For a 10th year, MediaPost is naming its picks for top automotive marketers and agencies. 

There was a large array of choices, and a panel of industry observers, experts and marketers had the arduous task of finding the best of the bunch. The winners will be honored at the Marketing: Automotive conference during the New York International Auto Show on April 16 at the Javits Center in New York. 

The jury that selected the award winners included lead jurors Tanya Gazdik, editor, Marketing: Automotive, MediaPost; Ian Beavis, chief strategy officer, AMCI Global; and Scotty Reiss, founder, A Girl's Guide To Cars.

Other jurors were Elgie Bright, automotive marketing and management department chair, Northwood University; Noah Mallin, chief of brand strategy, IMGN Media; Luis Miguel Messianu, founder-president-chief creative officer, MEL; and Omar Rana, automotive content creator at OmarDrives.

The Automotive Agency of the Year award goes to Johannes Leonardo. As the lead agency for Volkswagen of America since 2019, its work is a model of consistency and connection with what is important to its audience. The agency helped the brand mark its 75th anniversary in America with a landmark campaign grounded in a simple yet profound truth: The Volkswagen brand isn’t shaped solely by Volkswagen, but by the millions of drivers who transformed the brand into what it is today. “An American Love Story” ran during 2024’s Super Bowl and is just one example of the always on-point creative the agency delivers.  

The Best Integrated Campaign award goes to Volkswagen of America for its “Life Half Full” campaign for the VW ID. Buzz electric van from Johannes Leonardo. The expansive campaign started with teaser ads, an outdoor effort and an experiential event, and culminated with a lively TV spot and a second one with a tie-in to "Saturday Night Live"’s 50th anniversary.

The campaign was created under the leadership of Andrew Savvas, Volkswagen of America’s chief sales and marketing officer, Volkswagen North American Region, who was recently named MediaPost’s automotive marketer of the year.

Savvas recently celebrated his third anniversary as CMO. He first joined the German automaker in 2012 in his native country, Australia.

Volkswagen’s faith in brand building, balanced with the need to support short-term sales, is a “breath of fresh air in the industry,” says Ian Beavis, chief strategy officer for consultancy AMCI and a juror for the Marketing: Automotive awards.

“Andrew and the VW team have consistently produced creatively outstanding and effective work in a rapidly changing and demanding marketplace,” Beavis says. 

Best Electric Vehicle Campaign goes to Jaguar for its Type OO activation at Art Basel and its arresting “Copy Nothing” spot. Jaguar revealed it plans an upcoming lineup of three high-priced EVs. Love it or hate it, the video, which was created by an in-house creative team, got everyone talking. It has been viewed 3.9 million times on YouTube alone and has more than 45,000 comments. With its new focus on “Exuberant Modernism,” Jaguar hopes to reposition itself as an ultra-luxury EV brand targeting younger, affluent, and design-conscious consumers.

For Best Social Campaign, Kia wins for its TikTok Creator Configurator from its social media agency, Innocean USA. Designed exclusively for TikTok, the creator-driven configurator lets users build the all-new 2025 K4 compact sedan without leaving the platform. Through interactive ads and AR video transitions, users swipe to select trims, colors, and interiors, “hearting” favorites along the way. The final build includes creator credits, making sharing seamless. Kia teamed up with eight top TikTok creators, who helped create and showcase the most popular Kia K4 trim levels in a series of engaging videos. The Kia TikTok Creator Car Configurator is the first-of-its-kind car builder on the platform, transforming vehicle customization into an interactive, social-first experience. 

Best Multicultural or Interest Group Campaign goes to Ford Motor Co. for its “Dear Car Girl” campaign. “In a world that seeks to put you in a box, tell you who you should be, and what you should like, you’re no stranger to forging your own path, driving in your own lane. You’re a car girl, after all,” says Ford in the newly released “Dear Car Girl” letter. This letter, from Ford to women who love cars, encourages them to continue to show their passion for automotive, push past limits, forge new paths and redefine expectations. It is shared through a spot from Wieden+Kennedy New York narrated by inspirational women associated with the automaker from a variety of auto backgrounds: professional stunt driver Dee Bryant; Ford engineer Fernanda Medina; Bronco ambassador Gabby Downing; and Mustang ambassador Lauren Stoney.

Best Interactive Execution goes to Rivian for its Halloween car “costumes,” an effort created by its in-house creative team. The fun began with an over-the-air software update on Oct. 18.  Once downloaded to the vehicle, owners will find a Get Spooky card on the main page of the Rivian Mobile App. From there they can select one of three options, each inspired by iconic and classic vehicles from entertainment and pop culture. The automaker created a YouTube short that gave a sneak preview of the Halloween promotion and a 30-second spot featuring David Hasselhoff, a nod to "Knight Rider."

Finally, Best Campaign Activation for a Dealer Group goes to the Competition Auto Group, an extraordinary dealership operation whose founder, Joe Buzzetta, was a world-renowned racing driver. His children and grandchildren have taken his legacy to extraordinary heights and have integrated his racing passion into their marketing campaigns to create a unique brand that appeals to young and old alike. The group owns and operates five Long Island dealerships featuring BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru and Genesis vehicles. 

Congratulations to all the winners.