEST INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN
Electrical Safety First
— Battery Breakdown: Inside the UK's E-bike Fire CrisisElectrical Safety First
— The BeepFreuds and DHSC
— Joe Wicks: ActivatePHA & JAECOO UK
— Earning Our BadgeR&T & Brooklyn Brewery
— The Notorious P.I.E.: A Slice of Brooklyn BreweryRobyn Dyer & Alice Jones
— Crystal Ski Holidays (Komodo). Short Break. Epic Escape.Sunday, Stepping Stone, Wavemaker & P&O Cruises
— Making Waves at the BAFTA TV AwardsTangerine & Specsavers
— Specsavers Style SquadThe Cast & Channel 4
— Tip ToeThe FA & Hope&Glory
— First Time FansThe Pokémon Company & Hope&Glory
— The 24hr LivestreamBEST REAL TIME RESPONSE CAMPAIGN
Hasbro & Peppa Pig
— Peppa Pig & Conan Gray Surprise Concert AppearanceMindshare UK & Unilever UK
— Vaseline VerifiedSC Johnson, OMD EMEA, & Innovid
— Don’t Fight the Weather. Use It.VCCP Social Club & Co-op
— Owned by you, Right by you.BEST USE OF PAID SOCIAL
1000heads & Purina
— Beyond the Bowl: Turning Marine Restoration Into Social StorytellingBBC & Havas
— The Traitors S4: Turning authenticity into performance on BeRealBind Media & Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks
— Paid social that travels further, year after year.Cartwright & Slick City
— Ticket to slideGRA & Clyde Munro
— Replacing Dentures with ImplantsHearts & Science & The National Lottery
— Because of YouMindshare & KFC
— How Paid Social Turned Fandom into Festive SalesMindshare UK & Unilever UK
— Vaseline VerifiedSpinnaker London & Strong Roots
— Always-on Done ProperlySunday, Wavemaker UK, a WPP Media Brand, & P&O Cruises
— WAVEVCCP & Virgin Media O2
— Virgin Media Court of LoreWavemaker UK & Aptamil
— Stool TrackerBEST USE OF AI IN SOCIAL MEDIA
Extrastaff Ltd
— The Extrastaff Christmas TruckHearts & Science and Allwyn
— The National Lottery Millionaire Maker EventShell V-Power
— Feel CloserEMERGING TALENT AWARD
Hannah Collins
— Leeds Building SocietyImogen Mellor
— YRS TRULYKeletso Kesupile
— NewGenOlivia Tuffrey
— The Good InfluenceShoaib Ahmed
— Founder, SA Personal Branding LtdSOCIAL MEDIA LEADER OF THE YEAR
Drew Benvie
Isabel Robinson
Kimberley Burniston
Mia Daltas
Paul Greenwood
BEST IN-HOUSE TEAM
Extrastaff
— In-House Social Media TeamHobbycraft
Leeds Building Society
— Social Media TeamSocial Allies
Sofa Club
— Social Media TeamBEST IN-AGENCY TEAM
Brands2Life
Critical Hit Agency
— Xbox OnProspa - Paid Social
The NewGen Influencer Team
VCCP Social Club
BEST START-UP AGENCY (LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD)
BEST SMALL AGENCY
Favola
Giraffe Social
JWOO Social
OneFifty Consultancy
OOB
Social Chameleon
Spinnaker London
Sunday Treat
The Good Influence
TSA
YRS TRULY
BEST LARGE AGENCY
Battenhall
Coolr
Digital Natives
eight&four
Fabric Social
Our Event Sponsors & Partners
Testimonials
"Participating in awards is a great way to acknowledge the dedication that goes into creating brilliant work. It’s not about winning, although that’s always a fabulous bonus. The real benefit lies in recognising the collective effort and success of our teams and partners. It’s incredibly motivating and builds a sense of pride in celebrating our achievements. Beyond this, it allows us to showcase our capability and commitment to continued innovation, which plays a key role in attracting future talent across the industry."
Tui
"We are thrilled to have won this award for the second consecutive year! This is a great recognition of our growth, the quality of work achieved and the wonderful team we’ve built in the last six years. We are all so proud and can’t wait to see what we achieve next."
Zoe Stephenson, Co-Founder & Managing Director The Social Shepherd
"This award fuels our determination to continue building our reputation for developing strong and impactful products. We’re excited about the journey ahead and remain committed to delivering excellence in the ever-evolving world of social media. Thank you for this achievement!"
Performics
"Being recognised at the UK Social Media Awards is particularly special to us, considering the high calibre of competition that extends across the country and many different industries. We are proud to be a shining example of the high-quality work that can be produced as a public sector organisation."
Manchester City Council
"To have our successes recognised nationally by UK Social Media Awards, both in paid social and as an agency, after a period of challenge and change, is a wonderful testament to our dedication to our clients and passion for social media."
Oh So Social
"The UK Social Media Awards not only honour remarkable achievements and innovations in social media marketing but also serve as a launchpad for future triumphs for all the winners."
Alex Blomfield Motive Agency
"The Don’t Panic team have been a pleasure to work with: professional, responsive, and genuinely supportive throughout. These awards are incredibly valuable, not only because they recognise creativity and results, but because they provide an important platform to showcase best practice, celebrate innovation, and benchmark against some of the best in the industry. Being shortlisted has been a real highlight for our team, and I would highly recommend the experience to others."
Karen Smith, Regional Head of Marketing ACCA
Award Ceremony Countdown
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83
Hours
09
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35
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