EMAS 2026 Finalists Announced, Email Awards June 11

On April 2, 2026, the Dutch Data-Driven Marketing Association (DDMA) announced the finalists for the 2026 Email Marketing Automation Awards (EMAS), with winners set to be revealed on June 11, 2026, during EMAS at Circa Amsterdam. The announcement, first reported by Emerce (Netherlands), signals yet another milestone for what has become Europe's most closely watched email marketing recognition program.

What the 2026 EMAS Awards Cover

This year's EMAS Awards are presented in two main categories: Email Marketing Automation Excellence and Young Talent of the Year, supplemented by the creative agency competition Battle of the Agencies.

The Email Marketing Automation Excellence category rewards the most compelling end-to-end automation cases. Judges evaluate how teams deliver impactful contact moments, personalized content, and well-timed triggers, all grounded in smart data utilization. Among the finalists competing in this category are Catawiki, Kampeerhal Roden, and Harman EMEA Consumer Lifestyle.

The Young Talent of the Year award targets the next generation of email practitioners. Eligibility is open to professionals who have been active in email marketing for a maximum of three years. The Young Talent category is growing notably in 2026, with nominees Eveline van Hal (bol), Wout Jansen (Merkle), and Sharon van Arum (Pets Place) competing for the title.

Battle of the Agencies: Pink Gellac as the Challenge Brand

The live-stage showdown returns for another year. In the Battle of the Agencies, selected agencies compete head-to-head to develop the best email campaign for Pink Gellac, a fast-growing beauty brand known for bringing salon-quality gel manicures into people's homes. As a certified B Corp, Pink Gellac is committed to positive impact for both people and the planet, guided by a Social Impact Strategy and sustainability roadmap, and has received Retailer of the Year recognition for both its webshop and retail chain.

Agency selection for the battle was based on creativity, storytelling ability, and the capacity to translate Pink Gellac's strategic challenges into strong email concepts. On June 11, three finalists will take the EMAS stage and each deliver an 8 to 10 minute pitch explaining their approach, reasoning, and campaign design. Campaigns will be assessed on conversion rate, view rate, click-to-open rate, unsubscribe rate, and creativity as evaluated by Pink Gellac's own email marketing team.

A 16-Year Track Record of Recognizing Excellence

The DDMA EMAS Awards, formerly known as the DDMA E-mail Awards, have been organized since 2010 in collaboration with the DDMA Email Committee, with the program undergoing a full renewal in 2022 including new award categories. DDMA is the leading trade association for marketing and data in the Netherlands, with a network of over 360 members including brands, agencies, publishers, and tech companies.

The 2026 jury, chaired by Milou Steenvoorden of ING, reviewed all submissions before selecting three finalists per category. As Fonk Magazine reports, jury chair Steenvoorden noted that the entries showed how broadly and creatively the field is developing, describing the diversity of cases and talents as a positive surprise.

DDMA director Judith Oude Sogtoen also weighed in. According to Emerce, she highlighted the strength of young talent participation, noting that the volume and quality of entries confirm email marketing's unique, evolving position in the marketing mix.

The EMAS official timeline shows that a jury day is scheduled at the DDMA office in Amsterdam on May 12, 2026, ahead of the final presentations and winner announcements on June 11 at Circa Amsterdam.

Circa Amsterdam, venue for EMAS 2026 on June 11.

What This Means

For business owners, marketers, and growth teams, the EMAS 2026 finalists announcement carries direct practical value. The awards spotlight real-world automation strategies, not theoretical frameworks. When finalists from companies like Catawiki and Harman EMEA present their cases live on stage, those presentations become a benchmark library for any team trying to improve their own programs.

This matters now more than ever. Email marketing currently delivers an average ROI of between $36 and $42 for every $1 spent, which is higher than paid ads, social media, and SEO, while automated emails alone drive 37% of all email-generated sales despite making up only 2% of total email volume. The gap between average and top-performing programs is widening, and events like EMAS exist precisely to close it.

The rise of the Young Talent category is also a signal worth noting. DDMA says the growing enthusiasm among young professionals confirms that the email channel keeps reinventing itself through fresh ideas. For growth teams, this means investing in junior talent development tied to automation and personalization skills is no longer optional; it is a competitive differentiator.

Finally, the Battle of the Agencies format, anchored by a live performance against measurable KPIs for a real brand, sets a standard that internal teams can replicate. Running your own internal "campaign battle" across different audience segments or creative concepts is a direct takeaway any email team can act on before June 11.

On Thursday, June 11, 2026, DDMA will host the full Email Marketing Automation Summit at Circa Amsterdam, positioned as the premier knowledge event in email marketing automation and a must-attend for every email marketer.