- New, expanded categories increased entries from a broad cross-section of NY PR
- Tickets now on sale for September 17, 2026 gala at Sony Hall
NEW YORK, July 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PRSA-NY today announced the shortlist for the 2026 Big Apple Awards, recognizing outstanding public relations campaigns and communications professionals from across the New York metropolitan area. The shortlist reflects another fiercely competitive year for the awards program, with finalists representing agencies, corporations, nonprofits, and organizations of all sizes. Winners will be honored at the 2026 Big Apple Awards Gala on Thursday, September 17 at Sony Hall in New York City.
The 2026 Big Apple Awards sustained their impressive momentum, drawing more entries than last year and spotlighting a significantly broader range of winning organizations. The results demonstrate both growing participation and the exceptional quality of work submitted across the communications profession. Established in 1988, the Big Apple Awards celebrate outstanding achievement in public relations, marketing communications, and reputation management by honoring work that delivers measurable impact and advances the communications profession. Nominees, entrants and members of the NY metro PR community can now purchase tickets for the 39th Big Apple Awards. Early bird ticket rates are available for all until August 31, 2026.
Expanded Categories, Bigger Awards Program for 2026 Big Apple Awards
This year’s Big Apple theme, Where Stories Move Hearts, Minds and Markets, reflects the growing impact of communications in shaping trust, influence, and real business outcomes in the nation’s largest media market. With this broader view of impact in mind, PRSA-NY refreshed and expanded the categories to include honors recognizing excellence in financial communications, fintech, AI innovation, and purpose-driven campaigns, and relaunched the Ally Award, which celebrates communicators who are advancing equity, inclusion, and meaningful change.
“The Big Apple Awards have always celebrated great work. What stands out this year is just how broad that excellence has become,” said Paul Cohen, President of PRSA-NY. “The shortlist reflects a communications profession that’s more diverse, more strategic, and more influential than ever before, with outstanding work coming from organizations of every size and across every sector.”
“Our goal for the awards was to accurately represent the full breadth of the PR industry here in New York, including major agencies, mid-size firms and dedicated in-house communications teams at non-profits and public companies alike – and we’re proud to see the exceptional results of this work,” said Stephanie Jo Peksen, co-chair of the 2026 Big Apple Awards.
“Our congratulations to every finalist, and extra thanks to our 54 judges for the care and expertise they brought to what was an exceptionally competitive field,” said Marc Drechsler, Big Apple Awards Co-Chair.
After a rigorous judging process conducted by communications leaders from across the profession, PRSA-NY selected the following finalists for recognition at the 2026 Big Apple Awards:
2026 BIG APPLE AWARDS HONOREES SHORTLIST
- Best AI Platform or Service
- Content OS, Notified
- Best Education Program
- Amplifying Youth-Led Journalism: Emerging Storytellers Illuminate Addiction and Recovery Across Minnesota, Padilla
- Best Use of Owned Social Media
- Travelers Championship: Elevating New England’s PGA TOUR Event Through Social-First Storytelling, MikeWorldWide
- Hot Seats for Dove, Edelman
- Best Use of Spokesperson/Influencer
- Corporate Natalie and Aruba Make VTO the New PTO, Zeno Group
- From Ambassador to Architect: How Serena Williams Made Reckitt Catalyst Impossible to Ignore, HAVAS Red and Reckitt
- From the Makers of Dramamine, Advanced Herbals® Ginger Chews Gives Travelers a ‘Chew Over’, 360PR+
- Travelers Championship: Elevating New England’s PGA TOUR Event Through Social-First Storytelling, MikeWorldWide
- Humana Game Changers: The Next Chapter, Coyne PR
- Gut Health in Motion with IBgard and Katie Austin, Carmichael Lynch Relate
- CeraVe Taps Jake Shane to Skin-terrogate Derms at AAD, Coyne PR
- Best Use of Video in a Campaign
- A Patient’s Journey with Pain Management, Coyne PR
- Lysol Here For Healthy Schools: SOMO (Sick of Missing Out), HUNTER
- Corporate Social Responsibility
- Owens Corning Roof Deployment Project, Coyne PR
- Here’s What We Know, Weill Cornell Medicine
- Crisis Communications & Issue Management
- Seeing RealSense, Bospar
- The Trevor Project’s Emergency Lifeline Campaign for LGBTQ+ Youth, The Trevor Project
- Common Cause, The TASC Group
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
- The Trevor Project: Zach Eisenstein, Director of Communications & Public Engagement, The Trevor Project
- Events & Observances
- Bringing ALE-ves home for the holidays with Breckenridge Brewery – Diffusion x Breckenridge Brewery, Diffusion PR
- The Littlest Float: How Goldfish Turned the Smallest Float into a National Media Moment, Zeno Group
