The ADWEEK Team Visionary Awards are accepting submissions for 2027. In a departure from individual-focused honours, the programme puts the spotlight on the teams behind standout campaigns, sustained growth and operational wins.
There is no entry fee, and the final deadline is Monday, December 11, 2026 at 11:59pm PT. Questions can be sent to awards@adweek.com.
Who can enter
Both brand-side and agency-side teams are eligible, and the scope goes well beyond creative departments. The 2027 categories cover the strategy, media, social, data, technology, HR and communications functions that keep modern marketing running.
The 15 categories
- In-House Brand Team
- Agency Client Team
- Agency Strategy Team
- Legacy Leadership Team (5+ Years)
- Breakthrough Leadership Team (<5 Years)
- In-House Brand Social Media Team
- Agency Social Media Team
- Creator/Influencer Marketing Team
- Experiential Team
- Media Planning/Buying Team
- People/HR Team
- PR/Communications Team
- Technology/Innovation Team
- Data/Analytics Team
- Account Management Team
Why this matters now
Team-level recognition is becoming a sharper currency in agency pitches and talent branding. A win can signal that a company knows how to run an account, not just produce one exceptional piece of creative. For in-house teams, it validates cross-functional work that often sits outside traditional award shows.
There is also a built-in refresh: ADWEEK says there will be no repeat winners in the same category, although companies remain eligible to be recognised in a different category. That opens the field for new teams while pushing past winners to prove a different capability.
How to put together a stronger entry
Start by matching the work to the single best-fit category rather than the most famous one. The category descriptions repeatedly point to measurable business impact, effective creative and ROI, so entries should show the team’s specific contribution to the outcome, not just the result.
For leadership categories, note the eligibility windows carefully: the Legacy Leadership Team category is for companies established before January 1, 2021, while the Breakthrough Leadership Team category is for companies established after January 1, 2022. If your team has already won in a category, consider an adjacent category where the work can be framed without relying on the same claim.
Teams should treat the December 11, 2026 deadline as a hard stop and leave time for the person who owns the numbers to review the submission.
Source: Adweek
