The ICCA Best Marketing Award has become a global benchmark for celebrating the boldest, brightest, and most imaginative marketing in our industry. It’s an open invitation for teams to showcase their passion, their courage, and the creative spark that drives the international meetings community forward.
We’re now accepting submissions for the 2026 edition, proudly sponsored by Northstar Meetings Group. This year’s theme: “Imagination and Impact: Where Creativity Meets Strategy.”
Today, marketing is so much more than promotion. It’s world‑building. It’s storytelling. It’s shifting perspectives, opening minds, asking questions, and taking ordinary ideas into new imaginative territory.
Transformative ideas don’t come to life on their own. They grow through the vision, determination, and craft of creative storytellers who dare to imagine more. This year, we want to dive into your journey. Where does inspiration strike? How does an idea move from an inkling into a powerful, polished final product? What’s the alchemy behind your marketing magic?
Tell us your story! Show us how imagination becomes impact. The Best Marketing Award is about the journey as much as the result, and we’re ready to come along for the ride.
The submission deadline is Friday 28 August.
To begin the submission process please go to the Contact Information tab and update your profile. If you have already logged in, go to the "ICCA Best Marketing Award 2026 Submission" tab to continue your application.
Please note: It takes a few moments for the submission page to open.
Questions? Please contact bestmarketingaward@iccaworld.org
Why Participate?
The ICCA Best Marketing Award is the premier recognition for the associations’ meetings industry marketeers and the marketing community, honouring organisations'most creative achievements.
ICCA invites our association community and meetings industry members from all sectors and regions to submit campaigns, projects, and initiatives that demonstrate your creativity, originality, and sense of humour.
Your campaign could include:
- Content branding
- Cultural shift
- Social storytelling
- Brand evolution
- Power of partnerships
- Internal brand transformation
- Mobile innovation
- Pioneering technology
- Data creativity
- Targeting excellence
- Best use of technology
- Crisis management
- Effective brand building
- Marketing in the moment
Judging Criteria
Judging panellists will evaluate entries according to the following parameters:
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Research & rationale (10%) – evidence-based information supporting the necessity and importance of the marketing initiative
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Determining and measuring success (20%) – the objectives of the marketing initiative should be outlined, and the application should be very specific about the following items:
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What level of engagement will be required – by the organization, the community, customers, etc.
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The objectives of the initiatives – what do you intend to achieve
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How will success be determined, i.e. more business leads, greater awareness, more contracts, etc.
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How will that success be measured – i.e. data, customer or partner testimonials
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Innovation & Creativity (30%) – the marketing initiative must demonstrate a level of innovation, which could include fresh ideas, pursuing a new market, leveraging new technology, creating new processes to increase effectiveness and/or efficiency. The award application need not address all of these elements of innovation, but should be sure to include some.
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Long term impact (15%) – the marketing initiative should ideally embody more than a short term, one-off celebration, but rather, a long-lasting impact of the project
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Communication/presentation (25%) – is the presentation of the award submission clear and compelling.
Submission Process
1. Submission
The competition is open to all ICCA Members and associations (individual members, or groups of members working together). Entries should be submitted in digital format through the application link and must include:
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A written proposal of maximum 1000 words.
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Answers to criteria objectives (included in the submission form).
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A personal video presentation of a maximum of 90 seconds that represents the key messages and outcome of the initiative. Video production should be consistent with the following criteria:
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Personalised touch: we want to see your originality and recognise your efforts.
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Casual tone of voice and engaging delivery: captivate the judges in a fun and dynamic way.
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No state-of-the-art video production: video quality should not exceed the quality of smartphone video standards.
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Big budget does not equal a winning entry. We want to recognise creativity and originality!
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Submissions must be completed through the application link by 28 August, 2026 23.59 CET.
2. Selection of Finalists
The judging panel will select the finalists from all the entries/submissions received. The finalists will be announced in September 2026. Finalists will be asked to attend the ICCA Congress in Panama City, Panama, from 8-11 November.
3. Winner Announcement
The selected finalists will be allocated 10 minutes each for a live presentation of the submitted project during a dedicated session of the ICCA Congress. Finalists are warmly encouraged to attend the ICCA Congress in person.
4. Winner Recognition and Legacy
The ICCA Best Marketing Award is not only about creativity, groundbreaking ideas, and marketing. The award is about shared learning and inspiring other organisations to break out from the norm, think outside the box, and create differently to start shaping tomorrow’s narrative. The winning project will be featured on the ICCA website and in prominent media, and will gain a speaking opportunity at the next ICCA Congress to inspire best practices and relevant strategies for other community members in their marketing efforts.
For Entrants:
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Opportunity to reflect on a project/campaign/initiative and build a case study for promotional use
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Raise the organisation's profile
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Opportunity to showcase your efforts and projects to internal and external stakeholders
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Have the work judged and externally benchmarked by leading professionals in the business
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Potential space for global visibility
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Boost staff morale and reward individuals and teams for their hard work
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Chance to inspire others and develop best practices for industry and sectors
- Work on a fun and exciting project: Teamwork!
For Finalists:
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Profiling on ICCA communication channels (website, newsletter, social media)
- Mention during the announcement session to all of the delegates at the ICCA Congress
- Worldwide recognition from peers and colleagues at the ICCA Congress
- Featured recognition on the ICCA Congress website
For the Winner:
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Dedicated global PR (newsletter, press release, social media)
- Attendance at a Northstar Meetings Group event based on the winner's region. The recognition package can be redeemed across following Northstar Meetings Group brands: The Meetings Show, The Meetings Show APAC, TEAMS Europe, and media brands AMI and M&IT
- Personalised logo to use on website, emails or promotional material
- Speaking opportunity at the next ICCA Congress
- Interview/podcast about the winning project
- Webinar with the winner
For questions, contact bestmarketingaward@iccaworld.org
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