Independent agencies will take centre stage at The One Show 2026 with the launch of One Show Indies, a new global competition created specifically to recognise the work of independently owned agencies, studios, freelancers and creative companies.
At the helm of the inaugural jury is Greg Hahn, co-founder and chief creative officer of Mischief (Brooklyn), who has been appointed Jury President. Hahn will also take part in voting, leading a jury made up exclusively of senior creatives from leading independent agencies around the world.
Debuting as part of The One Show 2026, One Show Indies is open only to agencies with genuinely independent ownership structures, defined as a minimum of 51% ownership by founders or staff, no holding company ownership, and a maximum of four physical offices. Entry fees have been set 20% lower than standard One Show rates, a move designed to make participation more accessible to smaller and mid-sized independents.
A jury made by, and for, independents
The 2026 One Show Indies jury brings together a diverse international line-up of founders, creative leaders and partners from the independent sector, including:
- Ajaz Ahmed, Co-Founder, Studio One, London
- Rolando Cordova, CCO & Co-Founder, L&C, New York
- Noel Cottrell, Founder & CCO, Murder Hornet, Atlanta
- Jolene Delisle, Founder, The Working Assembly, New York
- Ulrika Karlberg, CCO, YARD NYC, New York
- Hwee Peng Koh, Creative Partner, Blak Labs, Singapore
- Suzanne Powers, Founder & Co-CEO, All&, New York
- Brian Murray, CCO, Zulu Alpha Kilo, Toronto
- Mohammed Sehly, CEO, BigTime Creative Shop, Riyadh
- Ariel Serkin, Partner, ISLA, Buenos Aires
- Safaraaz Sindhi, Founder & CCO, Bananas, Johannesburg
- Sam Stuchbury, ECD, Motion Sickness, Auckland
- Flavio Waiteman, CCO, Tech&Soul, São Paulo
“It’s true that indies are having a moment right now,” said Hahn, who also serves on The One Club National Board of Directors. “But it’s also true that indies have long been the lifeblood of breakthrough and brilliant work in the corpus of advertising. I’m thrilled to be presiding over the inaugural jury of The One Show Indies. And that I got to use the word ‘corpus’ in a sentence.”
Indie Agency News partnership adds extra value
As part of the launch, The One Club has also announced a new partnership with Indie Agency News, a membership-based media and visibility platform focused exclusively on independent agencies.
All eligible entrants to One Show Indies will receive 40% off their first year of Indie Agency News membership, providing access to a global network of more than 300 independent agencies, consultants and industry practitioners, along with video-first editorial coverage, visibility coaching and two awards programmes dedicated to indie excellence.
Designed to be simpler, lighter and more accessible
Entry rules for One Show Indies have been intentionally streamlined. Eligible companies may submit up to 10 entries in total, with each piece of work entered into a maximum of three categories. Limits have also been placed on the use of complex case-study films as judging materials, helping to reduce production costs and time burdens.
Deadlines for entry are:
- Regular: January 23, 2026
- Extended: February 6, 2026
- Final: February 20, 2026
Winners and finalists will be announced in May during Creative Week 2026 in New York. In addition to Gold, Silver and Bronze Pencils and Merit awards, the jury will present a Crystal Pencil to the overall Best of Indies winner. Plans are also underway for a dedicated One Show Indies celebration, separate from the main awards ceremony, in a more informal setting.
As with all One Show honours, winning work will be showcased in the awards archive and counted towards global creative rankings, while entry revenues continue to fund The One Club’s education and professional development programmes worldwide.
