Announcing the finalists for the 2026 Video & Visual Awards
This year’s finalists gave audiences a reason to stop scrolling and stay until the final frame.
Think about the last video that made you put your phone down. Maybe a frontline employee told a story no press release could capture, or a 30-second animation finally made a confusing benefit click. You probably don’t remember the production budget. You remember how it made you feel.
That feeling is what our judges went looking for in this year’s Video & Visual Awards, and they found plenty of it.
The 2026 finalists range from global brands to small in-house teams. Some had full production crews behind them. Others worked with a smartphone and a story they couldn’t let go of. What connects them is a choice to put people at the center of the frame, whether that meant an employee on the shop floor or a customer seeing their own experience reflected on screen.
“Every finalist here trusted their audience with something real,” said Brendan Gannon, director of awards marketing at Ragan Communications. “When budgets tighten, video and design can look like easy things to cut. This work proves they’re often the most direct line to the people you’re trying to reach. I hope every communicator who reads through these names walks away thinking, ‘We could do that, too.’”
Congratulations to all of the 2026 Video & Visual Awards finalists. Our judges have made their picks, and we can’t wait to share them. Stay tuned for the winners’ announcement in early December.
2026 Video & Visual Awards — Finalists
SIGNATURE/PRESTIGE AWARDS
Best Agency Video Work on Behalf of a Client
ADG Strategy Group: Nicklaus Children’s 75th Anniversary
CCS Fundraising: The New York Bar Foundation 75th Anniversary
Goodwyn Mills Cawood: Pickens County Gateway to Innovation — GMC
Munro Thompson Communications: Kitimat, B.C.: It’s Not For Everyone
The Poetry Foundation: Where I Write
Best In-House Video Team
Cisco: The Content Creator Crew: Scaling Authentic Video Across a Global Workforce
Farm Credit Mid-America: Farm Credit Mid-America Video Team
Northeastern University: Northeastern University Video
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center: StatlineTV
Best In-House Visual Design Team
Hitachi Vantara: Hitachi Vantara Integrated Brand Studio
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center: Creative Communications
Best Overall Video of the Year
Seattle Children’s Hospital: Be The Reason
SMACNA: SMACNA Contractor Spotlight- Madon Sheet Metal and Sheet Metal Werks
VIDEO TRACK 1: INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS
Best Employee Onboarding or Training Video
O2B Early Education: O2B University: Perfect Drop Off
O2B Kids: How To Practice Family-Style Dining in a Preschool Classroom: Freshmen and Sophomores
Wabtec Corporation: Welcome to Wabtec
Best Internal Communications Video
Acadia Pharmaceuticals: Acadia Pharmaceuticals
Ahold Delhaize USA: 2025 Leadership Meeting Kickoff: Paving the Road Ahead
First Citizens Bank: First Citizens Focus
Office of Legacy Management: MSSM Safety-Share Heart Health
Procter and Gamble: President North America
Snowflake: Fireside With Arnnon
Southwest Gas: One Team One Goal
SWCA Environmental Consultants: Founder’s Day Tribute to Dr. Steve Carothers
Texas Department of Transportation: TxDOT Newsbreak
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center: StatlineTV
Western Digital: WD — Site Profile Series
Best Internal Event Highlight or Recap Video
NC State University Wellness and Recreation: Graduating Senior Video
nCino: nCino FY26 Scrollback Video
Northeastern University: Northeastern University Commencement 2026
Office of Legacy Management: LMSP Senior Hydrogeologist Corey Wallace on a New Approach to Groundwater Modeling
Texas Department of Transportation: TxDOT Newsbreak, Short Course Edition
VyStar Credit Union: Volunteer of the Year Recap Video
Best Internal Explainer or How-To Video
Texas Department of Transportation: How to Shoot Video for TxDOT Newsbreak
Xperi: Demystifying Advertising Jargon — With a Twist
Best Recruitment/Employer Brand Video
Arete: Arete Life — Arns Carrenard
