Edinburgh agency Leith scooped Star Agency of the Year and three Gold awards as Scotland’s marketing industry gathered for The Marketing Society Star Awards 2026.
The Scottish Football Association (SFA) also took home a haul on the eve of Scotland’s second World Cup game, including the Chairman’s Award for First Time Entry.
Their Blowing The Whistle On Abuse campaign was also recognised with two Bronze awards in the Leisure & Lifestyle and Marketing in Society categories.
More than 540 marketers packed Edinburgh Corn Exchange on June 18 for the ceremony, hosted by broadcaster Gordon Smart.
Leith’s haul included Gold for International Marketing, for its “Scotland’s Universities Unite for Growth” campaign with Brand Scotland.
The agency also picked up two further Golds for “The Inconvenient Truth About School Attendance,” made with the Scottish Government, taking top honours in both Marketing Planning, Research and Insights and Public Sector.
FreeAgent was named Star Marketing Team of the Year. Jenny Emslie of Sunshine the Social Agency was crowned Inspirational Agency Leader of the Year, while Lindsay Montgomery of Lloyds Banking Group took the Inspirational Marketing Leader title.
Lane also enjoyed a strong night with three Gold wins. Its “Know The Warning Signs” campaign for Myeloma UK won both Small Budget, Big Impact and Design, Creativity and Craft, while its work for Mackie’s, “Full Cream Ahead,” triumphed in the Advertising category.
Sunshine the Social Agency added Gold for Glenmorangie’s “Once Upon a Time In Scotland” campaign, winning both Digital First and Drink.
Other multiple winners included Bright Signals, awarded Gold in Marketing in Society and Media for Age Scotland’s “The Loneliest Time of the Year,” and Guy & Co, which won Integrated Marketing and Food for Fray Bentos’ “Bish Bash Bentos.”
Union Group claimed Brand Experience for its Edinburgh Zoo Giant Lanterns campaign and AI, Automation and Emerging Tech for its work with Lloyds Banking Group.
Rising talent was also recognised. Johnstone High School’s Bound to Bloom took the Star School Award, and Joy Fallon of the University of Glasgow was named Star Marketing Student.
Oisín McDaid and Katie Barraclough shared the Aspiring Creative Star title. Lauren Blair of Always Be Content, Patrick Hughes of Too Gallus and Sonia Raineri of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society were named Rising Agency, Creative and Marketing Stars respectively.
Victoria Best, Chair of the Marketing Society Scotland Star Awards 2026, said: “Last night was an inspiring celebration of the talent, creativity and ambition that make Scotland’s marketing community so special.
“Our theme, ‘The Stars are Calling,’ challenged us to look at the bigger picture, and the calibre of work we celebrated proves that our industry has answered that call brilliantly.
“While AI is transforming the way marketers work, its true value lies in the people who know how to harness it. In tough economic times, exceptional marketing isn’t a luxury, it’s a critical engine for business growth.
“Last night proved that Scotland’s marketing talent is not just ready for but is driving the future of our industry.”
The Marketing Society was founded in 1959 and now counts more than 3,000 members worldwide, including around 700 in Scotland. The Star Awards, running for more than two decades, are one of the organisation’s flagship events celebrating creativity and effectiveness in Scottish marketing.
