Why the WMAs matter more than ever

The World Media Awards campaigns are built on a foundation of trusted media partnerships. This reflects the World Media Group’s tenet that advertising which aligns with high quality media is not only more effective at reaching highly engaged audiences, but also at building long-term trust for the brand. In an age of misinformation, noise and AI slop, trust is the most valuable currency there is.

“With Artificial Intelligence rapidly reshaping how content is created, distributed and consumed, it’s more important than ever to pause, take stock and celebrate what human creativity and editorial judgement can achieve,” said Jamie Credland, CEO of the World Media Group. “The World Media Awards exist to do exactly that. They are a benchmark for excellence; a way of demonstrating what great work looks like in the context of trusted editorial environments.”

Sean Adams, CMO, Brand Metrics, the official partner of the 2026 World Media Awards, said: “At Brand Metrics, we work with premium publishers to help them measure the effectiveness of advertising and commercial content on their sites, so partnering with the World Media Awards is a natural fit for us. We believe in the value of high-quality journalism, and we’re pleased to be able to support an event that champions excellence in the industry.” 

A panel of international judges

To reflect the importance of collaboration in creating successful international, content-driven advertising campaigns, the independent jury is made up of heavyweight judges from brands, agencies and media owners. You can see the jury here. 

The World Media Awards offer a unique prize to each of the sector category winners. The winning entries are amplified in a worldwide advertising campaign valued at more than €750k, running across the World Media Group’s leading international media brands. Members comprise BBC News, Business Insider, CNBC, CNN, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, National Geographic, The New York Times Company, Reuters, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and associate member, The Atlantic.

Championing international trusted journalism

The WMAs are not-for-profit. Fifty percent of the entry fee will be donated to Reporters Without Borders, which protects and supports journalism and freedom of speech around the world. 

Early bird general entry fees are £150 (tech vendor entries are £200) from 5th March 2026 up until 8th April 2026, after which the general entry fees are £200 and tech vendor entry fees are £295.

How to enter

You can enter the WMAs at https://world-media-group.com/awards/how-to-enter/. Campaigns must have intentionally targeted audiences in at least three countries, and 75% of the activity needs to have been implemented between 1^st January 2025 and 30^th April 2026. There is no requirement for campaigns to have run in any of the World Media Group’s member brands. The deadline for entries is Thursday 21st May, 2026.

General categories

This year there are 12 award categories including the Content Leadership & Innovation and Rising Star awards, which are awarded to individuals, based on nominations from WMG members. The jury will select the Grand Prix from amongst the following category winners:

• Corporate Influencer
• Financial Services
• Luxury & Lifestyle
• Technology & Telecoms
• Travel & Tourism

Specialist categories

The following five categories are designed to celebrate the power of great partnerships between brands and media owners; the potential for brand storytelling to drive progress on social issues; the companies and services enabling the industry to do its best work; and the next generation of talented individuals leading the way in delivering effective, creative and innovative solutions for brands.

• Brand & Media Owner Partnership
• Branded Event
• Enabling Success
• Small Budget, Great Impact
• Social Good

WMG member-nominated categories

• Content Leadership and Innovation Award – recognising an individual who has demonstrated leadership and innovation in the creation of great content-led international marketing strategies.
  
• Rising Star – recognising a talented individual who is making a significant impact to the creativity and effectiveness of content-led advertising strategies, early on in their career.

The winners will be announced at an exclusive live ceremony on Thursday 24^th September, 2026. Shortlisted entrants will receive two complimentary tickets to join the celebration as guests of the World Media Group, and additional tickets will be available to purchase.

About the World Media Group

The World Media Group is a strategic alliance of leading international media organisations that connects brands with highly engaged, influential audiences in the context of trusted and renowned journalism. Its members include BBC News, Business Insider, CNBC, CNN International, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, National Geographic, The New York Times Company, Reuters, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, associate member The Atlantic, and partners Avid Collective, Brand Metrics and Dianomi.

London – Friday 19th September – Last night, Cartier took home the Grand Prix at the 2025 World Media Awards for its groundbreaking ‘Linked by Love’ campaign, created in partnership with New York Times Advertising’s T Brand Studio. The award was presented at a ceremony at London’s Ham Yard Hotel, hosted by CNN International Anchor and Correspondent Christina Macfarlane.

