Google, in partnership with professional services organization, Deloitte, launch the YouTube Works Awards Southeast Asia 2026.
This Awards will put a spotlight on how brands, agencies and businesses leverage YouTube to deliver real business results, drive ROI, and shape the future of video.
The 2026 edition features a robust lineup of returning categories, which include:
The Big Bang: Celebrating the most effective launch campaigns.
Multiformat Storytelling: Impactful storytelling across formats and durations (Shorts, Long-form, Connected TV).
Brands & Creators: The most impactful partnerships between brands and YouTube creators.
Masters of Media: Strategic media excellence that drives exceptional results.
Best of Festive: The most effective campaigns for festive moments.
Best of Market: Acknowledging the best overall local YouTube campaign of the period.
Agency of the Year (Media, Creative, and Specialty): Honoring the agencies that contribute most to client success through winning submissions.
The Grand Prix. The ultimate award, celebrating the best overall Southeast Asia YouTube campaign.
Last year, Filipino excellence was recognized by GCash’s breakthrough to the regional level of the 2025 YouTube Works Awards, with its #GSafeTayo video ad campaign being the sole Philippine entry going up against other Southeast Asian representatives.
New in the category is AI, which should be so surprising, considering YouTube is owned by Google, and Google is pushing for their AI, Gemini.
“In today’s landscape, AI is a collaborative partner unlocking new creative frontiers,” said Prep Palacios, country manager, Google Philippines. “We are committed to the standard of transparency: AI is a tool that enhances and honors, rather than replaces, human creativity. With this new category, we want to celebrate the pioneering spirit of brands that use technology to amplify their vision and break production conventions.”