The Press and Journal has been named a European winner at the 2026 WAN-IFRA Digital Media Awards, taking the regional award for Best Marketing Campaign for a News Brand for its “Your Voice of the North” campaign. The awards were selected from entries across 24 European countries.
The winning campaign repositioned the 275-year-old title as a modern civic voice for the north and north-east of Scotland, using a “show, don’t tell” approach to demonstrate the impact of its journalism. In a market where audiences are reluctant to pay for digital news, the strategy focused on proving real-world value of trusted journalism through action, not just messaging.
“Your Voice of the North” highlighted the impact of The P&J’s journalism in communities across the region and reinforced the brand’s role as an advocate for the north and north-east of Scotland. The campaign helped drive record brand consideration of 31%, proving that a subscription can be seen not simply as a purchase, but as an investment in journalism that serves and strengthens its community.
The WAN-IFRA jury described the campaign as “a remarkable example of how to measure and prove brand value in a local context.”
Craig Walker, Editor of The Press and Journal, said: “This is a hugely proud moment for everyone behind The P&J. ‘Your Voice of the North’ reflects exactly what this brand stands for - championing the people, issues and communities of the north and making sure their voices are heard. This award is recognition not only of a brilliant campaign, but of the journalism and purpose that sits behind it every day.”
Sarah Hall, Marketing Director at DC Thomson, said: “This award is a powerful endorsement of the role that purpose-led marketing can play in championing trusted journalism. ‘Your Voice of the North’ was never just a brand campaign - it was about clearly and confidently articulating the value of local journalism. This recognition from WAN-IFRA is a testament to the outstanding collaboration between our editorial, marketing and creative teams and the impact a clear, shared belief in regional journalism can deliver.”
The campaign was launched as part of a broader effort to reinforce The P&J’s role as “Your Voice of the North”, combining brand storytelling with a clear articulation of the title’s purpose: to represent the communities of the north and north-east of Scotland and help turn local concerns into national conversations. Industry coverage of the launch highlighted both the campaign’s multi-platform rollout and the central role of its mission-led positioning.
Following this regional win, WAN-IFRA says winners will progress to compete for the global title, with worldwide winners due to be announced in June 2026 during the World News Media Congress 2026.
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