The World Media Awards, now in their 10th year, celebrate excellence in international content marketing and cross-border advertising campaigns that demonstrate creativity, effectiveness, and global reach.

Campaign That Captured Hearts Worldwide

Cartier’s winning campaign celebrated the 100th anniversary of the brand’s iconic Trinity ring, three interlocking gold rings symbolising love for family, friends and romantic partners. The challenge was to honour Trinity’s heritage while engaging modern, discerning global audiences.

The result was an ambitious 360° campaign that collected and shared over 100 authentic love stories from around the world, making Cartier synonymous with love throughout the year while showcasing the universal nature of human connection.

“The ‘Linked by Love’ campaign stood out for its authentic storytelling and global reach,” said Jamie Credland, CEO of World Media Group. “By collecting 100 genuine love stories from around the world, Cartier, together with New York Times Advertising’s T Brand Studio, created something that transcended traditional luxury marketing – it became a celebration of human connection that resonated across cultures and demographics.”

Raquel Bubar, Managing Director, T Brand Studio International, the New York Times Advertising, said: “This campaign allowed us to honour Trinity’s century-long legacy while creating something entirely fresh. The collaboration between Cartier and New York Times Advertising gave us access to storytellers and audiences worldwide, enabling us to showcase love in all its forms. The recognition validates our belief that luxury brands can create meaningful cultural moments, as well as beautiful products.”

The awards, presented by the World Media Group, recognise global brands, agencies and media partners creating the most effective content-driven marketing and advertising campaigns. This year’s winners included campaigns from Bupa UK, Destination Canada, Gilead, IDA Ireland, Infosys, Mercator Ocean (Copernicus), Netflix, Nokia, Uber, UBS, ViiV Healthcare and Zscaler.

Christoph Woermann, CMO Corporate Bank at Deutsche Bank, received the special Award for Content Leadership and Innovation, recognising individuals who demonstrate exceptional talent in creating exemplary international content-driven campaigns that show brand bravery, creativity and innovation.

The World Media Awards Ceremony was supported by Brand Metrics. The independent jury, made up of heavy-weight judges from brands, agencies and media owners, was led by co-chairs Anna Campbell, Global Client President at Carat and Alison Harbert, Marketing Director at Investec. The full case studies for this year’s winning entries, along with the winners of previous years, are available to read in the World Media Group’s Creative Vault here.

 The winners of the World Media Awards 2025 are as follows:

#ENDS#

About The World Media Group

The World Media Group is a strategic alliance of leading international media organisations that connects brands with highly engaged, influential audiences in the context of trusted and renowned journalism. Its members include BBC News, Business Insider, CNN International, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, National Geographic, The New York Times Company, POLITICO Europe, Reuters, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, associate member The Atlantic, and partners Avid Collective, Brand Metrics and Dianomi. To find out more about the World Media Group, please visit www.world-media-group.com.

Woermann was selected for the Award not only for his pioneering approach to financial services marketing, but also for his wider influence on the industry. Long before it became the norm, he championed the power of strategic, content-led storytelling to deliver real impact. Over the past decade, he has encouraged fellow B2B marketers to adopt content-led strategies, championing the role of trusted media partnerships and actively supporting the World Media Group in its mission to promote creativity and innovation in the context of trusted journalism.

“When we launched the World Media Awards a decade ago, content marketing was still in its infancy. It took time for brands – especially in B2B – to recognise its power as a core part of the marketing mix,” said Jamie Credland, CEO of the World Media Group. “Christoph saw that potential long before others, using content to communicate in new ways and strengthen client relationships. We’re proud to honour him as this year’s Content Leader – a true industry innovator whose vision has had a lasting impact on Deutsche Bank’s success.”

A decade of strategic storytelling

Ten years ago, Woermann recognised a fundamental shift in how clients consumed information. At a time when B2B marketing was dominated by product-heavy, one-way messaging, he advocated for a client-centric, value-led approach. Rather than broadcasting, his vision was to listen to clients and create the kind of content they truly wanted: informed, inspiring and interactive.

