By Digiday Awards • June 16, 2026 •
This year’s Digiday Media Buying and Planning Awards winners reflect a media landscape increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, data-driven decision making and integrated audience strategies. Across categories, organizations used AI to identify and engage high-value audiences, while adapting campaigns in real time to improve performance. Successful programs also embraced omnichannel planning, coordinating activity across platforms to maximize reach and effectiveness. Strategic partnerships with publishers, platforms and creators played a central role, helping brands extend their influence through trusted voices and targeted collaborations. Together, the winners demonstrated how technology, data and partnerships are reshaping modern media strategy.
Kepler spent 2025 expanding beyond its roots as a media agency, positioning itself as an intelligence-led growth consultancy built around artificial intelligence, earning the Most Innovative Media Agency award. Central to that effort was Kip, its proprietary platform that combines audience data, media buying, creative production and measurement in one system. The agency introduced Kip AIR to help brands understand their visibility in generative AI environments such as ChatGPT and Gemini, while deepening partnerships with Amazon and Google. The strategy helped Kepler win new business across multiple sectors while maintaining strong client retention and long-term relationships.
