Brilliant Earns Shortlist Nod in Two Categories at 2026 Global Influencer Marketing Awards

Brilliant Achieves Recognition at GIMA26

In a remarkable achievement, Brilliant has been shortlisted for two significant categories at the 2026 Global Influencer Marketing Awards (GIMA26). This recognition highlights their innovative strategies in the influencer marketing space, specifically focusing on retail and eCommerce.

The awards, organized by Hello Partner, celebrate the most impactful influencer marketing campaigns across the industry. Competing against numerous high-caliber submissions, Brilliant managed to secure a spot in the categories of Best Retail & eCommerce Influencer Strategy and Most Effective Campaign for ROI. This competitive landscape underscores the excellence and creativity embedded in Brilliant’s campaigns.

Celebrating Effective Strategies

Brilliant's entry for Best Retail & eCommerce Influencer Strategy revolved around their standout work for Nex Playground during the pivotal Black Friday shopping period. The Nex Playground is an active-play gaming console designed to engage children physically and mentally, a welcome alternative to traditional gaming consoles such as the PS5. For this campaign, Brilliant expertly collaborated with ten parent-focused TikTok creators to capture genuine shopping experiences and gift reveals. This authentic approach was crucial, as the campaign aimed to drive sales during one of the busiest shopping weeks of the year.

By utilizing TikTok influencers, Brilliant cultivated engaging content that resonated with parents. The creators filmed their shopping trips, showcasing the exciting moments of choosing Nex Playground as the perfect gift. To maximize reach, Brilliant strategically invested in promoting the top-performing posts, leading to an impressive outcome where Nex Playground outsold the PS5 during the Black Friday timeframe. This achievement speaks volumes about the effectiveness of their influencer strategy and its tangible results.

Driving Sales for United Parks & Resorts

The second shortlisted campaign for Brilliant, which caught attention for its outstanding ROI, was for United Parks & Resorts. Selling annual passes involves convincing potential customers to make a significant financial commitment; therefore, an engaging campaign was essential.

Brilliant orchestrated a creative, multi-day road trip spanning three parks: SeaWorld San Diego, SeaWorld Orlando, and Busch Gardens Tampa. They provided custom events and VIP experiences to entice influencers, transforming mere promotional content into memorable adventures. To ensure that the influencers remained engaged, they even arranged for luxurious travel accommodations including a private plane and a party bus. This innovative approach resulted in substantial long-term exposure, generating over 14 million impressions across various platforms and continuously promoting the parks long after the initial deliverables.

Dan Chizzoniti, SVP of Influencer Marketing at Brilliant, remarked, “These two categories reward impact, not vanity metrics and that's why the shortlist means a lot. We build influencer programs to sell products and prove ROI. Seeing that work stand out against the best in the industry is the recognition we care about most.”

Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Brilliant?

Brilliant’s recognition at GIMA26 highlights a year of remarkable achievements, including their recent launch of BASE (Brilliant Analytics Strategy Engine), a platform designed to help brands optimize their presence in AI search results. As they continue to grow, the agency also recently celebrated its inclusion in Inc.'s 2026 Best Workplaces list, further solidifying its reputation in the industry.

Brilliant has consistently partnered with various consumer lifestyle brands across multiple sectors, including baby products, gaming, housewares, and food & beverages. Their comprehensive approach integrates PR, paid media, influencer marketing, and experiential campaigns. With a commitment to creating impactful marketing strategies, Brilliant continues to pave the way for innovation in the influencer marketing realm.

For more information about their work and to see how they can elevate your brand, visit Brilliant's website.