Ireland’s Digital Elite Crowned at the 2026 Digital Media Awards!
What an extraordinary night! The 23rd annual Digital Media Awards brought together the country’s top creative minds and digital pioneers for an unforgettable celebration of innovation, strategy, and talent. True to our motto, "We Love Digital!", the evening showcased the incredible energy and ambition driving Ireland's media landscape forward.
After months of anticipation and rigorous deliberation by our expert judging panel, the industry’s highest honours were handed out during a gala evening at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre on Ship Street Great.
The competition was fierce across every category following a record-breaking year of entries. Among the standout achievements of the evening, Zenith, part of Core took home the coveted Gold for Best Agency after demonstrating stellar strategic vision, market-leading campaigns, and exceptional client impact. Meanwhile, Ignition Digital claimed Gold for Best Newcomer, taking top honours following a phenomenal breakout year that redefined expectations for rising industry talent.
"The level of work on display this year was simply world-class, From game-changing storytelling to technical innovation, our 2026 winners represent the absolute pinnacle of where the sector is headed. To see the room filled with such energy and passion proves that Ireland’s digital landscape is bolder and more ambitious than ever. Huge congratulations to every team and individual who took home a trophy"
Jill Thornton, Senior Event Manager, Digital Media Awards
Hosted by acclaimed broadcaster Anna Daly, the gala was packed with live entertainment, outstanding networking, and well-deserved celebrations following a spectacular dinner. Attendees and winners alike can now access the full list of 2026 winners, download official digital badges, and view the complete photo gallery through our online press kit.
Thank you to all our sponsors, judges, and attendees for making the 2026 ceremony our biggest and brightest yet. For more details about the Digital Media Awards, including event information and sponsorship opportunities, please visit digitalmedia.ie. You can also contact our dedicated Events Team at (01) 640-1777 or by email at events@ashville.com.
Digital Media Winners
| Best Agency Gold - Zenith, part of Core |
| Best App Gold - Matrix Internet — GoCar: Car-sharing, reimagined as a keyless app |
| Best Brand Gold - Havas Media Ireland — Taking Flight: How Shannon Airport Soared on the National Digital Stage with Distinctive Brand Assets Silver - An Post — An Post – Making Better Happen Bronze - Chadwicks & TBWA Ireland — Chadwicks - Lets Get It Done |
| Best Brand Strategy Sponsored by Truehawk Media Gold - Havas Media Ireland — From pizza leader to category challenger: how CHICK’N’DIP built a new brand within Domino’s Silver - Ebow Digital — ALLDAYS: A Challenger Brand Designed to Scale Bronze - MyHome — How to Sell a Home, Sellers Advice Hub |
| Best Collaboration (Owner/Brand/Agency) Gold - Elevate — Fakeaway Night In: How Unilever, Elevate, Musgrave and Birds Eye Redefined Cross-Category Retail Media Silver - Zenith, part of Core, Core Sponsorship & The Currency — PwC x The Currency: The Tech Agenda Bronze - OMD / The Journal — Seeing Eye to Eye for Vision Health |
| Best Conversation Strategy Gold - Friday Agency — Turning a Premium Reputation Into Online Sales Silver - All human — CTA Optimisation Unlocked €652k in Potential Revenue for Energia Bronze - An Post — Evolving Conversion Strategy for an Evolving Customer |
| Best Creative Gold - Ebow Digital — HSE CervicalCheck: Designing Confidence & Trust Silver - Spark Foundry, part of Core — Pause Before You Post - Making the Invisible Audience Visible Bronze - Mindshare Ireland & Invention Ireland — The Nation Holds Its Breath |
| Best in Government & Not for Profit Gold - dentsu Ireland — An Comisiún Toghcháin - #TurningScrollsIntoTurnout #PresidentialElection2025 Silver - Trans Equality Together — Proud To Be An Ally Bronze - Urban Brand Creative — The Coombe Hospital – Enterprise Digital Transformation |
| Best in Retail & Consumer Goods Gold - Oxfam — Oxfam Ireland Postback Silver - Elevate — Gamification: Donegal Catch It – The perfect at home fake away Bronze - Circle K — Best in Retail & Consumer Goods |