VyStar Credit Union: Management Development Program (MDP)
Best Video for Culture Change or Transformation
Mount Sinai Health System: A Mount Sinai Video Series: Turning Complex Innovation Into Meaningful Storytelling
O2B Early Education: O2B University: Perfect Drop Off
Vertex Pharmaceuticals: Vertex Culture — Values in Action
Best Video for Driving Employee Engagement
Farm Credit Mid-America: Deep Roots, Bold Future
First Citizens Bank: First Citizens Focus
Gesa Credit Union: Communications Survey
SMUD: I am SMUD
VIDEO TRACK 2: EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS
Best Brand Awareness or Reputation Video
BARBRI: New Chapter, Same Trusted Partner
Bare Knuckle News: Conor McGregor: The Real Reason Behind My BKFC Involvement
Bell: Beyond the Call
BOSS: BOSS x USMNT
CCS Fundraising: Howard Brown Health
Cincinnati Children’s: She Fought to Be Here: Collins’ Story at Cincinnati Children’s
Compass Healthcare: Compass Healthcare Rebrand Launch Video — “At Home in Healthcare”
Dallas Independent School District: “What Will I Be When I Grow Up” Ad
Eastern Municipal Water District: Built on Service: EMWD at 75
Fusion Academy: Hope is Calling
Generate:Biomedicines: This Is Generate
Gregory: “The Founding: Building a Legacy” — Univest Bank 150th Anniversary Video
Houston City College: HCC Rebranding
MN8 Energy: The Adventure Begins
Office of Legacy Management: 2025 LM Year in Review
Purdue University: We Are Boilermakers
The Cincinnati Insurance Companies: Policyholder Double Fire Claim Story
UT MD Anderson: Only Possible Here
Best Customer or Public Education Video
Augusta Influencer Rickey Jones, Augusta Engineering Department & Augusta Downtown Development Authority: Augusta Broad Street Improvement PSA
Houston City College: HCC Evolves: How Houston City College Built Awareness Through Broadcast Storytelling
Mastercard: Mastercard Explainer Video Series
Southwest Gas: Scam Awareness
Best External Communications Video
Bare Knuckle News: Conor McGregor: The Real Reason Behind My BKFC Involvement
Bethany Children’s Health Center: Mattie Homes: The Dewayne Model
Dallas Independent School District: Back-to-School: “Your Legacy Starts in Dallas ISD” Ad
Geotab: Accessible AI for Fleet Transformation
Godfrey: Hitachi airHome 800 Installation Video With ESCO Institute
Groundwork Collaborative, Consumer Reports, and More Perfect Union: Same Cart, Different Price: Instacart’s Price Experiments Cost Families at Checkout
Idaho National Laboratory: Road to Advanced Nuclear: INL at the Heart of Nuclear Innovation
Irvine Ranch Water District: Lucy’s Lemonade Stand
Mount Sinai Health System: A Mount Sinai Video Series: Turning Complex Innovation Into Meaningful Storytelling
Office of Legacy Management: Radiation and You — Cloud Chamber
Philip Morris International: Forgotten Smoker
TDIndustries: The Good For You Healthy Hub at Jack Lowe Sr. Elementary
Tulane University: “On the Rise: Our Downtown” Video
University of Iowa Health Care: Breath by Breath: Living With Cystic Fibrosis
Yakima Chief Hops: Snowpack to Six-Pack: Part II
Best External Event Highlight or Recap Video
BrandSafway: Built For Los Angeles
Houston City College-HCCTV Media Productions: Fashion Fusion X
MarketPlace PHL: PHL Cheesesteak Week: Guinness World Record for “Longest Line of Cheesesteaks”
Pattern: Accelerate26 Recap
VyStar Credit Union: Good is Everywhere
Best Marketing Video
BAE Systems: Striker II
Brafton: Amphenol Alden Brand Overview Video
Fusion Academy: Hope is Calling
Munro Thompson Communications: Kitimat, B.C.: It’s Not For Everyone
Purdue University: Daydreaming at Purdue
Zephyr, an Informa Company: Zephyr Video Series
Best Public Affairs or Advocacy Video
Groundwork Collaborative, Consumer Reports, and More Perfect Union: Same Cart, Different Price: Instacart’s Price Experiments Cost Families at Checkout
Office of Legacy Management: Riverton’s AWSS Upgrade Project: A Partnership Between the Northern Arapaho Tribe and DOE LM
Philip Morris International: Forgotten Smoker
Southwest Gas: Southwest Gas Foundation BLUE Event: Freedom Park
Teneo: #AxeTheRacing Tax
Best Video Campaign Tied to Business or Reputational Results