This thinking led to the creation of Deutsche Bank’s flow – a multi-channel content ecosystem built on insight-rich, bank-agnostic storytelling. From the outset, flow prioritised knowledge-sharing over product promotion, offering evidence-based articles, white papers and newsletters that reflected the real challenges and opportunities facing financial professionals.

Content that informs, inspires and builds dialogue

“I’m truly honoured to receive the World Media Award for Content Leadership & Innovation,” said Woermann. “From the beginning, our goal with flow was to create content that informs, inspires and builds genuine dialogue with clients – not just to promote products. This award is also a testament to the creativity and dedication of my team, as well as the strength of our partnerships. I look forward to celebrating alongside so many talented peers at this year’s ceremony.”

Today, flow has evolved into a comprehensive content platform including the flow website, flow magazine, bi-weekly updates, white papers, market briefings, podcasts and short-form video perspectives featuring expert voices – all designed to deliver actionable insights for Deutsche Bank clients.

The 2025 World Media Awards Ceremony

The Content Leadership & Innovation Award will be presented to Woermann during the World Media Awards ceremony at London’s Ham Yard Hotel on Thursday 18^th September. The evening will also reveal the winners of the sector awards, along with this year’s prestigious Grand Prix, joining an illustrious roll call of past winners including Cymru Wales, Infosys, Johnnie Walker, London & Partners, Malaria No More UK, Shell, Sonos and Tata Motors.

Based in CNN’s London bureau, Macfarlane is a familiar face to global audiences, having anchored many of the biggest breaking news stories of recent years. Since 2020, she has brought clarity and insight to coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war, the devastating earthquakes in Turkey, protests in Hong Kong and Venezuela, and the shifting landscapes of UK, European and US politics.

Before moving into hard news, Macfarlane spent a decade anchoring CNN World Sport, covering some of the world’s most high-profile sporting events, including the Pyeongchang and Rio Olympics, the 2019 Rugby World Cup, and leading CNN’s tennis coverage. Her 2019 interview, Roger Revealed, offered an unprecedented glimpse into the life of tennis legend Roger Federer.

Her work has earned widespread recognition. In 2022, she was nominated for an Emmy and won an EPPY award for her reporting on athletes with Differences of Sex development fighting for acceptance in world athletics. In 2020, she made history as the first woman to be named Broadcast Journalist of the Year at the British Sports Journalism Awards.

Macfarlane’s career has also made headlines beyond the newsroom, including in 2019 when she gained international attention for her persistence during a high-profile NBA press conference about the league’s standoff with China.

Armed with a Master’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism from City University London,  and having started her CNN career as an intern in 2012, Macfarlane brings a wealth of experience, a fearless approach to storytelling and a truly global perspective.

We can’t wait to welcome her to the World Media Awards stage on Thursday 18^th September as we celebrate the very best in international content-driven advertising. Find out more about the World Media awards here.

London, Tuesday 24^th June 2025 – The World Media Group unveiled the shortlist for the 2025 World Media Awards today, celebrating excellence in international content marketing and cross-border advertising. Now celebrating 10 years, the World Media Awards continues to draw high-calibre submissions from all over the world with entries from across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the US.

The 2025 shortlist reflects continued growth in strategic content partnerships, with notable increases in the Financial Services and Corporate Influencer categories, suggesting that brands are sharpening their focus on trust-building and purpose-driven narratives in complex and regulated sectors. Technology & Telecoms also saw strong representation, underlining the sector’s ongoing investment in brand storytelling.

This year also saw the introduction of two new categories – Technology Partner and Branded Event, to demonstrate the growing importance of media innovation and brand experiences in bringing to life international advertising campaigns.

Jamie Credland, CEO of the World Media Group, commented: “As we celebrate 10 years of the World Media Awards, I’m blown away by the quality and ambition of the entries, highlighting the continued evolution of global content marketing. It’s brilliant to see how brands are using events and technology partnerships to drive deeper audience engagement and business impact.”

Storytelling by World-Class Brands

The shortlist features campaigns from an impressive mix of global brands, including Bayer,  Bupa, Cartier, De Beers Group, Dianomi, JW Marriott, Lombard Odier, L’Oreal Group, Mastercard, Netflix, Prada, PwC, Samsung, Swift, TikTok, UBS, ViiV Healthcare, Visa, VistaJet and Zurich Insurance.

