Meet The Palmas: A New Awards Show That's All About the People Behind the Work

Mark your calendars, marketers! There's a new awards program on the scene, and it's putting the spotlight where it belongs: on you and your hardworking teams. Digital Summit recently announced the launch of The Palmas, a brand-new annual awards program celebrating everything that makes marketing agencies great. This awards program isn't just for the big agency names either. Organizations of every size are encouraged to throw their hat in the ring. 

Why The Palmas?  

Everyone knows that marketing agencies do incredible work, but a lot of that work so often flies under the radar. Big campaign launches get the headlines and fanfare, but we found ourselves asking, “What about the teams who built them?” 

Digital Summit CEO Mark Fried said it best. Instead of zeroing in purely on results, The Palmas wants to know about the team that made those results happen. As he explains it, agencies are full of talented people doing work that deserves more recognition, and this is a chance to give credit where it's due, while also having some fun and friendly competition along the way.  

So What Can You Win? 

A lot! The Palmas spans 18 categories, covering pretty much every corner of agency life ranging from creative and strategy to client relationships and marketing operations. A few examples include: 

• Excellence in Brand Storytelling

• Best Creator Campaign Partnership

• Agency-Client Partnership Excellence

• Excellence in Martech Implementation 

Key Information to Know 

If you're thinking about entering, here's your timeline to do so. Entries are open now! 

• Entry deadline: August 21, 2026

• Finalists notified: September 17, 2026

• Awards ceremony: December 8, 2026 in Dallas, TX

• Entry pricing is tiered, so the more you submit, the more you save:
  
  $85 per entry for your first two submission
  $75 each for entries three and four                                                                                                                         $65 per entry once you hit five or more  
  

Head to digitalsummit.com/thepalmas to check out the full category list, judging criteria, and submission details. Entries are open now, so don't sit on this one. August will be here before you know it!