Top 40: Classic 2026
The Record
This year's record of outstanding independent agency work — three tiers of earned recognition from Indie Agency News.
Top 40 rankings revealed live during Top 40 Week, June 1–5.
Top 40 Week — June 1–5, 2026
Top 40 rankings revealed live across five days.
Monday
June 1
#40–31
Tuesday
June 2
#30–21
Wednesday
June 3
#20–11
Thursday
June 4
#10–4
Friday
June 5
Top 3
Every campaign on this record will be linked at winning.work on June 5 — a permanent home for this year's recognized independent agency work.
The Final 40
The 40 exceptional campaigns advancing to compete for the Top 40 ranking during reveal week. Listed alphabetically — final rankings stay under wraps until live reveal.
1stAveMachine
Head of CeraVe
CeraVe
A&G (Allen & Gerritsen)
Dying For Winter
Meet Boston
A&G (Allen & Gerritsen)
Now Entering: Dunkin' MA
Dunkin' (Eastern MA/Southern NH Market)
Born and Raised
No Jingles or Mascots
NJM Insurance
Bray & Co
DarkSky International: Turning a nonprofit into a car company
DarkSky International
Circonflex
Jeanne
Les Producteurs de lait du Québec
Circonflex
Mike chez RONA
RONA
Corner Table Creative
Corner Table Creative x Stripes Beauty
Stripes Beauty
Curiosity
PEEPS: Instant PEEPSPlay
PEEPS
Doe-Anderson
Maker's Mark - Greats of the Gate
Maker's Mark
Doe-Anderson
Norton Healthcare Documentary
Norton Heathcare
Drake Cooper
Challenge Butter | The One With The Elk On It
Challenge Butter
Elite Media
Dream Fearlessly Series
American Family Insurance
Familiar Creatures
Duke's Country Song
Duke's Mayo
FUSE Create
Look for the Leaf
Maple Leaf Foods
FUSE Create
Not-So-New Arrivals
Soles4Souls Canada
Good Conduct
Feed Them the Best. Whether They Deserve It or Not.
The Honest Kitchen
Laughlin Constable
The Difference
Fortune Brands Innovations
Lewis
Always.bank Lemonade Stand
Always.Bank
Lewis
Protect The MoonPie
City of Mobile
Lewis
Rush Lux
reVive Light Therapy™
Lewis
World Bourbon Toast™
Kentucky Distillers' Association
Lupine Creative
Krypto Saves the Day: Dogfluencer Unboxing
Dc Entertainment
McGarrah Jessee
Whataburger Museum of Art
Whataburger
Mower
Carhartt
Carhartt
Mower
Mower - Mower Mania
Mower
Murder Hornet
Enduring Hearts
Enduring Hearts
OBERLAND
E.L.F. Beauty - So Many Dicks
e.l.f. Beauty
Optimism BH
Winning is a Habit
Habit Burger & Grill
Party Land
JanSport & Party Land
JanSport (VF Corp)
Party Land
Truly Hard Seltzer & Party Land No Shade Just Tea
Truly Hard Seltzer (Boston Beer Company)
Poke The Bear
Go BOWLING
Go Bowling
Public Inc.
Public Inc. x Meals on Wheels America
Meals on Wheels America
Quirk Creative
Blue Apron: Keep the flavor ditch the subscription.
Blue Apron
Sukle
Do More Do Less Go Thrifting
City of Denver Office Of Climate Action, Sustainability & Resiliency
Sukle
Generation Wild / Wilderflowers Are Back
Great Outdoors Colorado
Sukle
The Denver Climate Project
City of Denver Office Of Climate Action, Sustainability & Resiliency
Sukle
Wild Oats Returns With A Vengeance
Wild Oats
TiNY
Paying Attention Matters
Avantis Investors
WorkInProgress
Domino's Global Brand Refresh
Domino's
Category Finalists
High-scoring independent agency work that was in serious contention for the Final 40. Recognized for clearing our jury's scoring threshold and standing among the year's strongest campaigns.
Idea
23 Category FinalistsAgency Noir
The Catalyst Series
Microsoft and NVIDIA
Big Com
Specialists Need Specialists
The American College of Financial Services
Born and Raised
NJM Insuranoia: “Laser Beam” and “Bubble Wrap”
NJM Insurance
Born and Raised
No Jingles or Mascots
NJM Insurance
Bridge Insights & Media
Mobility Authority: The Roads We Share
Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority
BUNTIN
“It’s Gotta Be A CFP®”
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.
Cactus
Arapahoe Basin - No B.S. Just Skiing.
Arapahoe Basin
Curiosity
Stop & Shop: Good things are in store
Stop & Shop
Drake Cooper
ICCU | Life's Greener Here
ICCU
FUSE Create
The Right Fit
Britebound
Mower
Carhartt
Carhartt
Partners + Napier
MD Live Stuck Spaces
MD Live by Evernorth
Party Land
Men's Wearhouse & Party Land
Men's Wearhouse (Tailored Brands)
Party Land
Peelz & Party Land Nothing Peelz Better
Peelz Citrus (Fowler Packing Company)
Party Land
Zevia & Party Land Real Soda for Real Humans
Zevia
Quirk Creative
Blue Apron: Keep the flavor ditch the subscription.