The independent jury, comprising senior leaders from brands, agencies and media owners, is now tasked with selecting the winners for each category. This year’s co-chairs are Anna Campbell, Global Client President at Carat and Alison Harbert, Marketing Director at Investec.

Campbell noted, “The new Technology Partner category revealed some of the most dynamic collaborations we’ve seen this year. It’s evident that when brands and tech providers work in sync, they can unlock new formats for storytelling that are both innovative and measurable.”

Harbert added: “The entries in the Corporate Influencer and Financial Services categories stand out for their clarity, authenticity and smart integration of trusted voices. These campaigns are redefining how influence works at scale – grounded in credibility and aligned with brand values.”

World Media Awards Ceremony:

Winners will be announced at a live ceremony at the Ham Yard Hotel in London on Thursday 18^th September 2025, where the coveted Grand Prix Award will also be presented. You can buy tickets to attend the ceremony here. 

Previous winners of the top prize include Cymru Wales, Infosys, Johnnie Walker, Malaria No More, Shell and Tata Motors.

Winners’ Perks

In addition to global recognition and a trophy, winners receive a unique prize – an exclusive international media campaign worth €750k+, run across the World Media Group’s prestigious media brands: The Atlantic, BBC News, Business Insider, CNN International, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, National Geographic, Politico Europe, Reuters, The New York Times, TIME, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.

The 2025 shortlist is as follows:

Corporate Influencer

Financial Services

Tech  & Telecoms

Travel & Tourism

Luxury & Lifestyle

Specialist Categories:

Brand & Media Owner Partnership

Small Budget, Great Impact

Social Good

Branded Event

Technology Partner

For full details of shortlisted entries go to https://world-media-group.com/awards/2025-shortlist/

#ENDS#

About The World Media Group
The World Media Group is a strategic alliance of leading international media organisations that connects brands with highly engaged, influential audiences in the context of trusted and renowned journalism. Its members include BBC News, Business Insider, CNN International, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, National Geographic, The New York Times Company, POLITICO Europe, Reuters, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, associate member The Atlantic, and partners Brand Metrics and Dianomi. To find out more about the World Media Group, please visit www.world-media-group.com.

London, Thursday 6^th March 2025 – The World Media Group is pleased to announce that Anna Campbell, Global Client President at Carat and Alison Harbert, Marketing Director, Investec, will Co-chair the judging panel at this year’s World Media Awards. The Co-chairs are responsible for leading an independent jury made up of heavy-weight judges from brands, agencies and media owners, selected to reflect the importance of collaboration when creating successful international, content-driven advertising campaigns. You can find out more about this year’s jury here.

“As one of the few benchmarks for evaluating international content marketing campaigns, the World Media Awards is always an important milestone in the industry calendar,” said Alison Harbert. “I’m delighted to be Co-chairing the judging panel with Anna this year, and I look forward to taking a behind-the-scenes look at the amazing work that is created when brands, agencies and media partners come together.”

“In addition to judging the classic content-driven media partnerships, I’m looking forward to seeing the entries in the new categories this year. Technology now plays such a huge part in bringing so many of our stories to life, and those brands and organisations who are using it well deserve to be celebrated,” said Anna Campbell. “With the Branded Event category, I’m excited to see how brands are amplifying content from live events to help cut through the noise and really stand out.”

Brand Metrics returns as official partner

The organisers are delighted to confirm that Brand Metrics returns as the official partner of the World Media Awards for the second year running. “We work with publishers to help them measure campaign effectiveness on their sites, and we’re a great believer in the power of journalism,” said Sean Adams, Chief Marketing Officer, Brand Metrics. “Partnering with The World Media Awards is a natural fit, allowing us to support premium publishers while celebrating the success of brilliant international content advertising campaigns.”

The World Media Awards offer 10 categories to recognise the very best in cross-platform, cross-border, content-driven advertising. Created by the World Media Group, a strategic alliance of global media brands that promotes award-winning journalism and the value of quality international media to the marketing industry, the WMAs are now celebrating their 10^th year.

