Brands Untapped to launch Brands Untapped Awards in 2026

Next year, Brands Untapped is launching an event to celebrate the achievements of the licensing industry’s incredible community of creatives, designers and product developers.

The Brands Untapped Awards categories are divided into three main sections: one for creative agencies, one for creative/PD teams at licensors and one for design teams at licensees.

The inaugural Brands Untapped Awards will take place on Thursday, November 12th 2026, at London’s Under the Bridge. The event will be focused on celebrating and networking, with nominations opening in May 2026.

More information on the nomination and judging process will follow.

The Brands Untapped Awards categories are as follows:

Creative Agencies

Style Guide of the Year (Character & Entertainment Brands)
Celebrating style guides – and the creative agencies behind them – for character and entertainment brands across core guides, trend guides, asset packs and DTR kits.

Style Guide of the Year (Heritage Brands)
Celebrating style guides – and the creative agencies behind them – for heritage brands across core guides, trend guides, asset packs and DTR kits.

Style Guide of the Year (Corporate Brands)
Celebrating style guides – and the creative agencies behind them – for corporate brands across core guides, trend guides, asset packs and DTR kits.

In-Store Activation
Celebrating creative agencies’ work on the design and creative execution of licensed retail activations and experiences.

Creative Agency of the Year
Celebrating creative agencies that deserve recognition for exceptional work over the past 12 months.

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Licensors

Creative/PD Team of the Year (Entertainment Licensor)
Celebrating in-house PD and Creative teams that achieved extraordinary things for entertainment licensors over the last year.

Creative/PD Team of the Year (Heritage Licensor)
Celebrating in-house PD and Creative teams at heritage licensors that have excelled over the past Year.

Creative/PD Team of the Year (Corporate Licensor)
Celebrating in-house PD and Creative teams at corporate licensors that have thrived over the last year.

Creative/PD Leader of the Year
Celebrating an inspiring PD or creative leader at a licensor that has impressed over the past year.

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Licensees

Design Team of the Year (Apparel)
Celebrating in-house design teams at apparel licensees that have achieved extraordinary things over the last year.

Design Team of the Year (Consumer Products)
Celebrating in-house design teams at licensees across all consumer products categories that have excelled over the last year.

Design Team of the Year (Experiences)
Celebrating the development teams behind licensed experiences from the past 12 months.

Design Leader of the Year
Celebrating a design leader at a licensee that has impressed over the past year.

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Open to All

Community Champion
Celebrating those who go above and beyond in championing and supporting the industry’s creative community.

Rising Star
Celebrating fresh creative talent working in the areas of design and product development, across licensors, licensees, creative studios and agencies.

Icon
Celebrating an iconic figure in the industry’s creative community who consistently demonstrates excellence in the design, development or creative space across their career.

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“The licensing industry has an incredible community of creatives, designers and product developers, and we’re excited to bring them together for a night of networking and celebration next November,” said Brands Untapped co founder Billy Langsworthy.