17250: A Tale Of Two Vanguards.

 

Adweek introduced its new trophy stunt: Agency Vanguard Awards.

 

Formerly called Agency All-Stars, the program is designed to honor C-suite executives in White advertising agencies who “are setting the standard of effective leadership and paving the way for the next generation.” Whatever.

 

The Adweek Agency Vanguard program has no connection to the 4As Vanguard program, which “is designed to provide a framework for the industry to ensure more diverse and inclusive leadership in the future”—essentially hoping to address the historic lack of opportunities for Black talent in Adland.

 

It’s sad that a trade journal allegedly expert in covering the industry is apparently not aware of a heat shield from the industry’s leading trade group.

 

Feels like another example of the disinterest and indifference directed toward non-Whites in Adland.

 

Call for Nominations: Introducing the 2026 ADWEEK Agency Vanguard Awards 

 

Honoring the leaders, advocates, and growth drivers at agencies 

 

The most impactful agency executives are the ones who have powered themselves and their organizations, proving themselves indispensable to their clients. 

 

Through their work, these agency C-suite execs are setting the standard of effective leadership and paving the way for the next generation. They are the Agency Vanguard. 

 

ADWEEK is proud to announce, as part of our overall, newly launched Agency Vanguard program—a special series of content and events for agency leadership—the inaugural Agency Vanguard Awards. 

 

As ADWEEK builds our Agency Vanguard program, Agency All-Stars has been renamed the Agency Vanguard Awards. All agency C-suite executives are eligible to enter. 

 

Each nominee is invited to submit the name of a so-called “next leader” on their team to be featured in the final list alongside them—someone who is the executive’s right-hand person, their critical collaborator.

 

Nominees will be reviewed and selected internally by ADWEEK. The final list will be featured in the April issue of ADWEEK in print and online on 4/7/26. 

 

There is no entry fee; the final deadline for nominations is January 23, 2026. 

 

Please use the nomination form below to submit a candidate.