MARCO, the consultancy specialising in brand building and reputation management, has secured four finalist places at the 2026 European Excellence Awards. The campaigns developed for Cáritas and OPAGAC have been nominated in the Film & Video and Sustainability & Environment categories, respectively, whilst Mattel’s launch of the autistic Barbie is in the running to win in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Communications (DEI) and South-Eastern Europe categories. These accolades reaffirm the agency’s commitment to creativity linked to an innovative strategy, capable of generating social impact at the same time.
The European Excellence Awards are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, recognising two decades of excellence, innovation and impact in the European communications sector. The winners will be announced during the awards ceremony, which will take place on 11 December in Berlin.
MARCO’s entries stand out for tackling some of today’s major social challenges, ranging from inclusion and the representation of neurodiversity to social exclusion and ocean sustainability. These three projects demonstrate the potential of communication to go beyond commercial messages, spark meaningful conversations and help transform society’s perceptions.
Mattel and Barbie with autism, double finalists in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Communications (DEI) and South-Eastern Europe categories
The campaign developed by MARCO for the launch of the new Barbie with autism has earned two nominations at the European Excellence Awards, in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Communications (DEI) and South-Eastern Europe categories.
Under the concept “When everyone can see themselves, everyone can imagine themselves,” the campaign was created with the goal of breaking down stigmas surrounding autism, raising awareness of neurodiversity, and reinforcing Barbie’s commitment to representation and inclusion.To achieve this, MARCO placed Noemí Navarro at the center of the strategy—a woman with autism, mother of a child with autism, and founder of madreTEA—whose firsthand experience allowed her to bring this reality to the media and society from an authentic and human perspective
The strategy combined public relations, interviews, collaborations with specialized organizations, and visual and audiovisual content, sparking a conversation that extended beyond the product launch.
The campaign achieved 195 media mentions and reached a potential audience of 551 million people. Additionally, the content posted on social media by the brand ambassador surpassed 850,000 views and 23,000 “likes,” turning the launch of a doll into an opportunity to discuss inclusion, diversity, and representation.
Caritas, a finalist in the Film & Video category for the short film Atrapados
MARCO has also earned a nomination in the Film & Video category thanks to Atrapados, the short film produced for Cáritas and the FOESSA Foundation with the aim of raising awareness about social exclusion in Spain.
Directed by Iñaki Mercero and inspired by Antonio Mercero’s iconic short film La Cabina (1972), Atrapados reinterprets the metaphor of social isolation and indifference from a contemporary perspective to expose a reality that affects millions of people.
The project takes as its starting point data from the 9th FOESSA Report on Social Exclusion and Social Development in Spain, according to which 9.4 million people live in a state of social exclusion, and transforms this statistical reality into a deeply emotional audiovisual story.
Through the image of a man trapped in a glass booth amid the indifference of passersby, the short film invites viewers to reflect on the invisibility of social exclusion and the need to build a more empathetic society.
The production, created by the production company Carmela, leverages cinematic language and the power of storytelling to transform a complex social problem into a relatable and moving experience, demonstrating the ability of audiovisual formats to raise awareness and spark public conversation.
OPAGAC and Hands for the Oceans, Finalists in the Sustainability & Environment Category
MARCO’s third finalist campaign is “Hands for the Oceans,” developed for the Organization of Associated Producers of Large Tuna Freezer Vessels (OPAGAC), which will compete in the Sustainability & Environment category.
Under the slogan “Respecting the ocean means respecting fishermen,” the initiative was launched with the goal of broadening the conversation on marine sustainability, focusing not only on environmental protection but also on the working conditions and rights of people working on the high seas.
The awareness campaign generated more than 120 media pieces, reaching over 61 million people in Spain; meanwhile, organic reach on social media (Instagram and Facebook) exceeded 2.3 million, with more than 530,000 interactions and 1.3 million video views. The documentary “1.17” was awarded the 2026 ESG Prize by Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, while the campaign succeeded in making responsible fishing a central focus of both the political agenda and consumer conversations.
The four finalist nominations achieved in this edition reflect the diversity of MARCO’s creative and strategic capabilities, as well as its expertise in developing campaigns that combine public relations, audiovisual production, corporate communications, and social engagement.
MARCO is the independent agency in continental Europe with the most finalists in the European Excellence Awards. Only the British independent agency The Romans has secured more finalists, with 8 nominations, while among the multinationals, MSL, Golin Ketchum, and Team Lewis stand out with more than 5 nominations each. Spain is also represented by Atrevia, which is nominated for Agency of the Year, and Apple Tree, which is nominated in the Innovation category alongside Radisson.
About MARCO
MARCO is the most award-winning and highly regarded independent global agency based in Madrid, specializing in brand building and reputation management. Led by Noelia Cruzado and Diana Vall as co-CEOs, it has nearly 200 consultants and offices in Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, Paris, Brussels, Milan, Berlin, Munich, London, Miami, Mexico City, Bogotá, Lima, São Paulo, and Casablanca, as well as a network of affiliated offices in more than 100 markets.
For more information, please contact:
Víctor Castell – victor@marco.agency – 626 236 341
Mario Muñoz – mario@marco.agency