Details
A new name that reflects how the industry speaks today
The Native Advertising Awards is officially becoming the Branded Content Awards.
The name change mirrors how the language and identity of our industry have evolved, and we hope that our community will embrace this decision.
When we launched the awards program back in 2015, native advertising was the dominant term describing branded storytelling in editorial spaces. A decade later, branded content has emerged as the global common language - the way professionals across markets, disciplines, and formats now define the work that connects brands and audiences.
A shift grounded in real-world experience
This evolution is rooted in what we’ve seen first-hand in 2025: the launch of Branded Content Days in New York and the relocation of Native Advertising Days to London. Across both events, the conversations, partnerships, and creative work clearly pointed in one direction: branded content is the language the industry already speaks.
Addressing a long-standing industry challenge
We also recognize that many media companies and agencies face real challenges in selling and scaling this product precisely because it goes by many names in different markets; native advertising, branded content, content partnerships, content advertising, brand publishing, and more. This lack of shared language can slow down understanding, investment, and growth.
By embracing Branded Content as our banner for this awards program, we hope to help create more clarity, make the awards more accessible globally, and support professionals in building and selling powerful content solutions with fewer barriers of terminology.
Reflecting an industry that has outgrown narrow definitions
Branded content today spans editorial collaborations, immersive storytelling, original programming, and strategic partnerships. By adopting this name, we’re not redefining the craft. Instead, we’re acknowledging what it has already become: a mature, global discipline driving both creative excellence and commercial growth.
Celebrating the future of branded storytelling
The Branded Content Awards will continue to honour the best work in the field, spotlighting campaigns and partnerships that blend purpose, creativity, and measurable impact. This is not a break from our origins, but a confident step into the future of a fast-evolving industry.
Submissions for the 2026 Branded Content Awards open October 28
