Finalists Announced!

EX AWARDS GALA

Presented by
Moss

In a world of artificial everything, the brand experience is a catalyst for the real: real people, real connection, real energy. The 2026 Ex Awards celebrates the brands and creators behind this year’s most powerful experiential programs. It’s your moment to step into the spotlight and show off your main-character energy at the event marketing industry’s most prestigious awards ceremony. Event marketers create iconic moments and lasting movements that inspire and influence business outcomes. You aren’t just part of the story, you are the story. So let’s raise a glass to you. 

Date: May 18, 2026| 6:30 p.m. 
Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas, at the Experiential Marketing Summit
Dress code: At this ceremony, people are the heroes. Bring your “main character formal” energy: your power suit or dress… whatever makes you, you. Statement pieces and creative interpretations are welcome.

Price: $385 per ticket; $3,850 for a table of 10.
*Registration required.

Finalists

Activation Categories

Best Cause/Community Program

  • ‘Bites & Beats’ Sunday Night Spotlight
    Ecolab
    Storylink Creative, Hartmann Studios, Super Sharp Entertainment
  • 1A Fest
    Freedom Forum
    Pinnacle
  • Cricket to Conquer Cancer
    The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation
    Astound Group

Best Entertainment Experience

  • The White Lotus Experience
    HBO Max
    MKG
  • YOU Season 5
    Netflix
    Invisible North
  • Beast Games Season 2 VIP Creator Screening
    Prime Video
    Mirrored Media

Best Experiential Stunt

  • Goodnight Moon Suite
    Sheraton Hotels
    FAVOUR, Wieden+Kennedy New York
  • Starbies: The Overnight Album Release Party Takeover
    Starbucks
    On Board Experiential
  • Percy Jackson and the Olympians Immersive Water Stunt
    The Walt Disney Company
    NVE Experience Agency

Best Mobile Marketing Tour

  • Bring Your Flavor Tour
    Blue Diamond Almonds
    Inspira Marketing
  • Kings Hawaiian Made for Football
    Kings Hawaiian
    Entertainment 3Sixty, Lime Media, Taylor Designs
  • Walmart Delivers
    Walmart
    Giant Spoon

Best Multicultural Event Program

  • Grand Marnier Presents DS2 Remixed: The Ballet
    Campari Group
    Team Epiphany
  • The Samsung Galaxy Hangeul Truck Cultural Tour
    Samsung Electronics
    Cheil USA
  • Tienda Superstar
    WSS
    In-house

Best Night Life Event

  • La Placita de BACARDÍ
    BACARDÍ
    Cat/Alina Productions
  • Avenida Desperados: Igniting the Latin Vibe
    Heineken
    Jack Morton
  • Resonance by Suntory Global Spirits
    Suntory Global Spirits
    9 Rooftops

Best Olympic Activation

  • Michelob Ultra Summit
    AB InBev
    Sparks
  • Home of the Olympics Hospitality Suite
    HBO Max
    Impact XM, now Jack Morton
  • Team USA Welcome Experience
    U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee
    The 40 Love Agency, Satis&Fy, True Staging, Blitz Creative, RockIt

Best Outdoor Activation

  • IBM AI Sports Club in the Park
    IBM
    George P. Johnson
  • Lego World Play Day
    Lego
    Amplify
  • Scout Motors at LA Auto Show 2025
    Scout Motors
    New Moon

Best Pop-Up Store or Experience

  • NBA 2K26 House of 2K
    2K Games
    In-house
  • Liquid I.V. Bodega
    Liquid I.V.
    NVE Experience Agency
  • Lego Holiday Lane
    The Lego Group
    XD Agency

Best Sampling Event

  • Austin GP ‘Domenica Italiana’
    Barilla America
    Engage Resonate
  • E.L. Fudge Choco Vanilla Launch
    Keebler, Ferrero U.S.A.
    Guru House, Golin, Anomaly
  • Torani Flavor Factory
    Torani
    Deeplocal

Best Sports Sponsorship Experience

  • DICK's Sporting Goods at WNBA Live 2025
    DICK's Sporting Goods, Nike
    Motive
  • Empowering. Legendary. Females
    e.l.f. Cosmetics
    The Bait Shoppe
  • The USAA Experience at the 126th Army-Navy Game
    USAA
    160over90

Strategy & Execution Categories

Best B-to-B Conference or Event

  • Dell Technologies World
    Dell Technologies
    Invision, Pinnacle
  • Tech Immersion 2025: A New Kind of Training Event
    Google Cloud
    Opus Agency, Gramercy Tech
  • Workday Rising
    Workday
    Sparks, Freeman, George P. Johnson, MAKR

Best Event on a Budget ($500,000 or Less)

  • The Fordham Pizza Shop
    Fordham University
    Ologie
  • Hulu Deli Boys Launch
    Hulu
    Allied Global Marketing
  • Treat Street
    The Farmer’s Dog
    Cartwheel & Co. Marketing

