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The 2025 Modern Retail Awards recognize the retail executives and companies that are cutting through the noise and driving success in today’s dynamic retail landscape. From marketing and supply chain to technology and customer experience, the Modern Retail Awards spotlight the trends and solutions driving industry growth. Over the years, we’ve honored the industry-shaping work of individuals and teams at Walmart, Poppi, Albertsons and E.l.f. Cosmetics, among other retail leaders.
Interested in entering? To access everything you’ll need to join the ranks of our past winners including our entry kit, expert tips on crafting a winning entry and past coverage of this program, click here.
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Awarding the retailer that has built and leveraged a retail media network most effectively to generate revenue, support brand partners and deliver targeted, measurable results.
Awarding the marketplace—brand-owned or third-party—that has most successfully introduced innovative features, technologies or strategies to enhance the seller and shopper experience.
Awarding the Chief Marketing Officer who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, creativity and strategic excellence in building brand equity and driving business growth.
Awarding the content-driven affiliate campaign that most effectively combined editorial or creator content with commerce goals to drive measurable impact and engagement.
Awarding the retailer or brand that has most successfully adapted its supply chain strategy in response to disruption, changing demand or operational challenges.
Awarding the startup that has been most successful in establishing its brand and growing its business.
Awarding the event and/or marketing activation that most successfully achieved set goals.
Awarding a TikTok strategy that most successfully achieved goals.
Awarding the campaign that most effectively leveraged one or more social platforms—such as TikTok, YouTube, Substack or Instagram—to achieve strategic goals and drive audience engagement.
Awarding the executive who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and strategic vision in the realm of e-commerce.
Awarding the most effective use of shoppable content used to promote a product, brand or service.
Awarding a use of technology that has most significantly enhanced the customer experience and driven sales.
Awarding a launch campaign that most successfully generated buzz and audience engagement around a new product.
Awarding the content creator campaign that has been most creative, strategic and effective in achieving its objectives.
Awarding the collaboration between two brands that has most successfully achieved set goals.
Awarding the retailer/agency collaboration that has most successfully achieved set goals.
Awarding a subscription or membership strategy that has successfully achieved set goals.
Awarding the retailer who has best utilized a combination of in-store and online experiences to increase sales.
Awarding the retailer with the most seamless e-commerce experience.
Awarding the retailer with the most supportive and efficient customer service experience.
Awarding the community-building strategy that fostered strong engagement and a sense of belonging through transparent communication and brand values.
Awarding the retailer who has most effectively changed the way customers shop and discover their brand(s).
Awarding the retailer whose physical and/or digital transformation that has allowed them to modernize their business.
Awarding the retailer who is the most socially/sustainably responsible.
Awarding the retailer with the most efficient, unique and innovative use of technologies to streamline and/or automate fulfillment operations.
Awarding a platform or vendor that has most successfully helped e-commerce brands streamline their business and achieve set goals.
Awarding the founder that has best displayed excellence through outstanding and inspired work at their company.
Awarding the most innovative and effective new store design or concept that has successfully enhanced the customer shopping experience, driven foot traffic and hit sales goals.
Awarding the retailer that has best embraced customers and employees of all races, ages, genders, incomes and more.
Awarding the company that has most successfully executed a strategic expansion plan, whether through new store openings, entering new markets or growing their online presence.
Awarding the loyalty program that has most effectively increased customer retention and engagement.
Awarding the use of AI that has most significantly enhanced business operations, customer experience or decision-making processes.
Awarding the marketing campaign that has created the most immersive and engaging customer experiences, effectively promoting a product, brand or service.
Awarding the strategy that has most effectively leveraged user-generated content to boost brand awareness, authenticity and customer engagement.
Judges will be looking for companies or campaigns that can clearly demonstrate success over the past 12 months. Judges are seeking companies or campaigns that have seized challenges and created opportunities and will evaluate entries based on the following criteria: Innovation, Creativity, Consumer Value, Results and Overall.
Judges will require evidence to substantiate all entries. This can include details of financial performance, specific KPIs, creative evidence in the form of a sizzle reel, campaign images, or links to the final project or related sites. The judges will also consider the structure, presentation and clarity of each entry.
Judges will score each entry prompt and consider any supporting materials submitted. After each judge submits their score for the above criteria, the scores of each criteria will then be averaged and then combined to determine overall score for each entry. The highest scoring entries will appear on the shortlist and winner lists.
All material will remain confidential to the judges. Only the ‘Credits’ section of an entry will be made public via the shortlist/winners announcement. If you win a particular category, our team may summarize the entry for shortlist/winner announcements and winners guides.
Interested in partnering with Modern Retail on your next campaign? Learn more about how you can integrate your brand into every aspect of the Modern Retail Awards by submitting your information.