In an era of flux and innovation, this year’s Global Performance Marketing Awards (GPMA) set the global benchmark for excellence and establish the biggest launchpad for success yet.
Strategically timed to align with PI LIVE Europe, the awards provide proof of the industry work that delivers results and lay the foundation for real impact at Europe's largest gathering of the partnership economy.
Stiff competition
And in this year’s shortlist, the competition is stiff.
With 11 new categories spotlighting some of the biggest trends and shifts in the industry, including the push towards full funnel, the emphasis on incrementality and the rise of the influencer, shortlisters have shown that their finger is on the pulse and their solutions are savvy.
Plus, this year, for the first time, judges will award Regional Grand Prix for APAC, EMEA and the Americas, putting the spotlight on standout work across global markets.
Convergence of brand, creator, and performance marketing
Commenting on this year’s awards, Laura Redman, Co-founder of The Redman Agency and 2026 GPMA judge, said: “One of my favourite trends I saw across this year’s entries was the continued convergence of brand, creator, and performance marketing.”
She added that creators are being treated as “commercial partners rather than purely an awareness channel, being held accountable to sales and conversion.” Meanwhile, areas like CTV are being pushed further down the funnel through stronger targeting and attribution, Redman said.
“There was a real emphasis on proving incrementality, understanding audience quality and connecting activity back to tangible business outcomes. It feels like the industry is becoming much more sophisticated in how it defines, and measures, the value of a partnership,” noted Redman.
AI as the standout theme
Meanwhile, GPMA judge Alexander Feist, Head of Affiliate Marketing at Sage, said the quality this year was “genuinely high.”
“...the strongest entries didn't just claim results, they showed their working, tying every outcome back to a clear objective. AI was the standout theme, it showed up in nearly every category, from optimisation and routing to content and compliance, and it's clearly reshaping how the industry works.”
Adding: “What impressed me most were the entries that treated it as one part of a well-explained system rather than a headline feature. It's an exciting sign of where performance marketing is heading.”
Judge Luca Kim, Global Director, Affiliate Marketing & Performance Partnerships at WPP Media, echoed Feist's sentiments, calling the quality of the entries this year “genuinely impressive.”
“... in a few categories it was incredibly hard to separate the top submissions,” added Kim.
“What stood out to me was how much more sophisticated partnership marketing has become. We saw brands and partners thinking beyond traditional affiliate tactics, using data more intelligently, testing new partner types and finding creative ways to reach customers across the funnel,” she noted.
According to Kim, the strongest entries also did a great job of connecting the dots.
“It wasn’t just “we ran this campaign and drove X in revenue.” They clearly explained the business challenge, why they chose a particular approach, what they learned and, importantly, what actually changed as a result.”
Like Redman, Kim also noted that this year's entries zoned in on incrementality.
“There was also a real focus on incrementality and proving value beyond the last click, which I loved seeing. Overall, the entries felt ambitious, thoughtful and much more focused on the bigger business impact of partnerships,” said Kim.
Hosted by Magician and Mentalist Daniel Bower, our 2026 awards mark the GPMAs’ 10th anniversary and are back with a new format, ditching the black tie for a fun and fresh night of celebration.
To find out if your team made the list, head over here, and grab your tickets to be in the room for a night to remember.
