Retail’s standout marketing teams, brand partnerships, Christmas campaigns and physical activations have been named in the latest RG Retail Excellence Awards 2026 shortlists…
The finalists have been revealed for Marketing Team of the Year, Brand Partnership of the Year, Christmas Ad of the Year and the Physical Activation & Retail Media Award.
Featuring collaborations with some of the world’s best-known entertainment brands, ambitious in-store experiences and campaigns designed to capture customers’ attention, the shortlists highlight the creativity driving retail marketing forward.
The winners will be announced at the RG Retail Excellence Awards on 14 October 2026 at The Underglobe, beneath Shakespeare’s Globe on London’s Southbank.
Marketing Team of the Year shortlist
Three businesses have been shortlisted for Marketing Team of the Year, recognising the teams creating impactful campaigns, strengthening brand identities and building closer relationships with customers.
The finalists are:
- Hamleys of London
- Trafford Centre
- Space NK
The shortlist brings together businesses operating across toys, beauty and destination retail, each serving highly engaged but distinct customer audiences.
Retail marketing teams are increasingly responsible for delivering joined-up campaigns across stores, ecommerce, social media, events and loyalty channels.
The category celebrates the teams successfully bringing these elements together while responding to changing consumer behaviour and finding new ways to make their brands stand out.
Brand Partnership of the Year shortlist
Seven collaborations are in the running for Brand Partnership of the Year, with finalists spanning fashion, toys, entertainment, food and destination retail.
The shortlisted partnerships are:
- JoJo’s “Let Them Roam” spring kidswear campaign with Godstone Farm — JoJo Maman Bébé
- Lush and Super Mario Bros — Lush
- Peppa Pig and Hamleys — Hamleys of London
- The Puppet Company and Hamleys — The Puppet Company
- Trafford Centre and JD Sports — Trafford Centre
- Lidl with Mumsnet and Liberty X — Lidl
- Krispy Kreme and Cadbury — Krispy Kreme
The finalists demonstrate how partnerships can help retailers reach new audiences, create culturally relevant moments and bring products and experiences to life in unexpected ways.
Lush’s collaboration with Super Mario Bros and Hamleys’ partnership with Peppa Pig show the continuing power of entertainment properties within retail, particularly when they are translated into engaging products and physical experiences.
JoJo Maman Bébé’s campaign with Godstone Farm, meanwhile, connected its spring childrenswear range with outdoor exploration and family experiences.
The shortlist also includes collaborations bringing together established food and grocery names, as well as partnerships designed to engage particular communities and customer groups.
Christmas Ad of the Year shortlist
Three campaigns have been shortlisted for Christmas Ad of the Year, one of retail marketing’s most closely watched seasonal categories.
The finalists are:
- Shark Beauty and John Lewis
- Argos
- The Very Group
Christmas advertising remains a major moment in the retail calendar, giving brands an opportunity to build emotional connections, showcase their seasonal propositions and compete for attention during the industry’s busiest trading period.
The category recognises campaigns that combine creativity with a strong understanding of their audience and a clear connection to the retailer’s wider brand.
The shortlist also reflects the changing nature of festive advertising, with campaigns now expected to work across television, digital platforms, social media, stores and wider brand partnerships.
Physical Activation & Retail Media Award shortlist
Six campaigns have been named as finalists for the Physical Activation & Retail Media Award.
The category celebrates campaigns that use stores, pop-ups and physical retail environments to create compelling customer experiences and bring marketing ideas to life.
The finalists are:
- Disney Lip, Superdrug unit — Beiersdorf Nivea
- Life Is For(e)play — Ann Summers
- Beyond the Bottle — Space NK
- Pop-up retail experience at Future Stores — SHEIN
- Clarins Double Serum Foundation — John Lewis
- Party Season: From Midnight to Morning Light — The Very Group
The shortlist highlights the growing role of stores as media channels in their own right.
Rather than serving only as places to complete purchases, physical retail spaces are increasingly being used to tell brand stories, launch products and encourage customers to interact with campaigns.
Space NK’s Beyond the Bottle activation and SHEIN’s pop-up experience demonstrate how retailers are using physical environments to create discovery-led moments, while the shortlisted campaigns from Ann Summers, John Lewis and The Very Group show the range of categories embracing experiential marketing.
The finalists also reflect the increasing importance of retail media, as brands look to engage customers closer to the point of purchase and create campaigns that connect advertising, product and place.
Celebrating retail marketing excellence
The four shortlists showcase the breadth of skills now required to deliver successful retail marketing.
From building partnerships and producing major seasonal campaigns to creating engaging store activations, marketers are working across more channels and customer touchpoints than ever before.
The shortlisted businesses and campaigns demonstrate how strong ideas can generate attention, deepen customer relationships and translate brand strategy into memorable experiences.
They will join retailers, brands, suppliers and industry leaders at the new and improved RG Retail Excellence Awards 2026.
Guests at The Underglobe will enjoy a drinks reception, a three-course sit-down dinner, live entertainment and opportunities to network with some of retail’s most influential figures.
The winners of Marketing Team of the Year, Brand Partnership of the Year, Christmas Ad of the Year and the Physical Activation & Retail Media Award will be revealed on 14 October 2026.
Find out more about the RG Retail Excellence Awards and secure your place at the ceremony here.
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