2026 Pressie Award Entries Open in NZ

The Commercial Communications Council has opened entries for the 2026 Pressie Awards, with a renewed awards format designed to recognise the strongest strategic, creative and innovative work across Aotearoa’s PR, experiential and social communications industry.

The Pressie Awards recognise campaigns spanning media relations, corporate affairs and social media through to creator partnerships, experiential marketing, integrated communications, and work for not-for-profit organisations.

This year’s programme reflects the increasingly important role PR practitioners play in helping organisations manage reputation, earn trust and connect with audiences in a rapidly changing communications environment.

The 2026 awards will also introduce PR Team of the Year for the first time. The new category will recognise a team that has demonstrated business success across culture and talent, client development and financial performance, alongside a strong body of work.

Open to PR teams of any size, the category will also consider how entrants have communicated a compelling vision, contributed to the wider industry and helped nurture the next generation of talent. It will be judged by an international panel.

2026 Pressie Awards convenor and Special PR managing director Kelly Grindle said the programme was an opportunity to recognise both exceptional work and the people delivering it.

“Aotearoa continues to produce outstanding PR, experiential and social campaigns, and the Pressie Awards give us an important opportunity to recognise the thinking, creativity and craft behind that work.

“The industry continues to evolve, and this year’s renewed format reflects the breadth of work now being delivered by practitioners across Aotearoa. I’m particularly pleased to see PR Team of the Year introduced, recognising not only excellent work but the teams building strong businesses, contributing to our industry and developing its future talent.
“The best part of this industry is its people, and I’m looking forward to bringing everyone together to celebrate our shared success.”

Campaigns and results that ran in Aotearoa between the beginning of July 2025 and the end of August 2026 are eligible to enter.

The on-time entry deadline is 11:59pm Thursday September 24th 2026, followed by the late entry deadline at 11:59pm Thursday October 1st, 2026.

Finalists will be announced on Thursday, December 3rd 2026, with winners revealed at the Pressie Awards on Thursday, February 11th 2027. The awards event will move from its traditional pre-Christmas evening timing to a new daytime format at the beginning of the year.

​Entrants can access the Entry Kit, category descriptions, assessment criteria, eligibility requirements, fees, and entry guidance through the Comms Council website.