Pinnacle Awards

2026 Categories

Best Use of Video

This award celebrates excellence in video as a storytelling medium, showcasing campaigns that creatively and effectively utilize video to engage audiences and achieve marketing goals. Whether through short-form social videos, brand documentaries, or high-impact commercials, this category recognizes the power of visual storytelling. Include details on the strategy, creative process, audience engagement, and measurable impact of the video. See 2025 Winners

Best Use of Social Media

This award is for brands that know how to craft standout content designed for social media. Whether it’s reels, stories, posts, or cross-platform campaigns, this category celebrates creative storytelling, audience engagement, and platform-savvy strategies. Tell us how your campaign captured attention, sparked conversations, and drove meaningful interactions. Share details on your goals, creative execution, and the measurable impact of your social media efforts. See 2025 Winners

Best Data-Driven Campaign

The Best Data-Driven Campaign Award category honors marketing campaigns that leverage data and analytics to inform strategy, execution, and optimization. Whether through customer insights, predictive modeling, or real-time adjustments, this award recognizes how data was used to achieve impactful results. Share how data was collected, analyzed, and applied to drive campaign success. Be sure to highlight the metrics, tools, and measurable outcomes demonstrating the campaign’s success. See 2025 Winners

Best Experiential Campaign

The Best Experiential Marketing Campaign recognizes outstanding marketing campaigns that create immersive, memorable experiences for audiences. Whether through live events, virtual activations, pop-ups, or hybrid experiences, this category celebrates the ability to connect with audiences on an emotional level and drive meaningful engagement. Tell us how your experience brought the brand to life, engaged audiences, and delivered real impact. Share details about the concept, audience response, and measurable outcomes. See 2025 Winners

Best Community Impact Campaign (REVISED CATEGORY)

The Best Community Impact Campaign category highlights marketing campaigns that drive meaningful change beyond inclusivity, impacting areas such as health, education, environmental sustainability, and community well-being. It honors marketers who have leveraged their platforms to address pressing societal needs and create lasting positive change. Whether your initiative raised awareness, drove advocacy, or supported a cause, share your strategy, the steps you took to engage stakeholders, and the measurable difference your campaign made in creating a better world. See 2025 Winners in a Similar Category

Eligibility

The Pinnacle Awards are open to all marketing professionals in the Greater Cincinnati area. Those who submit for an award must submit original work or work they directly supervised. The work submitted must have been created/executed from January 1, 2025, up until December 31, 2025.

It is required to pay submission fees at the time of submitting materials. Work submitted without payment will not be judged and therefore will not be eligible for an award.

Submission Requirements

Category Entries: A summary and payment are required; supporting materials are highly recommended. See the below section, “How to Submit,” for instructions.

Cincinnati Marketing Legends, All Stars, and Rising Stars: These only need basic information on you and your nominee. There is no fee for these. Although supporting materials are not required, we highly encourage a thoughtful pitch for why this individual has earned the distinction, in your opinion.

Judging

Pinnacle submissions will be judged by an American Marketing Association chapter outside of the Cincinnati region. Finalists will be notified in advance of the Awards Ceremony, and ALL finalists are winners! We will announce 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners at the Awards Ceremony.