NewsPublicity & PRAmericas

Ragan’s Zenith Awards 2026: Winners Revealed in New York

·3 min read

Genesis Motor North America wins Campaign of the Year at Ragan’s 2026 Zenith Awards. See the campaign, agency, team and individual winners.

Last checked against official sources: 6 November 2026

* Dates and timings are subject to change, please check directly with the awards organisers.

Ragan’s Zenith Awards 2026 winners were revealed on 5 November 2026 at the Edison Ballroom in New York City. The programme recognises communications, PR and marketing work, alongside agencies, teams and individual practitioners.

Genesis Motor North America won Campaign of the Year for Genesis Invitational - California Rises Initiative. EvolveMKD and Ruder Finn were named Agencies of the Year, while Dreamday won Team of the Year.

Campaign and Category Winners

  • Campaign of the Year: Genesis Motor North America.
  • AI – Use of: Jennings Social Media and Martech.
  • Annual Report: Impact Alamance.
  • Brand Storytelling: Novartis.
  • Branded Content: Memorial Hermann Health System.
  • Change Communications: Marelli.
  • Community Relations: Genesis Motor North America; PwC.
  • Content Marketing: Unisys.
  • Creative Content: Novartis.
  • Crisis Communications: Marelli.
  • CSR: Hachette Book Group.
  • Education: Purdue University.
  • Employee Communications: Ernst & Young LLP (EY US).
  • Employee Engagement: Mubadala Investment Company.
  • Employer Branding: Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany — Greatness Begins in the Invisible.
  • Event/Experiential: HAVAS Red.
  • Government: Unisys.
  • Influencer Marketing: Hyundai Hope on Wheels.
  • Integrated Communications: DKC.
  • Internal Communications: TD SYNNEX.
  • Intranet: Mastercard.
  • Issues Management: Business Roundtable.
  • Marketing: CNA; Sunward Federal Credit Union.
  • Measurement & Evaluation: JPMorganPayments & Bully Pulpit International — JPMorganPayments 2025 Measurement Campaign.
  • Media Relations: Aircover Communications.
  • Nonprofit: Jack Reid Foundation/TLG Communications.
  • Podcast: Auto Care Association.
  • Public Affairs: InnoVision Marketing Group.
  • Public Relations: Bospar.
  • Reports: Cisco.
  • Reputation Management: Havas Formula.
  • Social Media: WeAreCisco.
  • Special Event: University of Maryland.
  • Thought Leadership: Bospar.
  • Video: Lowe's Companies, Inc.
  • Visual Storytelling: Spears Group.

Agencies, People and Teams

  • Agencies of the Year: EvolveMKD; Ruder Finn.
  • Communications Professional of the Year: Natalia Rodrigues, Carnival Cruise Line; Rachel Spielman, Ruder Finn.
  • Marketing Professional of the Year: Mary Wells, Cloudera.
  • Team of the Year: Dreamday.

The Rising Stars profiles recognise Akanksha Adlakha of Napster, Olivia Clarke of Nebo, Jaliah Robinson of Integral and Max Spielman of Ruder Finn. The organiser's results and profiles also list Honorable Mentions and explain the work behind the recognition.

Share the Work Behind the Award

If your team won, pair the category with a specific example of what the work achieved. Credit clients and colleagues, secure permission for any evidence you share and make the benefit to the audience clear.

For a future submission, keep a record of the original challenge, the choices your team made and the results. Combine measurable change with a customer or colleague account, then choose the category that fits the evidence. Crafting Winning Awards Entries can help you shape that story.

Sources