Signal Theory Wins Best of Show at the 2026 Kansas City ADDY Awards

Signal Theory took home Best of Show at the 2026 Kansas City American Advertising Awards (ADDYs), headlining a 13-award haul that included six Golds and seven Silvers. Two team members were recognized as rising leaders in the Kansas City advertising community, and Signal Theory’s own Lindsay Boling served as the evening’s emcee. 

The American Advertising Awards (ADDYs) are the industry’s largest and most representative creative competition. Owned and produced by the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the awards recognize and reward the creative spirit of excellence in the art of advertising.

Surprisingly Snackable Pecans, a campaign for the American Pecan Promotion Board, took home the night’s top honor – Best of Show – along with a Gold ADDY for Integrated Brand Identity Campaign.

“We’re really proud to bring home Best of Show for the Surprisingly Snackable Pecans campaign, and walking away with even more recognition for clients like Michelin, GEARWRENCH and the American Pecan Promotion Board means a lot,” said Joe Wilper, vice president, executive creative director at Signal Theory. “This work reflects a lot of passion and craft from a lot of people. We get to see how talented they are every day – moments like this just let the rest of Kansas City in on what we already know.”

The remaining Gold ADDYs included additional wins for the American Pecan Promotion Board alongside the agency’s own Holiday Sweater Generator, which took Gold in the Industry Self-Promo Online category. All six Gold winners automatically advance to the AAF District competition, being recognized with the best work across the region.

The agency’s seven Silver ADDY Awards represent work across three clients including the American Pecan Promotion Board, GEARWRENCH and Michelin.

Beyond creative hardware, two Signal Theory employees, Chrissy Nguyen and Maddie Schuck, were spotlighted with the Young KC Ad Professionals Award – a distinction given to innovative, passionate young professionals who are making a measurable impact on the Kansas City advertising industry.

See the full list of the agency’s wins below: 

Best of Show

• Integrated Brand Identity: Surprisingly Snackable Pecans – American Pecan Promotion Board

Gold

• Integrated Brand Identity: Surprisingly Snackable Pecans – American Pecan Promotion Board

• Internet Commercial: Snacksercise – American Pecan Promotion Board

• Television Advertising: Tailgate – American Pecan Promotion Board

• Integrated Advertising Campaign: Snacksercise – American Pecan Promotion Board

• Online/Interactive Agency Self Promotion: Holiday Sweater Generator – Signal Theory

Silver

• Out-of-Home Campaign: SEMA Activation – GEARWRENCH

• Integrated Branded Content and Entertainment Campaign: Engineering Confidence – Michelin

• Integrated B2B Advertising Campaign: Engineering Confidence – Michelin

• Integrated Branded Content Campaign: Engineering Confidence – Michelin

• Packaging: Pe-CAN Merch – American Pecan Promotion Board 

• Out of Home & Ambient Media / Multiple Events: Pregame Tailgate Activation – American Pecan Promotion Board

• Television Advertising: Airport Security – American Pecan Promotion Board