Adobe, Barkley, CNBC News + Salesforce, Samsung and Bloomberg are among this year’s Digiday Video and TV Awards shortlist nominees

The next standout nominee is Barkley for Best Use of YouTube with its innovative approach to promoting Motel 6. Barkley leveraged Motel 6’s iconic voice, Tom Bodett, to craft engaging 6-second spots that humorously highlight Motel 6’s key offerings. Despite the time constraint, Barkley cleverly utilized humor to capture the audience’s attention and increase brand awareness. With an impressive average VCR rate of 94%, the strategy proved highly effective in ensuring Motel 6 remained top of mind during the peak travel season, showcasing the power of concise storytelling on YouTube.

The collaboration between CNBC News Brand Studio and Salesforce earned them a top spot for Best Brand Film Series. Their innovative content program to address the evolving needs of businesses post-pandemic garnered remarkable engagement and brand uplift. With a focus on inspiring success stories and providing actionable insights, the series surpassed benchmarks, driving significant increases in Salesforce brand awareness, favorability and recommendation intent. Viewers expressed eagerness for future collaborations, showcasing the effectiveness of the omnichannel franchise in reaching and resonating with executive-level decision-makers. The groundbreaking nature of the series garnered industry recognition and sparked interest from potential future collaborators, amplifying Salesforce’s brand influence.

Samsung TV Plus stands out as a finalist for Best Streaming Service, offering consumers a vast array of free, premium content with personalized experiences and lower ad loads. With nearly 2,600 global channels and over 330 channels in the U.S., including on-demand shows and movies, Samsung TV Plus delivers a cable-like experience at no cost. Dedicated sections for kids and music enthusiasts enhance the platform further, providing educational and entertaining programming. As a leader in the TV industry, Samsung TV Plus integrates state-of-the-art features into Samsung products, setting it apart and offering unparalleled access to diverse content genres.

Bloomberg Media Studios and Bulgari’s collaboration secured them a top spot for Best Shoppable Content Strategy by blending luxury storytelling with data-driven insights to resonate with high-end consumers. The campaign seamlessly integrated Bulgari’s high-quality products with captivating narratives via a documentary-style video and a visually stunning digital gift guide. A focus on brand elevation and gifting conversions led the campaign to exceed expectations — garnering over 9.4 million impressions, 19.3 million video views and 13,000 page views for the gift guide. This strategic partnership showcased Bulgari’s commitment to wonder and effectively engaged Bloomberg’s affluent audience, elevating brand awareness and driving conversions during the holiday season.

This year’s shortlist has shown that innovative approaches are a focus across video, streaming, shoppable content and more. Each finalist demonstrates a deep understanding of audience needs and leverages cutting-edge technology to deliver compelling experiences. These achievements underscore the dynamic evolution of digital media and its profound impact on brand storytelling and consumer engagement. 

See the complete list of finalists below.

Advertising Partner of the Year
Experian Marketing Services and Cuebiq

Best Ad
Duncan Channon & Rosetta Stone 
e.l.f. Cosmetics
Monday Night Football with Peyton & Eli
Paramount x Innovid
SingleCare 
WP Engine

Best Ad Tech Innovation
Adventr
Corkcicle & Spaceback 
EX.CO
LG Ad Solutions, Hearts & Science, Warner Bros.
PepsiCo & Rembrand
Roku, DoorDash and Wendy’s 

Best Brand Film – Series
Adberf in Association with Tezzhull 
CNBC News Brand Studio & Salesforce 
Courageous Studios & Amica 
Duncan Channon & Rosetta Stone
Seiko Epson Corporation
Variety & AHA

Best Brand Film – Single
Courageous & Expedia
Courageous Studios & Destination Canada 
Courageous Studios, Mother & Amica 
INNOCEAN USA 
McGill Productions 
Philip Morris International 

Best Connected TV Platform
Adobe
Kaltura
MNTN 
Publica by IAS
Tatari
The Weather Channel Television Network

Best Creator/Influencer Video Campaign 
e.l.f. Cosmetics
Kyra & Polaroid

Best Digital Video Platform
Endeavor Streaming
Publica by IAS
ViewLift 

Best Distribution Strategy
Prime Video & Little Dot Studios 

Best FAST Channel
MotorTrend 
Pattrn
TODAY All Day

Best Live Video Strategy
Bambuser & Free People 
Carat – Mastercard & Amazon Live
The Volume – Nightcap

Best Measurement Tool
Adjust AdVision
Innovid 
MNTN

Best Multi-Platform Video Campaign
Barkley 
Carat + Microsoft 
CNBC News Brand Studio & Salesforce
Kargo 
Seiko Epson Corporation
Tonies 

Best Original Programming
Insider
Learfield
Seiko Epson Corporation
South China Morning Post

Best Production Strategy
Mythic Talent & Filian & WePlay Studios
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME – Camp Yellowjackets at SXSW
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME – Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Frosty Palace
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME – The Lodge
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME – Yellowjackets The Hive After Dark Party at NYCC
Paramount Showcase 

Best Shoppable Content Strategy
Bloomberg Media Studios x Bulgari 
Enfamil & Roundel™ 
KERV x JCPenney x dentsu X
Roku 

Best Social Video Campaign
Monday Night Football with Peyton & Eli
Planet Fitness 
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME – GREASE: Rise of The Pink Ladies
Seiko Epson Corporation

Best Streaming Service
Canela Media
Local Now
MotorTrend 
Samsung TV Plus

Best TV/Streaming Advertising Program
The Weather Channel Television Network

Best Use of Generative AI 
Bloomberg Media Studios x Hyundai Artlab
Insider X Papercup

Best Use of TikTok
INNOCEAN USA 

Best Use of YouTube
Barkley
Business Insider
Prime Video & Little Dot Studios
South China Morning Post
The Volume – Nightcap 
Total Media & Pixability & Epson

Best Video Podcast
90min’s Life’s a Pitch
Bloomberg Media Studios x IC Your Trade
NBCUniversal
Overtime 
The Volume

Brand Studio of the Year
Warner Bros Discovery’s Courageous Studios

Digital Studio of the Year
Philip Morris International 

Short Form Video of the Year 
Barkley 
Better Homes & Gardens
Johnny Aces Entertainment
Philip Morris International 
Seiko Epson Corporation
South China Morning Post

Video Executive of the Year
Chieu Luu – Director of Video, South China Morning Post

Video Producer of the Year
Graham Flanagan,  Senior Correspondent, Business Insider
Natalie Santana, INNOCEAN USA 
Olivia Nemec, News Video Producer, Business Insider
Omaha Productions

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