Bell: Flight School Next: Master Aviator Series
Purdue University: This Is Where
Teneo: FedEx Investor Day 2026
VyStar Credit Union: Debt Payoff Challenge
Zephyr, an Informa Company: Zephyr Video Series
VIDEO CATEGORIES OPEN TO BOTH TRACKS
Best CSR / ESG / Purpose Video
Broward County Library Marketing, Communications & Publicity: Broward County Library 2025 Annual Report
Edelman: From Commitment to Culture: Edelman Global Citizenship Report 2025
Ownership Works: CoolIT’s Shared Success: 650 Employee-Owners Receive Average Payouts of $240,000
Yakima Chief Hops: Snowpack to Six-Pack: Part II
Best Low-Budget Video
Gesa Credit Union: Good To Be Here
Mercy: Healthcare Funding Cuts
SES: Transforming Africa’s Future Farmers With Satellite-enabled IoT
Best Multi-Part Video Campaign
Avista: Named Communities Investment Fund Digital Communications
Bell Textron: Starting Up: Peoria Public Safety and the Bell 505
Capital One: The Infinite Loop: Capital One’s WITx 2026 Video Campaign
Cincinnati Children’s: High Five
ERCOT: ERCOT Innovation Summit Event Videos
John Deere: Field Meals: Bringing Appreciation to America’s Farmers Through Multi-Part Storytelling
Mastercard: Mastercard Anatomy of a Scam
National Museum of the American Latino: Make History Together
Ownership Works: CoolIT’s Shared Success: 650 Employee-Owners Receive Average Payouts of $240,000
Renown Health: Renown Responds Series: Nurturing Minds and Building a Healthier Community, Together
Syngenta Crop Protection: Bringing Strategy to Life: Syngenta Crop Protection Employee Video Series
UT MD Anderson: Only Possible Here: Transforming Cancer Science Into Social-first Storytelling
Best Short-Form Video (Under 60 Seconds)
Augusta Influencer Rickey Jones, Augusta Engineering Department & Augusta Downtown Development Authority: Augusta Broad Street Improvement PSA
Groundwork Collaborative, Consumer Reports, and More Perfect Union: Same Cart, Different Price: Instacart’s Price Experiments Cost Families at Checkout
MarketPlace PHL: PHL Cheesesteak Week: Guinness World Record for “Longest Line of Cheesesteaks”
Mercy: Celebrating Lab Week
Northeastern University: Northeastern University Commencement 2026
Best Use of Animation or Motion Graphics
Generate:Biomedicines: This Is Generate
Pattern: Accelerate26 Opener
VyStar Credit Union: VyStar Hype Video
VISUAL DESIGN CATEGORIES (INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL)
AI – Use of
APCO Holdings: Core Values & APCO Marketing Team
Ernst & Young (EY US): Celebrating EY Superpowers
Xperi: Demystifying Advertising Jargon — With a Twist
Brand Identity/Visual System
Equitable Advisors: Brand Reveal Experience
Iowa Department of Education: School Nutrition Marketing Campaign
LLYC: Insigneo Strategic Brand Repositioning
Pattern: Accelerate26
Perficient: Different. For Real.
Internal Communications Design
Gordon Food Service: Gordon Food Service Everyone Is Important Employee Campaign
Integral: Integral and Estée Lauder Companies
O2B Early Education: Touchpoints Infographic: “Meaningful Connections”
O2B Early Education: Your First 90 Days
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center: StatlineTV
Marketing Design
City of Hope: Hope Line
Equitable Advisors: Brand Reveal Experience
Equitable: Employee Benefits Superhero Campaign
Hitachi Vantara: Hitachi Vantara Integrated Brand Studio
O2B Early Education: Touchpoints Infographic: “Meaningful Connections”
Rhone: Rhone Commuter Campaign
Seattle Children’s Hospital: Be The Reason
Teneo: IHC House @ Davos
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center: Only Possible Here, The Campaign to End Cancer
Print & Publication Design
Chicago Community Loan Fund: The Power of Community Investment
City of Hope: Let’s Learn About Cancer
O2B Early Education: Your First 90 Days
SMACNA: MARCH/APRIL 2026 SMACNews
The American Board of Anesthesiology: ABA’s Resident Brochure
Social Media Design
Castle & Cooke Mortgage: Grow Time
SMACNA: 2026 National Careers in Trades Week
Smarty Social: Team Invisalign: Game Changers
Website Design
Brand Ave. Studios: Harms Buys Homes Website
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