2026 Best in Show Winners Revealed

Three chambers' communications projects were named Best in Show at the annual Awards Show during #ACCE26 in New Orleans.

ACCE’s Awards for Communications Excellence (ACE) program is designed to showcase the top communications and marketing work of chambers of commerce and similar organizations. Several thousand award entries have been submitted since the competition's launch over 40 years ago. These entries highlight some of the freshest and most innovative marketing and communications work coming from ACCE member organizations of all types and sizes.

“The Best in Show winners demonstrate the power of strategic chamber communications,” said ACCE President & CEO Sheree Anne Kelly. “Through creativity, clarity and strong storytelling, this work engages audiences, advances community priorities and strengthens the chamber’s impact.”

A panel of communications and marketing professionals from 16 U.S.-based chambers of commerce evaluated entries submitted for this year’s competition. Entries were organized by category — based on the chamber’s annual revenue — and entry type: campaigns, websites, digital media and print and electronic publications. See all 12 ACE finalists here.

Best in Show Winners

CATEGORY 1

ChamberWORKS (Video | Assets) | Seminole County Chamber (Fla.)

The video series features President & CEO Rebekah Arthur working alongside employees at member businesses, using hands-on, behind-the-scenes experiences to showcase the people, processes and stories behind some of the region’s most recognizable organizations. Designed to expand the chamber’s video presence and drive engagement across digital channels, the series offered a fresh alternative to traditional promotional content. The approach generated more than 3,500 views, grew the chamber’s YouTube subscriber base from fewer than 300 to more than 1,000, increased Facebook engagement by 11%, and contributed to a 106% increase in website traffic. The program also created a new non-dues revenue stream through sponsorships and participation fees.

From the Judges: "This campaign stood out for transforming traditional member spotlights into authentic, entertaining storytelling that showcased the people and work behind local businesses. The series created a modern, evergreen campaign with highly expandable content that delivered meaningful member exposure and gave chamber value while feeling refreshingly human in an increasingly AI-saturated communications landscape."

CATEGORY 2

Forward Opelika: Launching a New Hub for Business, Tourism and Community | Opelika Chamber of Commerce (Ala.)

The Opelika Chamber produced a strategic launch video to introduce its transformed 15,000-square-foot facility. The campaign used cinematic storytelling to highlight the facility as a catalyst for economic growth, collaboration and enhanced visitor experience. Distributed across digital channels, newsletters, events and tours, the video became the chamber’s top-performing asset, generating 18,532 views (highest in chamber history), 196.7 watch hours and a 77.8% average view rate with a 1:27 average view duration. It reached a new audience—99.9% non-subscribers, including 60% aged 25–34—and drove measurable impact, contributing to $28,000+ in rental income, 10 bookings in the first month and 52 new members within 90 days.

From the Judges: “Highest viewed video in chamber history” – WOW! That’s a measurable metric. The video is beautiful, high quality and certainly shows off the space well. They demonstrated their stated goals of showcasing the culmination of their capital campaign to the investors, the business community, and residents, while simultaneously building awareness and driving utilization of the facility."

CATEGORY 3

Navigating Historic Industry Transition: State of Automobility Report | Detroit Regional Chamber (Mich.)

MichAuto, the Detroit Regional Chamber’s statewide automotive and mobility affiliate, repositioned its 2025 State of Automobility report as a data-driven thought leadership platform addressing technological disruption, global competition and evolving industry demand. The strategy transformed the 32-page report into a multi-channel experience, launching at the State of the Industry event with 100+ leaders, supported by digital landing pages, targeted email campaigns exceeding benchmarks (+15% opens, +9% clicks), and coordinated social content. The report delivered 722 views, 521 readers, nearly 27 hours of engagement, 4,143 social impressions, 205 engagements (4.9% vs. 2% avg), and 113 clicks, reinforcing MichAuto’s role as a leading industry voice.

From the Judges: "The depth of research behind this piece is exceptional. It tells the story of an industry with clarity, detail and purpose while remaining accessible and easy to digest. The charts and graphs are especially effective, vividly conveying complex information in a way that supports the report’s larger narrative. We also appreciated the chamber’s willingness to address industry challenges head-on, with both care and confidence — something that can be difficult for a chamber to do. Combined with colorful photography, strong graphics and a clean, well-flowing layout, the report stands out as a polished, thoughtful and award-worthy product."