Cartology Announces 2026 Campaign of the Year Winners

Unilever secures top honours for its Rexona Rivals campaign following significant growth in brand reach.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Shopping — General

Bold vector editorial illustration of a monolithic geometric trophy on a plinth, symbolizing marketing campaign success and industry recognition. — Unilever’s Rexona Rivals initiative received the 2026 Campaign of the Year award from Cartology, recognising its success in driving brand growth. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Cartology has announced the winners of the 2026 Campaign of the Year Awards in Australia. Unilever took home the top prize for its Rexona Rivals initiative, which drove substantial new-to-brand engagement and sales.

Why it matters

The awards highlight the evolving strategies marketers and agency teams use to redefine brand growth. A new category for Best Use of Unified Planning was introduced this year to recognise efforts that balance long-term brand objectives with immediate sales targets.

The winning Rexona Rivals campaign attracted 539,000 new-to-brand shoppers and achieved sales growth exceeding 20%. General Mills also secured a win for campaigns under the $250,000 budget threshold.

The players

Cartology

This organisation is a retail media business that manages advertising and campaign placements within the Woolworths ecosystem.

Unilever

A multinational consumer goods company that manages a diverse portfolio of personal care and household brands.

Mondelēz International

A global food and beverage corporation known for manufacturing snacks, biscuits, and confectionery products.

General Mills

A prominent food company that manages a wide range of retail brands, including those in the Mexican food category.

The details

The Rexona Rivals campaign succeeded through early collaboration between Unilever, media agencies, Cartology, and Woolworths commercial. The strategy involved a creative takeover of the Woolworths Town Hall in Sydney, alongside ROOH, in-store formats, and various digital touchpoints.

The 2026 Campaign of the Year Awards winners were announced on 28 October 2026.

Culture Shift

The introduction of the Best Use of Unified Planning award signals a broader shift toward integrated retail media strategies that prioritise omnichannel consistency. This evolution reflects a growing move away from siloed marketing toward a model where digital and in-store touchpoints act as a single ecosystem.

Shoppers may notice more cohesive, integrated brand campaigns when visiting local retail environments like Woolworths stores. These winning strategies often result in more targeted digital promotions and in-store displays designed to simplify the overall shopping experience.

The takeaway

Marketers can learn from the success of unified planning by prioritising early collaboration between media, creative, and retail partners. These results demonstrate how high-impact takeovers and consistent digital presence can significantly expand a brand's customer base.