The criteria for the two new Specialist Categories are as follows:

Branded Event: This category celebrates the power of events to bring people together, build a sense of community and exchange ideas, both during the event itself and as part of a larger international marketing campaign. The judges will be looking for branded in-person or virtual events that were amplified internationally to a broader audience.

Technology Partner: Technology, research and services companies that support marketers with their international, content-led campaigns are encouraged to enter this category. The judges will be looking for a demonstrated commitment to quality content, distributed internationally through an innovative solution. The winner could be a vendor that supports an existing international media company, or that works directly with a client or agency.

International advertising campaign worth €750k

The World Media Awards offer a unique prize to each of the sector category winners. The winning entries are amplified in a worldwide advertising campaign valued at more than €750k running across the World Media Group’s leading international media brands. Members comprise BBC Global News, Business Insider, CNN, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, National Geographic, The New York Times Company, POLITICO, Reuters, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and associate member, The Atlantic.

Championing international trusted journalism

The WMAs are not-for-profit. Fifty percent of the entry fee will be donated to Reporters Without Borders, which protects and supports journalism and freedom of speech around the world. General entry fees are £250. Technology vendor entry fees are £295.

How to enter

You can enter the WMAs at  https://world-media-group.com/awards/how-to-enter/. Campaigns must have intentionally targeted audiences in at least three countries and 75% of the activity needs to have been implemented between January 2024 and April 2025. There is no requirement for campaigns to have run in any of the World Media Group brands. The closing date for entries is Thursday 22^nd May 2025.

Categories

This year there are 10 award categories plus the ‘Content Leadership & Innovation‘ and ‘Rising Star’ awards, which are judged based on nominations from WMG members. The jury will select the Grand Prix from amongst the following sector category winners:

• Corporate Influencer
• Financial Services
• Luxury & Lifestyle
• Technology & Telecoms
• Travel & Tourism

Specialist categories

The following five categories are designed to celebrate the power of great partnerships between brands and media owners, the potential for brand storytelling to drive social issues and solutions, the power of branded events, and the talented organisations who are leading the way in delivering effective, creative and innovation solutions for brands.

• Brand and Media Owner Partnership
• Branded Event
• Small Budget, Great Impact
• Social Impact
• Technology Partner

Awards ceremony

The winners will be announced at an exclusive live ceremony in London on Thursday 18^th September 2025. Shortlisted entrants will receive two free tickets to join the celebration as guests of the World Media Group, and additional tickets will be available for purchase.

London, Thursday 20^th February 2025 – The 2025 World Media Awards (WMAs) are open for entry today, offering 10 categories to recognise the very best in cross-platform, cross-border, content-driven advertising. Created by the World Media Group, a strategic alliance of global media brands that promotes award-winning journalism and the value of quality international media to the marketing industry, the WMAs are now celebrating their 10^th year.

“The media industry is constantly evolving, and, as the World Media Awards  enters  its tenth year,  it’s important to reflect those changes, which is why we’ve added two new categories,” said World Media Group CEO, Jamie Credland. “We’ve been impressed by the brilliant brand storytelling that we’ve seen coming out of live and virtual brand events and amplified through media, which deserves its own  standalone category. Likewise, technology and research are at the heart of many great content marketing briefs, so we want to acknowledge the unsung companies that support marketers and bring their ideas and campaigns to life.”

The criteria for the new Specialist Categories are as follows:

Brand Event: This category celebrates the power of events to bring people together, build a sense of community and exchange ideas, both during the event itself and as part of a larger international marketing campaign. The judges will be looking for branded in-person or virtual events that were amplified internationally to a broader audience.

Technology Partner: Technology, research and services companies that support marketers with their international, content-led campaigns are encouraged to enter this category. The judges will be looking for a demonstrated commitment to quality content, distributed internationally through an innovative solution. The winner could be a vendor that supports an existing international media company, or that works directly with a client or agency.

A panel of international judges

To reflect the importance of collaboration in creating successful international, content-driven advertising campaigns, the independent jury is made up of heavy-weight judges from brands, agencies and media owners. You can find out more about this year’s jury here.

