Celebrating a Decade of Excellence: Nominations Open for the 10th WOO Global Awards London 2026
The World Out of Home Organization is officially calling for nominations for the Tenth WOO Global Awards. As a benchmark for excellence in the Out of Home industry, these awards honor the visionaries, innovators, and creators pushing the boundaries of our medium.
Following the success of last year’s ceremony in Mexico City, the 2026 awards will be a highlight of the Annual Congress in London (June 3rd–5th). The winners will be revealed on the first full day of the Congress, Thursday, June 4th.
Selection & Judging
Recipients will be chosen by an Independent Awards Committee, chaired by WOO President Tom Goddard. The panel includes past presidents, board members, and industry experts. This year, WOO Creative-in-Residence Dino Burbidge will convene the Creative Awards alongside Chair of Judges Mathew Dearden.
"This year the WOO Awards will be bigger and better than ever, reflecting the focus at the London Annual Congress on creativity in all its guises and its ability to grow the OOH medium in impact and scale." - Richard Saturley, WOO CMO
Write a winning Awards entry
Our Creative in Residence, Dino Burbidge, has outlined how to write an Award Winning entry.
Write a winning Awards entry
By reading this guide, you are already ahead of the competition. Our aim is to give you robust, practical advice to ensure your entry stands out from the crowd.
We would like our members to put forward your nominations for each of the following awards:
1. The Prestige Awards
These categories recognize the individuals who shape the industry’s culture and direction.
Lifetime Achievement Award
This is the highest honor bestowed by WOO. It isn't just about length of service; it’s about impact.
The Ideal Nominee: Someone who has moved the needle for OOH globally or nationally. Their career should reflect a commitment to the medium that has earned them "statesperson" status among peers.
Key Criteria: A legacy of work that has improved the reputation, effectiveness, or reach of Out of Home.
Leadership Award
While Lifetime Achievement looks at a career, the Leadership Award focuses on pioneering spirit.
The Ideal Nominee: A current leader who has taken risks, embraced change (like programmatic or 3D digital), and served as a lighthouse for others during periods of industry transformation.
Key Criteria: Evidence of "pioneering"—did they do something first? Did they lead their company or the industry into a new era?
2. Innovation & Impact Awards
These awards focus on the "how" and "why" of modern OOH, moving beyond just aesthetics.
Technical Innovation Award
This category is for the "engine room" of the industry—the tech that makes the magic possible.
Scope: Open to both OOH companies and third-party suppliers. It covers everything from high-tech screen hardware and lighting to sophisticated data analytics platforms and automation software.
Key Criteria: How does this technology push the industry forward? It must solve a problem or create an opportunity that didn't exist before.
The Sustainability Award
As ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) becomes a global priority, this award recognizes those leading the "Green Revolution" in OOH.
Scope: This can be a physical product (e.g., recyclable substrates, solar-powered units) or a corporate initiative (e.g., a carbon-neutral roadmap or urban rewilding projects integrated into ad space).
Key Criteria: Tangible results in reducing the environmental footprint of OOH.
3. The Creative Awards
These celebrate the "Golden Age" of OOH creativity. For all three Creative categories - Classic, Digital, and Special Build - the work must have been live in the public domain from March 31st, 2025 onwards
Creative Award: Classic
This is for the "purists"—campaigns that prove a single, static image can still stop the world in its tracks.
Scope: Traditional paper and paste billboards, bus sides, posters, and airport lightboxes. It celebrates the fundamentals: high-impact art direction, clever copywriting, and the "three-second rule" of instant communication.
Key Criteria: "The Big Idea." Success here is measured by how a static image lingers in the mind long after the viewer has passed by. It’s about the elegance of simplicity and the power of a perfect visual metaphor.
Creative Award: Digital
This is for the "storytellers"—campaigns that harness the agility and high-tech capabilities of the digital canvas.
Scope: Digital Out of Home (DOOH) screens ranging from roadside spectaculars to small-format retail panels. This includes dynamic content (real-time data feeds like weather or sports scores), 3D anamorphic illusions (forced perspective), and interactive motion-sensor creative.
Key Criteria: "Contextual Relevance." The judges look for how the campaign uses the medium to its advantage. It isn't just a TV ad on a billboard; it’s a campaign that uses time, location, or audience data to be smarter and more engaging than a static image could ever be.
Creative Award: Special Build
This is for the "showstoppers"—campaigns that break the frame.
Scope: Includes 3D extensions that pop off the board, bespoke hand-painted murals, interactive "experiential" bus shelters, or "pop-up" OOH installations.
Key Criteria: "Shareability." These are often the campaigns that go viral on social media because they transform the physical environment in a surprising way.
4. The Future Talent Award
The Rising Star Award
This award ensures the industry’s future is as bright as its past.
Eligibility: Nominees must be 35 or under on March 31st, 2025. They must work for a media owner, specialist agency, or tech provider.
The Ideal Nominee: A "trailblazer" who is already punching above their weight class. They should have a track record of contributing significant value to their company or the wider industry.
Key Criteria: Potential. The judges are looking for the person who will likely be winning the Leadership Award ten or fifteen years from now.
How to Nominate
Nominations are open exclusively to WOO Members and National OOH Associations. There is no cost to enter, but submissions are limited to one nomination per category per member/business unit.
Members will be able to make their nominations online. Please CLICK HERE for further details and to complete the simple nomination forms.
Write a winning Awards entry
Our Creative in Residence, Dino Burbidge, has outlined how to write an Award Winning entry.
By reading this guide, you will be ahead of the competition with robust, practical advice to ensure your entry stands out from the crowd.
NOMINATIONS CLOSE ON MARCH 31ST 2026
#WOOLondon26
In the meantime, if you have any queries, please contact do not hesitate to contact richard@worldooh.org
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