#ABCAnotherBrilliantCampaign ADVERTISING WEEK NEW YORK HOSTED INAUGURAL AWPLAYMAKER AWARDS TO RECOGNIZE INNOVATORS IN SPORTS Event in Partnership with Fanatics Advertising Honored Chad Ochocinco, Olga Suvorova (Samsung Electronics), Publicis Sports, Unrivaled and Wingstop
Advertising Week, in partnership with Fanatics Advertising, hosted the inaugural AWPlaymaker Awards at the New York Stock Exchange, honoring innovators in sports who are redefining the intersection of creators, technology, brands and culture, and making the biggest plays both on and off the field. The event was an extension of The New Sports Economy programming track at Advertising Week New York, the annual conference, which gathers leaders and innovators across marketing, media, tech, and culture in New York on October 6-9, 2025, in THE PENN DISTRICT (100 W. 33rd St., New York).
The AWPlaymaker Awards brings together the cultural power of sports and the creative excellence of the brands that help power them. While athletes, creators, and marketers have long been celebrated individually, this award is the first of-its-kind to recognize their combined influence in shaping fandom, fueling business growth, and driving cultural change.
The inaugural 2025 AWPlaymakers honorees included:Athlete Creator Brand Collaboration (honoring a brand/athlete creator campaign collaboration): Draft Class by Wingstop
Media Personality (honoring an athlete for their work in media and brand collaborations): Chad Ochocinco
Media Agency in Sports (honoring a media agency for their work in sports): Publicis Sports
Brand CMO in Sports (honoring a brand CMO for their innovative work in sports): Olga Suvorova, CMO, Mobile Experience, Samsung Electronics
AWPlaymaker Disruptor Honoree (honoring a sports disruptor that is changing the game): Unrivaled
“From breakthrough brand campaigns and creator-led storytelling to game-changing uses of technology, the Playmaker Awards honor the people and ideas rewriting the rules of engagement in real time,” said Lance Pillersdorf, CEO, Advertising Week. “We are thrilled to bring this event to fruition for the first time this year and recognize these incredible individuals and brands who underscore the impact sports and marketing have as engines of culture and commerce.”
The New Sports Economy track explores the ever-evolving intersection of sports, marketing, media, and technology. Featured speakers and participants include Cari Champion, Gotham Chopra, Kelsey Plum, and representatives from Amazon, NBA, Snap Inc., Taco Bell, TikTok, and more. Conversations and content examine how athlete creators are the new center of cultural influence, alongside best-in-class and emerging brands. The track highlights how partnerships, data, creativity, and new business models are redefining the global sports economy both on and off the field.
###
About Advertising Week
Advertising Week (AW), an Emerald company (www.emeraldx.com), is the premier global event and thought leadership platform focused on marketing, media, technology, and culture. With a mission to inspire, educate, and connect the global marketing community, Advertising Week brings together leaders and innovators to discuss the future of marketing, technology and culture to drive creative, strategic change and growth across industries. Founded in 2004 in New York, AW's award-winning global event franchise includes: AWNewYork (NYC), AWEurope (London); AWAsia (Tokyo); AWLATAM (Mexico City) and more. As part of Emerald, the largest U.S.-based B2B event organizer, Advertising Week benefits from a powerful network of industry platforms and a shared commitment to delivering meaningful connections, influential content, and year-round growth opportunities.
About Fanatics Advertising
Fanatics Advertising is building the world’s leading sports media network, connecting brands with fans across Fanatics’ ecosystem of e-commerce, collectibles, media, and live events. We help advertisers reach highly engaged sports audiences through data-driven media products, unique commerce integrations, and premium sponsorship opportunities. Fanatics Advertising marks a new era in sports marketing, where brands don’t just sponsor moments, they become part of the modern fan journey.