Blue Apron
Quirk Creative
PHYND: Gaming Without the BS
PHYND
Schafer Condon Carter
Crunch So Loud
Giordano's
SpecialGuestX
Conway's Arcade
Google
Sukle
Generation Wild / Wilderflowers Are Back
Great Outdoors Colorado
territorial
Bot-Friendly Branding for Suzy
Suzy
The Canal Collective
Consumer Launch Campaign: BABY JERGENS - A Familiar Kind Of Feel-Good
Baby Jergens
Transport New York
Dear America
TIAA
Craft
15 Category FinalistsA&G (Allen & Gerritsen)
Museum of Science: Perception Playground
Museum of Science
Agency Noir
The Catalyst Series
Microsoft and NVIDIA
Cactus
North Carolina Education Lottery - Triple Play Takedown
North Carolina Education Lottery
Familiar Creatures
You BUBBA Believe It
BUBBA burger
FUSE Create
Portfolio Night
FUSE Create
Grown
Principia College Rebrand
Principia College
Laughlin Constable
True Value Your Project Your Way
True Value
Lewis
Birmingham Zoo Activation
Birmingham Zoo
Mower
Carhartt
Carhartt
Poke The Bear
See's Candies: Break Out The Good Stuff
See's Candies
Stirling Brandworks
Assembly Required
3S Artspace
The Canal Collective
Consumer Launch Campaign: BABY JERGENS - A Familiar Kind Of Feel-Good
Baby Jergens
The Canal Collective
Consumer Launch Campaign: RODAN + FIELDS - Love What You See
RODAN + FIELDS (In partnership with Gotham)
Transport New York
Cigna Health Journeys
Cigna Healthcare
Transport New York
Weekend Academy by Walmart
Walmart
Strategy
13 Category FinalistsBorn and Raised
AfterMath
Colonial Penn
Born and Raised
NJM Insuranoia: “Laser Beam” and “Bubble Wrap”
NJM Insurance
Laughlin Constable
Master It
Fortune Brands Innovations
Laughlin Constable
Northwestern Medicine Physician Awareness
Northwestern Medicine
Laughlin Constable
The Difference
Fortune Brands Innovations
Laughlin Constable
True Value Your Project Your Way
True Value
Party Land
JanSport & Party Land
JanSport (VF Corp)
Quirk Creative
PHYND: Gaming Without the BS
PHYND
Quirk Creative
Serenity Kids: Don't Baby Me
Serenity Kids
Stirling Brandworks
World-Class. Bite-Sized.
Mass Art Museum
territorial
How Dare We by Centivo
Centivo
The Canal Collection
Consumer Launch Campaign: BABY JERGENS - A Familiar Kind Of Feel-Good
Baby Jergens
Transport New York
Wellness by Ulta Beauty
Ulta Beauty
Media
1 Category Finalisthunterblu media
Taylor Farms Social Commerce Launch with TikTok & Instacart
Taylor Farms
Partnerships / Branded Content
4 Category FinalistsAgency Noir
The Catalyst Series
Microsoft and NVIDIA
AMC Global Media
AMC's Best Christmas Ever x The Home Depot
The Home Depot
Mower
Carhartt & Sunrun - A Partnership to Power the Future
Carhartt
Partners + Napier
Parkview Health Screen for Your Team
Parkview Health
Experience Design + Activation
2 Category FinalistsBig Com
Seek Alabama
Innovate Alabama
FUSE Create
Not-So-New Arrivals
Soles4Souls Canada
Force for Good
11 Category FinalistsAgency Noir
Basecamp Research : Decoding the Tree of Life
Microsoft and NVIDIA
BrandSavor
Plantations to Pollution – Elevating Environmental Justice
Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC)
Bray & Co
DarkSky International: Turning a nonprofit into a car company
DarkSky International
Clean Creatives
F-List 2026
Clean Creatives
Doe-Anderson
Launching Good Brothers Pharmacy
Good Brothers Pharmacy
FUSE Create
The Right Fit
Britebound
Murder Hornet
Enduring Hearts
Enduring Hearts
OBERLAND
E.L.F. Beauty - So Many Dicks
e.l.f. Beauty
Orci
The Bigger Picture
It Gets Better
Sukle
Generation Wild / Wilderflowers Are Back
Great Outdoors Colorado
Sukle
The Denver Climate Project
City of Denver Office Of Climate Action, Sustainability & Resiliency
Little Budget + Big Impact
4 Category FinalistsBray & Co
DarkSky International: Turning a nonprofit into a car company
DarkSky International
Laughlin Constable
The Difference
Fortune Brands Innovations
Mower
Carhartt - The Next Responders
Carhartt
Quirk Creative
Blue Apron: Keep the flavor ditch the subscription.
