The show goes on - and the recognition keeps coming. The International Skating Union (ISU) is proud to announce that Showtime, its campaign created for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, has been shortlisted for “Best Specialist Campaign” at the prestigious 2026 International Content Marketing Awards (ICMA).
This latest recognition marks the second consecutive industry nomination for Showtime, following its recent shortlisting for Best Sports Marketing Campaign – League or Governing Body at the 2026 Sports Business Awards.
Recognised as a leading benchmark in content marketing, the International Content Marketing Awards celebrate exceptional campaigns, innovative strategies and the teams driving the sports industry forward. With entries from around the world and a rigorous judging process, the awards are widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive and respected content marketing programmes internationally.
For the ISU, these back-to-back nominations recognise the strength of a campaign that set out to change the way skating is seen, experienced and shared with the world. Showtime took skating beyond the competition, succeeding in bringing the sport to new audiences through creativity, culture and compelling digital storytelling.
At Milano Cortina 2026, Showtime brought a new energy to the way skating was presented by showcasing the sport as spectacle, culture and lifestyle.
Developed in partnership with independent sports marketing agency Redtorch, the campaign was designed to unite existing fans, inspire new ones and demonstrate the extraordinary world surrounding skating.
Over 25 days, Showtime brought athletes, legends, personalities and stories to life through a series of innovative content and experiences. Highlights included the first-ever ISU Home of Skating, a vibrant hub for the skating community; a playful partnership with LABUBU; the high-production Showtime Legends interview series; and Ice Meets Haute Couture, a captivating conversation between world-renowned designer Vera Wang and Olympic medallist and three-time ISU Ice Dance World Champion Madison Chock.
Together, these activations delivered record-breaking digital engagement and performance (detailed numbers here), placing skating at the intersection of sport, entertainment, fashion and popular culture – opening new ways for fans to discover, experience and connect with skating.