International advertising campaign worth €750k

The World Media Awards offer a unique prize to each of the sector category winners. The winning entries are amplified in a worldwide advertising campaign valued at more than €750k running across the World Media Group’s leading international media brands. Members comprise BBC Global News, Business Insider, CNN, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, National Geographic, The New York Times Company, POLITICO, Reuters, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and associate member, The Atlantic.

Championing international trusted journalism

The WMAs are not-for-profit. Fifty percent of the entry fee will be donated to Reporters Without Borders, which protects and supports journalism and freedom of speech around the world. General entry fees are £250. Technology vendor entry fees are £295.

How to enter

You canenter the WMAs at  https://world-media-group.com/awards/how-to-enter/. Campaigns must have intentionally targeted audiences in at least three countries and 75% of the activity needs to have been implemented between January 2024 and April 2025. There is no requirement for campaigns to have run in any of the World Media Group brands. The closing date for entries is Thursday 22^nd May 2025.

Categories

This year there are 10 award categories plus the ‘Content Leadership & Innovation‘ and ‘Rising Star’ awards, which are judged based on nominations from WMG members. The jury will select the Grand Prix from amongst the following sector category winners:

• Corporate Influencer
• Financial Services
• Luxury & Lifestyle
• Technology & Telecoms
• Travel & Tourism

Specialist categories

The following five categories are designed to celebrate the power of great partnerships between brands and media owners, the potential for brand storytelling to drive social issues and solutions, the power of brand events, and the talented organisations who are leading the way in delivering effective, creative and innovation solutions for brands.

• Brand and Media Owner Partnership
• Brand Event
• Small Budget, Great Impact
• Social Impact
• Technology Partner

Awards ceremony

The winners will be announced at an exclusive live ceremony in London on Thursday 18^th September 2025. Shortlisted entrants will receive two free tickets to join the celebration as guests of the World Media Group, and additional tickets will be available for purchase.

The co-chairs of the jury, Jasmin Kaur, Group Managing Partner at Havas Media Group, and Santosh Sethumadhavan, Global Head of Commercial Campaigns at Swift, along with World Media Group CEO Jamie Credland, were impressed not just by the quality of the content itself but by the strong activation, the relationship built between client and media owner teams and the ability to make challenging subject matter engaging and exciting.

Gordon and her team were challenged with raising awareness of the UK’s formal accession into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and communicating its benefits to a variety of countries and regions, each with their own nuances.

Gordon had a strong vision and understood the need to educate audiences about this complex topic in an engaging and entertaining way. Together with BBC Studios, she developed a six-part article series featuring regional spotlights for North America, APAC and Latin America, with interviews from leading businesses in each of the regions bringing to light the importance of open and free trade.

The campaign also included videos running across social channels and as a TV commercial, with creative cuts to ensure relevance for each of the target markets. The results showed an uplift in awareness of the UK Government’s participation in the CPTPP and included pageviews that were 350% above target. 

“We received a stellar batch of nominations for the Content Leadership & Innovation Award this year,” said Jamie Credland, CEO of the World Media Group, which hosts the awards. “What set Ann apart was her collaborative team-oriented approach. By welcoming the perspective of both the media partner and her own team – encouraging everyone to contribute and to challenge each other’s viewpoints – Ann turned what could have been a dry topic into a positive, relatable and engaging campaign.”

“I’m delighted to be selected as this year’s World Media Award winner for Content Leadership & Innovation,” said Gordon,  “and I’m thrilled that my team’s talents have been recognised. The success of the campaign is testament to their hard work and brilliant creative ideas, and of course the strong partnership we developed with our team at BBC Studios. I’m looking forward to attending the awards ceremony to celebrate, and to see the other incredible work that has been shortlisted this year.”

The award will be presented to Gordon during an exclusive live ceremony at the Ham Yard Hotel in London, on Thursday 21^1st November 2024, where the final category winners will be announced. The winner of this year’s prestigious Grand Prix Award will also be revealed on the night, joining previous Grand Prix winners Cymru Wales, Johnnie Walker, London & Partners, Malaria No More UK, Shell, Sonos and Tata Motors as the ‘best of the best’.

Tickets for the World Media Awards ceremony can be purchased here.