Blue Apron
Wild Card
3 Category FinalistsMower
Mower - Mower Mania
Mower
PB&
Joy Fortunes
Oregon Humane
Sukle
Wild Oats Returns With A Vengeance
Wild Oats
Award of Merit
An official place in this year's record of outstanding independent agency work.
8AM Creative
8AM for UtopiQ: Visual Identity & Website
UtopiQ
Craft
Agency Noir
The Catalyst Series
Microsoft and NVIDIA
Little Budget + Big Impact
Apostrophe
AMC+ - Multi-Title Brand Spots
AMC+
Craft
Apostrophe
Betterment - Dollarsplaining
Betterment
Social + Creator
Apostrophe
Duolingo - Talk With Lily
Duolingo
Craft
Apostrophe
Kentucky Derby - How To Wager
Kentucky Derby
Strategy
Apostrophe
Peacock Halloween Horror
Peacock
Craft
BrandSavor
Turning Data Into Dialogue – The Nielsen Black Audience Report
Nielsen
Media
Bridge Insights & Media
Take Care of Texas: From Awareness to Action
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; Take Care of Texas Division
Force for Good
Cactus
Cochlear - Hear the Difference
Cochlear Americas
Craft
Cactus
Hoosier Lottery - Come out to Play
Hoosier Lottery
Wild Card
Corner Table Creative
Corner Table Creative x Little Spoon
Little Spoon
Strategy
Corner Table Creative
Corner Table Creative x TALEA Beer Co.
TALEA Beer Co.
Social + Creator
Drake Cooper
Challenge Butter Elk — Social Media Campaign
Challenge Butter
Social + Creator
Elite Media
A Dream of Next
American Family Insurance
Craft
Elite Media
Legacy
American Family Insurance
Craft
FUSE Create
Step by Step
Soles4Souls
Force for Good
Good Conduct
Deal-o Dino
The Long Drink
Social + Creator
Good Conduct
The Long Ball
The Long Drink
Social + Creator
HLK
Hell on Hall Street
ArchCity Defenders
Force for Good
HLK
Journey of a Seed
Bayer Crop Science
Experience Design + Activation
HLK
StarMark® and Fieldstone® Rebrand
MasterBrand Cabinets
Craft
Laughlin Constable
Master It
Fortune Brands Innovations
Craft
Laughlin Constable
Northwestern Medicine Physician Awareness
Northwestern Medicine
Media
MDZN Studio
MDZN Studio for Riddle Construction
Riddle Construction
Social + Creator
Mother Bear Agency
SWAG Golf x Bryson DeChambeau
SWAG Golf
Little Budget + Big Impact
Mower
Carhartt - More Than A Uniform
Carhartt
Strategy
Mower
ICU Medical - Nursing Nirvana
ICU Medical
Little Budget + Big Impact
Mower
ICU Medical - Nursing Nirvana
ICU Medical
Idea
ORCI
Starting the year off sweet
Northgate González Market
Social + Creator
PB&
Have Yourself a Little Christmas
Seattle Christmas Market
Strategy
PB&
Seattle Christmas Market: One Host One Season One Strategy That Actually Worked
Seattle Christmas Market
Social + Creator
Poke The Bear
RD One
RD One
Craft
Quirk Creative
PHYND: Gaming Without the BS
PHYND
Little Budget + Big Impact
Rain
CenterWell’s ‘It’s About Time’ Testimonial Campaign
CenterWell
Idea
Rain
Life Made Easier
Aster AI
Strategy
Schafer Condon Carter
Blown Curfew
Giordano's
Little Budget + Big Impact
Schafer Condon Carter
Snack Daddy
U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council
Craft
Schafer Condon Carter
SOLO or Nothing
SOLO Cup
Little Budget + Big Impact
Stirling Brandworks
Get There Faster
Leap Consulting Group
Strategy
Strong Brew
OpenAI DevDay 2025
OpenAI
Experience Design + Activation
Strong Brew
OpenAI DevDay 2025
OpenAI
Craft
Sukle
The Denver Climate Project
City of Denver Office Of Climate Action, Sustainability & Resiliency
Little Budget + Big Impact
Sukle
Wild Oats Returns With A Vengeance
Wild Oats
Strategy
territorial
Suzy's Spark of Inspiration
Suzy
Craft
The Canal Collective
Consumer Launch Campaign: RODAN + FIELDS - Love What You See
RODAN + FIELDS (In partnership with Gotham)
Strategy
The Canal Collective
Consumer Launch Campaign: RODAN + FIELDS - Love What You See
RODAN + FIELDS (In partnership with Gotham)
Idea
Those That DO
QV Global: Skincare for Life
Ego Pharmaceuticals
Strategy
Transport New York
Athletic Works by Walmart
Walmart
Craft
Vision Media
Challenging the Beverage Status Quo Through Media
Reyes Coca Cola (Barrilitos)
Media
Williams Helde inc
Philips Path to Health
Philips Oral Healthcare
Experience Design + Activation
Williams Helde inc
Pub Light vs Goliath
Cheap Fun (10 Barrel Brewing)
Little Budget + Big Impact
See You June 1–5
Top 40 Week happens live. Make sure your team is there when your number gets called.
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