- Premier Protein x Milk Bar Protein-Packed Sweet Treat Menu, HUNTER
- Excellence in Financial Communications
- Zito Partners/Thornburg Investment Management ETF Launch Campaign, Zito Partners
- Weber Advisory supports BMO’s Real Financial Progress Index, Weber Shandwick
- The Smart Response: How Smarty Owned the Tariff Moment, Bospar
- Excellence in Fintech Communications
- Differentiating DP’s Human-Guided Approach to Technology Solutions, Aspectus Group
- Excellence Utilizing AI in a Communications Campaign
- When AI Said You’re Dead: Building the Industry’s First GEO Auditing Framework, Bospar
- Expertise at Scale: How One Practitioner Used AI to Build Category Authority in Private Equity, ToltIQ
- Generational Targeted Marketing
- Bridging the Gap: Creating a Data-Driven Narrative on the Succession Crisis for Financial Advisors, Kestra Financial and Bluespring Wealth, with Vested
- Regeneron Urges Men 65+ to Get Real About Skin Cancer, GCI HEALTH
- Integrated Communications
- The Future of Audit. Now. Telling EY Assurance’s transformation story, M Booth
- Sea-to-Table Restaurant Week 2025, Padilla
- Sip Into The White Lotus, HUNTER
- Celebrating the Wins with Dairy Queen, MikeWorldWide
- Aruba Redefines Tourism, Responsibly, Zeno Group
- Expertise at Scale: How One Practitioner Used AI to Build Category Authority in Private Equity, ToltIQ
- Drivers with Drive: How Pennzoil Turned a Shared Performance Mindset into Cultural Relevance and Retail Results, Coyne PR
- Marketing Business-to-Business
- Elevating the Workforce Through Thought Leadership – Phaidon International x Diffusion, Diffusion PR
- The Future of Audit. Now. Telling EY Assurance’s transformation story, M Booth
- Expertise at Scale: How One Practitioner Used AI to Build Category Authority in Private Equity, ToltIQ
- Marketing Consumer Products & Services
- Sound the Alarm: How Edible Turned a TV Moment Into Cultural Buzz, Coyne PR
- ReLAX and Unwind with Virgin Atlantic and Alan Cumming, 360PR+
- Driving Trends in Pop Culture – Wattpad x Diffusion, Diffusion PR
- “Breathapy”: TheraBreath & Jake Shane Turn an Awkward Conversation into Fresh Confidence, Coyne PR
- TUMS Makes Gameday Food Dreams a Reality with TUMS Fantasy Foodball Pool, Haleon
- Peppercomm x Sharp at KBIS, Peppercomm & Sharp
- Elijah Craig Bourbon Captures Lightning in a (Different) Bottle, Three Cheers
- A Patient’s AHP Journey in Motion, Alnylam
- From Food Brand to Community Builder: Bob’s Red Mill’s “Moregetherness” Campaign, 360PR+
- Red Robin Bottomless Burger Pass, Carmichael Lynch Relate
- Celebrating the Wins with Dairy Queen, MikeWorldWide
- Media Relations Innovative
- Celebrating the Wins with Dairy Queen, MikeWorldWide
- Lysol Laundry Sanitizer: “An Ode-r to Refs”, HUNTER
- Engineering Trust in a Terminator Market: How Fauna Robotics bottled lightning, The Bulleit Group
- Mental Health & Awareness
- Big Apple Award for Mental Health – Nonprofit Organization: OK Today, Global Gateway Advisors
- Reputation/Brand Management & Engagement
- Seeing RealSense, Bospar
- Invested in America: Redefining Corporate Perception, U.S. Businesses of Philip Morris International
- Reframing the Tariff Debate: Elevating Canned Seafood in the National Economic Conversation, HUNTER
- The Future of Audit. Now. Telling EY Assurance’s transformation story, M Booth
- Website, Blog, Newsletter or Microsite
- Meredith & The Media Redefines the Modern Day Media Mix, Bridging Journalism & Communications, Meredith & The Media
Big Apple Awards Gala Tickets On Sale Now
Winners will be announced during the 2026 Big Apple Awards Gala, where communications professionals from agencies, corporations, nonprofit organizations and institutions will convene to celebrate standout work and recognize excellence across the industry. Tickets can be purchased online now. Additional honors, including individual achievement awards and recognition of the 2026 15 Under 35 Awards class, will also be presented during the gala.
Sponsors for 2026 Big Apple Awards
PRSA-NY is grateful for the support of its members and the broader PR community, including sponsors Edelman, HUNTER, Burson, 360PR+, Truescope, Davis + Gilbert LLP, Anchin, The Museum of Public Relations, D S Simon Media, Coyne PR and Notified. Sponsorship opportunities are available at a variety of levels to join the Sponsor Honor Roll. Contact fays@commpro.biz to learn more.
About PRSA-NY
The New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America is the best-established, most substantial and most influential group of public relations professionals in the country. Located in the media capital of the world, PRSA-NY offers its members top-level career development and education, networking, mentoring and award programs. PRSA-NY serves communications decision-makers at agencies, businesses, nonprofit organizations and public and private institutions. Learn more at https://www.prsa-ny.org/
Press Contact:
Justine Mrsich, M.S., APR
justine.mrsich@outlook.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9f87f575-9d31-4a2d-8d13-713de0313c50