ENDS

About The World Media Group
The World Media Group is a strategic alliance of leading international media organisations that connects brands with highly engaged, influential audiences in the context of trusted and renowned journalism. Its members include BBC News, Business Insider, CNN International, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, National Geographic, The New York Times Company, Politico Europe, Reuters, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, associate member The Atlantic, and partners Brand Metrics and Dianomi. To find out more about the World Media Group, please visit www.world-media-group.com. 

London, Thursday 3^rd October – The World Media Group has today announced the shortlist for the 2024 World Media Awards (WMAs), which showcase the best in international content marketing and advertising. The awards drove strong international interest attracting entries from across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the US.

In the sector categories, Financial Services drew an impressive number of entries again this year, matched by an increase in Technology & Telecoms and Corporate Influencer submissions. The shortlist includes entries from a broad spectrum of well-known brands, with Accenture, Bayer, Capgemini, Courtyard by Marriott, Deutsche Telekom, Google, HP Enterprise, Infosys, Lombard Odier, PayPal, PwC, Samsung, Shell, Wellcome and Zurich Insurance making the cut as finalists this year.

“I’m delighted to witness such a diverse and vibrant array of engaging entries from across the globe,” said World Media Group CEO, Jamie Credland. “Strong, compelling storytelling has always been the cornerstone of all the World Media Group brands, and it’s exciting to see these same qualities shining through in this year’s submissions. It underscores the power of collaboration – when brands, agencies and media partners come together, the result is innovative, impactful narratives that resonate deeply with audiences.”

The independent jury, made up of heavy-weight judges from brands, agencies and media owners, will come together later this month to decide which of the finalists should take home the World Media Award in each category. Leading this year’s jury are co-chairs Jasmin Kaur, Global Managing Partner, Havas Media Network and Santosh Sethumadhavan, Global Head of Commercial Campaigns, Swift.

Said Kaur: “I was impressed by the number of entries that leveraged data-driven insights to not only accurately diagnose brand challenges but also to effectively tackle them through innovative content-led advertising. These campaigns demonstrated an acute understanding of the brand’s core issues and used creative storytelling to address them in a way that built authentic, lasting connections with their audiences.”

World Media Awards Event: The final category winners will be announced during an exclusive live ceremony at the Ham Yard Hotel in London on Thursday 21^st November 2024. The winner of this year’s prestigious Grand Prix Award will also be announced on the night, joining brands such as Cymru Wales, Johnnie Walker, London & Partners, Malaria No More, Shell, Sonos and Tata Motors, who have taken home the prize in previous years.

Winners’ Perks: The Awards are unique in that all winners not only walk away with a trophy and kudos on the night, but will also see their work celebrated in an exclusive worldwide advertising campaign valued at €750k+ which will run across the World Media Group’s leading international media brands comprising The Atlantic, BBC News, Business Insider, CNN International, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, National Geographic, Reuters, Politico Europe, The New York Times, TIME, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.

The 2024 shortlist is as follows:

Corporate Influencer

Financial Services

Technology & Telecoms

Travel & Tourism

Specialist Categories:

Brand & Media Owner Partnership

Small Budget, Great Impact

Social Good

For full details of shortlisted entries go to https://world-media-group.com/awards/2024-shortlist

#ENDS#

About The World Media Group

The World Media Group is a strategic alliance of leading international media organisations that connects brands with highly engaged, influential audiences in the context of trusted and renowned journalism. Its members include BBC News, Business Insider, CNN International, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, National Geographic, The New York Times Company, Politico Europe, Reuters, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, associate member The Atlantic, and partners Brand Metrics, Dianomi and Smartology. To find out more about the World Media Group, please visit www.world-media-group.com. 

London, Wednesday 10^th April 2024: The 2024 World Media Awards (WMAs) are open for entry today, offering 11 categories to recognise the very best in cross-platform, cross-border, content-driven advertising. Created by the World Media Group, a strategic alliance of global media brands that promotes award-winning journalism and the value of quality international media to the marketing industry, the WMAs are now in their ninth year.

B2B added to the sector categories

The organisers have added two new categories this year. The B2B category is designed to recognise the best content-led campaigns targeting international business audiences. These can come from any brand that creates products or services designed to support business customers.

