Zalando Partner Marketing Awards 2025: Inside the top campaigns
At Zalando, we believe our partnerships are a cornerstone of our success, and the Zalando Partner Marketing Awards are a true reflection of that. This year, we were thrilled to host the Awards for the fifth time, and for the second time, combine them with our Zalando Partner Day at Reinbeckhallen in Berlin. The atmosphere was electric as we celebrated campaigns that are raising the bar and inspiring us all. The submissions we saw this year are a testament to our shared commitment to forward-thinking marketing and the strength of our brand partnerships.
Honouring the winners & nominees
Hosted by the dynamic duo of Tamu McPherson (Fashion Icon, Cultural Storyteller, and Activist) and Joanna Rogers (Managing Director, ZMS), this year's Awards highlighted excellence across four categories, each reflecting the creativity and strategic thinking within our partner base.
The competition was steep, with a record number of applications pushing the boundaries of what's possible in retail media. Our jury, comprised of Munise Can (SVP & General Manager Highsnobiety Europe), Matthias Haase (VP Content Solutions, zStudios), Philippe Modeß (Head of Premium Buying, Zalando), and Sara Spannar (VP Global Marketing, Zalando), had the challenging task of evaluating the submissions for their creativity, impact, and strategic execution.
Creative & Storytelling
This category celebrated campaigns that went beyond the ordinary to tell unforgettable stories and connect with audiences on a deeper level. It recognised those who mastered narrative to create truly engaging experiences.
Nominees: adidas Originals, Tommy Hilfiger, Coach
Winner: Coach
Case Study: The winning campaign, "Cooking with Coach," was created to resonate with European customers and acquire a new Gen Z audience. To do this, Coach collaborated with influencer Gabbriette on a stylish, yet humorous cooking show that showcased an exclusive Zalando collection of the famous Tabby bag. The campaign performed higher than forecasted, with +138% items sold and +230% revenue. It was the most successful full-funnel and branding campaign in Coach x ZMS history, with the highest revenue versus forecasted.
Seasonal & Category
We honoured the campaigns that perfectly captured a moment, whether a key seasonal trend or a specific product category launch, demonstrating impeccable timing, deep market understanding, and impressive execution.
Nominees: Estée Lauder Companies, Haddad Brands, Ralph Lauren
Winner: Ralph Lauren
Case Study: The winning Polo Ralph Lauren x ZMS Holiday Campaign was designed to bring the New York holiday spirit to Zalando customers. Ralph Lauren executed a two-phased, full-funnel strategy focussing on brand elevation and driving retail performance. The campaign achieved an exceptional balance between storytelling and commercial success and it was the second year in a row that Ralph Lauren won this award for their Holiday campaign, proving them to be a true jury favourite!
Self-Service
This Award recognised partners who mastered our Ad Manager tool, proving that powerful results are always within reach for those who effectively leverage our platform.
Nominees: Victoria Hyde, Puma, s.Oliver
Winner: s.Oliver
Case Study: The winning campaign, "Q4 Reinvented," was designed to create a unified, full-season brand presence for s.Oliver on Zalando. Instead of isolated activations, the brand used a data-driven approach and ZMS Sponsored Product ads to build consistent awareness and enhance customer interaction throughout the quarter. The campaign generated 38M impressions and a +184% CTR YoY.
Brand Expansion
This year, we were thrilled to introduce a new category: Brand Expansion. Created to recognise the growth dynamic we saw repeatedly in campaigns, this Award is all about pushing boundaries, entering new spaces, and inspiring the whole industry. It reflects how our partners grow today, through bold, global, cross-category strategies that are about scaling relevance, not just footprint. This category is unique in the way it also adds a forward-looking dimension to the Awards.
Nominees: Hugo Blue, Les Deux, On
Winner: On
Case Study: The winning campaign, "Energy to Dream," was designed to seamlessly launch the innovative running brand On on Zalando. This comprehensive, 360° campaign was created by ZMS to boost brand awareness and highlight the benefits of the Cloudmonster 2 running shoes, leveraging a mix of on-site placements, off-site activations, and local events. The campaign reached 103 million unique users and resulted in a +398% increase in PDP views and a +65% increase in 'add to wishlist'.
A special Award
In a surprise moment, a new and unannounced category was introduced - a category no brand could apply for. This special Inspiration & Entertainment Award honoured the campaign that most effectively broke barriers and opened new doors, celebrating a partner who achieved growth where limits once stood. The Award went to Vans for integrating their spin-off campaign, "What do I wear when the piazza passes the vibe check?" seamlessly into Zalando’s SS25 campaign, setting a new benchmark for partnership and innovation.
Special Award Winner: Vans
“ The record number of applications across all categories made the jury work inspiring, but tough! It gets harder and harder every year, as so many nominees showed a strong connection between creativity and measurable results. ”
Sara Spannar, VP Global Marketing, Zalando
A big thank you
We'd like to say a huge thank you to all the applicants who submitted their incredible work, and to our nominees for their amazing achievements. A special thanks to the members of our jury for their dedication and expertise in judging the submissions. And of course, a massive congratulations to all the winners of the Zalando Partner Marketing Awards 2025. We can't wait to see you next year!