Best Influencer Program

  • 2025 Ford Ready. Set. Go. Ambassador Summit
    Ford Motor Company
    WPP Media, Øuterkind
  • Uno Social Clubs National Campaign
    Mattel
    Mirrored Media
  • 2025 T-Mobile Un-carrier Event at F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix
    T-Mobile
    Proscenium

Best Media or Launch Event

  • Ford Racing and Red Bull Racing: 2026 Launch
    Ford Motor Company
    Imagination
  • Maqbool Fida Husain Museum Opening
    Qatar Foundation
    fischerAppelt
  • Bar Tender by Wingstop
    Wingstop
    Factory360, VaynerMedia

Best Multi-Market Event Campaign (B-to-C)

  • Canva World Tour 2025
    Canva
    Public School, Czarnowski, Lime Media, Amplify
  • Bringing Alien: Earth into the Real World
    FX Networks
    Cartwheel & Co. Marketing
  • Local Eats Restaurant Takeovers
    PepsiCo
    Motive

Best Production of an Event (B-to-B)

  • Amazon Port at Cannes Lions
    Amazon
    Salt Productions, Pinch Creative
  • Caterpillar Centennial Tour
    Caterpillar
    MC², History Factory
  • The Place to B2B
    LinkedIn
    The Bait Shoppe

Best Production of an Event (B-to-C)

  • Nike at The Shaw All Star Weekend 2026
    Nike
    IDEKO
  • Survivor Season 50 Challenge
    Paramount, CBS
    Tool
  • Space to Dream
    Samsung
    Amplify

Best Roadshow or Multi-Market Event (B-to-B)

  • Prime Video Express
    Prime Video
    DesignScene
  • The Taste Collective by 1800 Tequila
    Proximo Spirits
    Sidecar Drinks
  • Verizon Business Solutions
    Verizon
    Civic Entertainment Group

Best Single-Market Event (B-to-C)

  • illy Takes Manhattan
    illycaffè
    Inspira Marketing
  • Nike WNBA All-Star Inaugural NX3 Tournament
    Nike
    IDEKO
  • Don Julio Por Amor: An Immersive Tasting Experience
    Tequila Don Julio
    NVE Experience Agency

Best Small Meeting Experience

  • CollegeVine VINEYARD Summit
    CollegeVine
    Analog Events
  • DoorDash Ads at 2025 Cannes Lions
    DoorDash
    Jack Morton
  • Intuit Connect
    Intuit
    Agency EA

Best Use of AI

  • The Workshop from Google Gemini
    Google
    Inkling
  • Meant to Be Agentforce Activation
    Salesforce
    Opus Agency
  • Snowflake Summit 2025 ‘Falling Snow’ Experience
    Snowflake
    Invision

Best Use of Event Technology

  • Alienware x Twitch: The Artifact
    Dell Technologies
    Cognition Interactive
  • Agentic AI on the American Mainstreet: Salesforce Dreamforce 2025
    Salesforce
    Left Field Labs
  • Feel the Speed
    T-Mobile
    NRG Experiential

Best Use of Live Events for Content

  • Followars
    Amazon Ads for Twitch / Twitch Brand Partnership Studio
    Haus of Park
  • Instagram Carversations
    Instagram by Meta
    Grow Marketing, The Lede Company, HUNTER PR
  • Rogers Replay
    Rogers
    Salt XC

Trade Show Categories

Best In-Booth Trade Show Activation

  • Amazon at OMR Festival
    Amazon Ads
    Salt Productions, Pinch Creative
  • ASH ‘Dual Harmony’ Engagement
    Novartis
    Impact XM, now Jack Morton
  • Waymo at CES 2026
    Waymo
    NVE Experience Agency

Best Trade Show Exhibit Over 50x50

  • ASCO 2025: Immersive, Intelligent, Sustainable
    AstraZeneca
    Emota
  • Oshkosh Corporation at CES 2026
    Oshkosh Corporation
    3D Exhibits
  • Waymo at CES 2026
    Waymo
    NVE Experience Agency

Best Trade Show Exhibit Under 50x50

  • Life. To The Fullest. at CES 2026
    Abbott
    Factory360
  • CES 2026
    Clarios
    VOK DAMS Worldwide, Iris North America
  • Intel at AWS Re:Invent 2025
    Intel Corporation
    Taylor

Tentpole Categories

Best Fan Convention or Expo Experience

  • Borderlands Fan Fest
    2K Games
    Gearbox
  • ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Experience
    Disney+
    15|40 Productions
  • Alien: Earth the Wreckage: Code Red at San Diego Comic-Con 2025
    FX
    Creative Riff

Best Festival Activation

  • Audible x Sundance Film Festival 2026
    Audible
    Civic Entertainment Group
  • Hacienda Patrón
    Patrón Tequila
    Live Nation Entertainment
  • Casa Cheirosa at Coachella
    Sol de Janeiro
    MKG

Best Gaming or Esports Experience

  • Battlefield 6 Global Multiplayer Reveal
    Electronic Arts Inc.
    In-house
  • HP LEVEL: Reforge
    HP
    Infinity Marketing Team
  • Samsung Arena: Dual Realms of Play at Gamescom 2025
    Samsung
    Cheil Germany GmbH