The Adwanted Media Research Awards are back for their 11th edition with a new head judge.
Denise Turner, media research director at the IPA, will take the role for the 2026 awards.
As part of the judging panel for a number of years, Turner steps up following last year’s retirement of IPA research director Belinda Beeftink, who had been head judge for the past four years.
Entries will be open on 1 September, with an early entry deadline on 1 October, followed by the late entry deadline on 10 October.
The awards ceremony will take place on 4 March 2026. The event is sponsored by Kantar Media, Potentia Insight and UKOM.
See the full line-up of judges and list of categories below, while further information can be found here.
Adwanted Media Research Awards 2025: JCDecaux lands Grand Prix
Judging panel
Denise Turner, media research director, IPA — head judge
Emily Alcorn, chief effectiveness officer, Talon
Donna Burns, head of insight, Radiocentre
John Carroll, director of research and audiences, Rajar
Anna Cremin, head of research and consumer insight, Pearl & Dean
Heather Dansie, research and insight director, Newsworks
Matt Hill, director of insight and research, Sky Media
Sumran Kaul, consultant
James Longhurst, content director, The Media Leader
Euan Mackay, CEO, Route
Neil Mortensen, director, ITV Insights Group, ITV
Tony Regan, partner, Work Research
Laura Rowe, board director and managing partner, head of Decisions Science, OMD
Kathryn Saxon, head of audience intelligence, Wavemaker
Tara Watkins, head of insights, the7stars
Full list of categories
Best Custom Media Research Project — Trade Body
Best Custom Media Research Project — Media Owner
Best Custom Media Research Project — Agency
Best Custom Media Research Project — Budgets Under £50,000
Best Custom Media Research Project — Supporting Diversity in Media and Advertising
Best Media Research Tracking or Syndicated Project
Best Use of 1st or 3rd Party Data
Best Use of AI in Research Projects
Best International Media Research Project
Pulse of the Nation
The Adrian Edwards Award for Best Use of Datasets
Best Representation of Data
Research Effectiveness Award
Media Agency of the Year — sponsored by Kantar Media
Media Owner/Trade Body of the Year
Research, Data or Measurement Company of the Year
Rising Star
Grand Prix
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