‘Small Budget, Great Impact’

This new specialist category is designed to show off strong partnerships between brands and media owners. It recognises stand-out international branded-content campaigns that are created on a smaller budget (less than €300K or USD $300K). The ‘Small Budget, Great Impact‘ category can be entered by media owners and must demonstrate how the client and media owner have worked together to develop engaging content that delivers outstanding results for the brand.

A panel of international judges

To reflect the importance of collaboration in creating successful international, content-driven advertising campaigns, the independent jury is made up of heavy-weight judges from brands, agencies and media owners. Leading this year’s line-up are co-chairs Jasmin Kaur, Global Managing Partner, Havas Media Network and Santosh Sethumadhavan, Global Head of Commercial Campaigns, Swift.You can find out more about this year’s judges here.

“The last few years have been challenging for the marketing and media industry, across agencies, publishers and in-house. Concerns around profitability have resulted in budget cuts which often means brands are expected to be doing more with less,” said Kaur. “The Small Budget, Great Impact category is an inspired addition to the World Media Awards. We’ll be looking for campaigns that show a deep understanding of the client’s brand and marketing objectives and deliver innovative content in the most effective format. It’s going to be one of the most interesting categories to judge, and I’m looking forward to seeing just how creative brands can be on a smaller budget!”               

Sethumadhavan added: “The World Media Awards always provides insight into how the top international advertising teams are driving engagement and success for global brands through content-led marketing strategies. After many years of leading B2B campaigns for major brands, I’m particularly excited to see that the jury will be evaluating B2B as a standalone sector category this year. Alongside Jasmin, I look forward to working with the judges to ensure that we surface the very best campaigns and give them the kudos they deserve.”

The World Media Awards offer a unique prize to each of the sector category winners. The winning entries are amplified in a worldwide advertising campaign valued at more than €750k running across the World Media Group’s leading international media brands. Members comprise BBC Global News, Business Insider, CNN, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, National Geographic, The New York Times Company, Politico, Reuters, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and associate member, The Atlantic.

global media brands that make up the World Media Group.

Championing international trusted journalism

The WMAs are not-for-profit. 50 percent of the entry fee will be donated to Reporters Without Borders, which protects and supports journalism and freedom of speech around the world. Early bird entry fees before 28th June are £150. Entry fees after 28th June are £200. The exception to this is the Rising Star category, which is £50 to enter. The total entry fee for Rising Stars will be donated to Brixton Finishing School, which supports access to the advertising and media industry for under represented communities.

How to enter

You can enter the WMAs at  https://world-media-group.com/awards/how-to-enter/. Campaigns must have intentionally targeted audiences in at least three countries and 75% of the activity needs to have been implemented between April 2023 and June 2024. There is no requirement for campaigns to have run in any of the World Media Group brands. The closing date for entries is Thursday 12^th September 2024.

Categories

This year there are 11 award categories plus the Content Leadership & Innovation award, which is judged based on nominations from WMG members. The jury will select the Grand Prix from amongst the following category winners:

• Automotive
• B2B
• Corporate Influencer
• Financial Services
• Luxury & Lifestyle
• Technology & Telecoms
• Travel & Tourism

Specialist categories

The following four categories are designed to celebrate the power of great partnerships between brands and media owners; the potential for brand storytelling to drive progress on social issues; and to celebrate the next generation of talented individuals who are leading the way in delivering effective, creative and innovative solutions for brands.

• Brand and Media Owner partnership
• Small Budget, Great Impact
• Rising Star
• Social Good

Awards ceremony

The winners will be announced at an exclusive live ceremony on Thursday 21^st November 2024. Shortlisted entrants will receive two free tickets to join the celebration as guests of the World Media Group, and additional tickets will be available for purchase.

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About The World Media Group

The World Media Group is a strategic alliance of leading international media organisations that connects brands with highly engaged, influential audiences in the context of trusted and renowned journalism. Its members include BBC News, Business Insider, CNN International, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, National Geographic, The New York Times Company, Politico Europe, Reuters, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, associate member The Atlantic, and partners Brand Metrics, Dianomi and Smartology. To find out more about the World Media Group, please visit www.world-media-group.com.