Modern Retail Awards

The Modern Retail Awards recognize the companies and campaigns modernizing retail in the digital age. The program will honor retailers who have best responded to changing consumer habits by tailoring experiences, producing standout campaigns and closing the gap between the physical and digital worlds.

Planning to submit this year? To access everything you’ll need to join the ranks of past winners including our entry kit, expert tips for crafting an entry and past coverage of this program, click here.

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Key Dates

  • Early Deadline: Jul 06, 2023
    $499 per entry
  • Regular Deadline: Aug 17, 2023
    $599 per entry
  • Last Chance Deadline: Sep 28, 2023
    $729 per entry

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Categories

  • Best Fulfillment Strategy

    Awarding the retailer with the most efficient, unique, and innovative use of technologies to streamline and/or automate fulfillment operations.

  • Best Back-end E-commerce Technology

    Awarding a platform or vendor that has most successfully helped e-commerce brands streamline their business and achieve set goals.

  • Founder of the Year

    Awarding the founder that has best displayed excellence through outstanding and inspired work at their company.

  • Best Use of Social

    Awarding a social media strategy that best achieved set goals.

  • Best Use of Social Media for Commerce

    Awarding a social media commerce campaign that has successfully achieved set goals.

  • Best Use of Video

    Awarding a video strategy that successfully promoted a product, initiative or retailer.

  • Best Use of Technology

    Awarding a use of new technology that has most significantly enhanced the customer experience.

  • Best Mobile App

    Awarding a mobile application that most successfully achieved set goals.

  • Best Marketing Pivot

    Awarding the marketing effort that has been most successful in adapting following unforeseen market changes.

  • Best Product, Category or Sub-Brand Launch Campaign

    Awarding a launch campaign that successfully generated buzz and audience engagement around a new product.

  • Best Email Campaign

    Awarding an email campaign that has successfully achieved set goals.

  • Best Influencer Collaboration

    Awarding the influencer marketing campaign that has been most creative, strategic and effective in achieving its objectives.

  • Best Brand Collaboration

    Awarding the collaboration between an advertiser and a partner that has most successfully achieved set goals.

  • Best Retailer/Agency Collaboration

    Awarding the retailer/agency collaboration that has most successfully achieved set goals.

  • Best Customer Insight Strategy

    Awarding the retailer who has most effectively employed new strategies using customer feedback and/or data.

  • Best Personalization Strategy

    Awarding the retailer who has been able to tailor each shopper's experience most successfully.

  • Best Subscription Strategy

    Awarding a subscription or membership strategy that has successfully achieved set goals.

  • Best Omnichannel Experience

    Awarding the retailer who has best utilized a combination of in-store and online experiences to increase sales.

  • Best E-Commerce Experience

    Awarding the retailer with the most seamless e-commerce experience.

  • Best Customer Service Experience

    Awarding the retailer with the most supportive and efficient customer service experience.

  • Best Community Building Strategy

    Awarding the community building strategy that resulted in consistently high audience engagement and a strong sense of community built around a brand.

  • Most Innovative Retail Model

    Awarding the retailer who has most effectively changed the way customers shop and discover their brand(s).

  • Best Digital Transformation

    Awarding the retailer whose transformation has allowed them to adhere to standards brought about by changing consumer habits.

  • Most Responsible Retailer

    Awarding the retailer who is the most socially/sustainably responsible.

Judges

  • Meghan Hurley
    VP, Marketing
    Claire's
  • Greg Klingaman
    VP, Strategy and Field Operations EMEA
    AnyRoad
  • Beth Goldstein
    Executive Director, Industry Analyst & Client Development, Fashion Footwear & Accessories
    The NPD Group
  • Michelle Horowitz
    CMO
    Janie and Jack
  • Adam Williams
    VP, Product
    Terra Kaffe
  • Erica Cerulo
    Brand & Retail Consultant
    Claire & Erica
  • Josiah Gordon
    Co-Founder & Chief Marketing Officer
    DRINKS
  • Mike Feldman
    SVP, Head of Commerce & Retail Media
    dentsu
  • Matt Teri
    Co-Founder & Chief Development Officer
    Huron.
  • Wade Tonkin
    Director, Global Affiliate Marketing
    Fanatics, Inc.
  • Bryan Gildenberg
    Founder/CEO
    Confluencer Commerce
  • Lindsey Blessum
    Lead Strategist
    Dyson
  • Tanya Kulesh
    Senior Director of Digital Marketing and Commerce
    Tru Fragrance & Beauty
  • Amodini Chhabra
    Lead Investor
    Compass Digital Ventures (Compass Group)
  • Jessica Hendrix
    President & CEO
    Saatchi & Saatchi X
  • Rachel Goldflam
    Vice President, Marketing and Communications
    David Yurman

Past Winners

  • 1-800 Contacts
  • 1-800-Flowers.com, Inc.
  • Bombas
  • Brooklinen
  • Casper
  • CVS Pharmacy
  • Eargo
  • eBay Ads
  • Food52
  • Mejuri
  • Rothy's
  • SoulCycle
  • StockX
  • Thrive Market
  • Zulily

Judging Criteria

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.

Judging Process

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.

Confidentiality

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.

Contact

For more information or judging opportunities, contact our awards team for details.
For sponsorship opportunities, contact us here.