WFA President’s Awards recognise five key industry initiatives in 2025

WFA outgoing President and Mastercard CMCO Raja Rajamannar has awarded four outstanding industry initiatives as part of WFA Global Marketer Week in Brussels, with an additional special award for the Ad Accessibility Network, co-ordinated by France and the UK.

Launched in 2010, the annual President’s Awards recognise initiatives run by national advertiser associations that help advance the marketer’s agenda and contribute to positive change in the marketing industry and society.

Submissions were judged on their ability to compellingly demonstrate that they had made a measurable impact and could be replicated in other markets.

This year’s winners were selected from 26 initiatives submitted by 13 associations from WFA’s 60-strong membership of national associations.

The 2025 winners are:

bvA (Netherlands) – Certification of Influencers

To enhance trust and transparency, bvA launched the first certification programme for Dutch influencers, setting a new standard for responsible influencer marketing. Certifiedbyinfluencerregels.com includes an e-learning platform, exam, certification, public register, community support and AI-powered monitoring to ensure compliance with advertising regulations. By December 2024, more than 2,000 influencers were certified, with strong backing from advertisers, agencies, platforms and regulators.

UPA (Italy) – Accessible and Inclusive Advertising Standards

Developed by UPA in collaboration with industry bodies and experts, the initiative provides comprehensive guidelines for making advertising accessible and inclusive across all platforms. It introduces Adv Born Accessible (content designed for accessibility) and Adv Made Accessible (content adapted for accessibility), covering subtitling, audio description, sign language and alternative communication methods. Italy is the first European country to establish a regulated framework for advertising accessibility.

Sveriges Annonsörer (Sweden) – The Marketing Effectiveness Database and Reports

As part of its Effectiveness initiative, Sveriges Annonsörer created the Effectiveness Database, using standardized data from Sweden’s 100-wattaren Effectiveness Awards to analyse what drives successful marketing. Over four years, it has produced three research reports, based on 415 case studies from 243 brands, offering insights into media strategy, creativity and marketing impact. This evidence-based approach helps advertisers optimise their strategies, positioning marketing as a business growth driver. The reports are among the associations most downloaded industry resources.

ANA (US) – Principal Media

With advertising agencies increasingly acting as media owners, ANA’s Principal Media initiative raises awareness about the potential conflicts of interest. While cost savings are a key benefit, marketers often lack clarity on whether agency recommendations are in their best interest. Through research, expert insights, and case studies, the initiative provides guidance on contract transparency, business case justification and structured approval processes. Widespread press coverage has further elevated the conversation, ensuring marketers can make informed, strategic media decisions.

Union des Marques (France) and ISBA (UK) – Ad Accessibility Network

Finally, the Union des Marques (France) & ISBA (UK) received a special award for their joint work on the Ad Accessibility Network, reflecting not only the initiative’s impact but also the power of cross-market collaboration.

The Ad Accessibility Network, led by ISBA and Union des Marques, aims for 100% advertising accessibility in Europe, ensuring that people with disabilities have equal access to advertising content. By bringing together advertisers, broadcasters and industry bodies, the initiative is addressing accessibility barriers across broadcast and digital media through new standards, increasing advertiser adoption and improved media accessibility. This award recognises both the initiative’s impact and the inspiring partnership that made it possible.

 “Our national associations are doing incredible work on behalf of their brand members - and the broader marketing industry. Each of these five initiatives exemplifies the power of collaboration to tackle big issues facing our industry and establish best practices for marketers everywhere. A sincere congratulations to this year’s winners” said Raja Rajamannar, outgoing WFA President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Mastercard.