| Best Integrated Campaign Gold - Havas Media Ireland — Trust Travels Further: How Farmer Advocacy Drove Rural Broadband Growth Silver - Wilson Hartnell — Specsavers Ireland | Joe Maxi The Listening Taxi Bronze - Media 365 — Signs of Hope: Shifting from "The System" to "The Soul": Using Multi-Channel Storytelling to Break the Silence |
| Best Newcomer Gold - Ignition Digital |
| Best Sales Team Gold - LADbible Ireland |
| Best Search Campaign Gold - Buymedia — From Search to Switch: Driving 4,000+ Health Insurance Comparisons for HIA Silver - Bord Gáis Energy — Bord Gáis Energy Develop a Category-first, that puts Customers First. Bronze - Ignition Digital — Powering Growth, Now: Engineering Scale Across Every Touchpoint |
| Best Small Agency (<15) Gold - Leading Social Silver - Total Digital Bronze - Maverick Social |
| Best Specialist Agency Gold - Fabric Social Silver - GlowMetrics Bronze - Lorg Media |
| Best Student Gold - Kate Fitzgerald — University of Limerick Silver - Shauna Keenan — Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Bronze - Kayla Dibble — Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands |
| Best Tech & Innovation Sponsored by Ebow Gold - Publicis Dublin — Be a Wind Turbine Silver - Adherent — A New Chapter: Compliance & Risks is Now Adherent Bronze - Axonista & IFI — IFI Archive Player - Amharc Éireann Interactive Map |
| Best Use of AI Gold - Equimetrics — S-Pro Equine Sports Performance Silver - Starcom, part of Core — You Write It Bronze - Údarás na Gaeltachta — AI-Powered Digital Marketing Automation at Údarás na Gaeltachta |
| Best Use of Content/Native Gold - audioXi and dentsu Ireland— audioXi - The Podcast Crossover That Became the Content Silver - Spark Foundry, part of Core — Reverse the Trend: When influencers drive change Bronze - dentsu Ireland — An Comisiún Toghcháin - #TurningScrollsIntoTurnout #PresidentialElection2025 |
| Best Use of Data & Insights Gold - PML Group — Guinness Storeboost: Turning Real-World Data into Real-Time Decisions Silver - ESB Networks — ESB Networks Weather Watch: From Classroom to Community – Creating Ireland’s Next Generation of Energy Ambassadors Bronze - All human — Cracking the Code: How 14 Experiments of Data Built a Breakthrough for Discover Ireland |
| Best Use of Digital Audio Sponsored by Elevate Media Gold - Forsman & Bodenfors — The Discovery Series: The Bog Bodies Silver - An Garda Síochána — The Garda Podcast Bronze - dentsu Ireland — Vodafone's A Stranger's Tale: The Sound of Connection |
| Best Use of Digital OOH Gold - PML Group & PHD — Rockshore x League of Ireland: Real-Time DOOH That Brought Friday Night Football to the Streets Silver - 98 FM — 98FM – Dublin’s Best Music Mix Campaign Bronze - PML Group & dentsu — Vodafone Six Nations: Making the Screens Part of the Match |
| Best Use of Display Sponsored by Business Post Gold - Mediahuis IRL — Tesco Mobile’s “In Market” partnership with Mediahuis Ireland Silver - Reach PLC, with Omnicom/PHD — Great Football is Closer Than You Think Bronze - Spark Foundry, part of Core — Right Message, Right Moment |
| Best Use of SEO Gold - Core Optimisation Ltd — Core Optimisation & WaterWipes – Owning the Moments That Matter Silver - Wolfgang Digital — Wolfgang Digital & Woodie’s: Sowing Visibility, Reaping Revenue Bronze - Arekibo Communications — Mater Private Network SEO Strategy and Execution |
| Best Use of Social Gold - Starcom, part of Core & AIB — AIB Zippay Silver - Fabric Social — Know Your Power Brand Repositioning - Bord Gáis Energy Bronze - Goosebump — Brewing an Irish Identity |
| Best Use of Video Gold - Life Style Sports — Tis the 'CEO'son to be Jolly - How Joanne's Takeover Saved Christmas Silver - Starcom part of Core and Core Creative — Sky x FAI – Shine a Light on National Belief Bronze - Daybreak — Daybreak: Best Use of Video |
| Best Website Gold - Kooba — Irish Human Rights & Equality Commission (IHREC) Silver - Visit Belfast — Visit Belfast: A Website With Notions Bronze - daa plc — dublinairport.com |
| The Digital media hall of fame / Outstanding contribution to the Agency Industry Gold - Geraldine Jones, Publicis Dublin |
