Customer experience no longer stops at the contact center. It is shaped by the wider ecosystem of interactions – from the first marketing touchpoint to the peer communities customers rely on, and the engaged employees who deliver the service.
As part of the CX Awards 2026, the Engagement & Advocacy layer recognizes vendors that connect these critical elements. When marketing and CX operate independently, the promise made during acquisition rarely matches the reality of support. This layer celebrates the technology providers that break down those silos, unifying experience and growth to build genuine, lasting loyalty.
Here is a closer look at the three categories within the Engagement & Advocacy layer, including exactly what our judging panel is looking for in a winning submission.
Best CX and Marketing Alignment
When CX and marketing technology finally pull together.
The experience customers receive should match the promise the brand makes. This category recognizes the solution that genuinely unifies customer experience and marketing technology — so that acquisition, retention, and loyalty work from the same view of the customer.
What the judges want to see:
“Show the judges what alignment looks like in practice. How does your solution join CX and marketing, and what changes for the customer as a result? The strongest entries prove that joined-up thinking produced joined-up results.”
Who should enter:
- CX and marketing technology vendors
- Customer engagement and journey platforms
- Solutions unifying experience and growth
Best Community and Peer Engagement Platform
Customer community as a measurable loyalty asset.
Some of the best customer experiences happen between customers. This category recognizes the platform that scales customer community and peer engagement into a measurable loyalty asset — turning customers into an engaged, supportive network.
What the judges want to see:
“Tell the judges how your platform builds community and what it achieves — engagement, advocacy, retention, support deflection. Give the numbers, but also show the human reality of a community customers genuinely value.”
Who should enter:
- Community and advocacy platform vendors
- Peer engagement and forum providers
- Customer loyalty platform vendors
Best Employee Advocacy Platform
Linking employee advocacy to customer outcomes.
There is no great customer experience without great people behind it. This category recognizes the workforce management platforms that link employee advocacy and engagement to customer experience outcomes — because engaged, motivated employees deliver better experiences.
What the judges want to see:
“Draw the line from employee to customer. What does your platform change for people, and how does it show up in the experience customers receive? The judges want both halves of the story — the advocacy and the CX result.”
Who should enter:
- Employee advocacy and engagement platform vendors
- EX-to-CX solution providers
- Workforce experience technology vendors
Key Dates & Next Steps
The application window is currently underway. Do not leave your submission to the last minute. Use this time to build a winning, data-backed entry.
| Date | Milestone | What to do now |
|---|---|---|
| Now | Entries Underway | The entry portal is live. Choose your categories, build your submission, and lock in your entry. |
| September 30, 2026 | Final Deadline | Last chance. Entries close on September 30 at 23:59 BST (15:59 PDT / 18:59 ET). Have your evidence and outcomes lined up well in advance. |
| October 22, 2026 | Shortlist Announced | The judging panel publishes the finalists across every category. Shortlisted entrants gain significant industry visibility ahead of the ceremony. |
| November 3, 2026 | Awards Ceremony | The winners are announced live at the CX Awards 2026 ceremony – the night the customer experience industry comes together to recognize its best. |
Frequently Asked Questions
The strongest entries demonstrate connection. Whether you are aligning marketing with CX, building a customer community, or driving employee advocacy, the judges want to see how your platform bridges gaps and produces measurable, joined-up results.
Yes, provided your solution meets the criteria for each. However, ensure that each submission is uniquely tailored to the specific category's focus—whether that is marketing alignment, peer communities, or employee advocacy.
Absolutely. All entries are visible only to the independent judging panel and the CX Awards team. Sensitive commercial figures, customer references, and NDA-bound materials remain strictly confidential and will never be published without your explicit permission. What makes a strong entry in the Engagement & Advocacy layer?
Can I enter multiple categories within the Engagement & Advocacy layer?
Is the data shared in my application kept confidential?
