A win that underscores AI’s growing role in ad tech
On July 1, 2026, Singapore‑based BIGO Ads announced that it had been selected as a recipient of the 2026 Sales and Marketing Excellence Award—commonly known as the Sammy—bestowed by the Business Intelligence Group (BIG). The accolade places BIGO Ads among a global cohort of firms that have demonstrated measurable impact in sales and marketing performance, specifically highlighting its AI‑centric, full‑funnel growth platform.
The Sammy awards are designed to spotlight organizations, campaigns, technologies, and individuals that set a high bar for strategic execution and accountability. This year’s competition attracted nominations from more than 20 industry sectors worldwide, with a panel of seasoned business executives applying a set of objective scoring criteria to determine the winners.
Why the Sammy matters to the ad‑tech ecosystem
The Business Intelligence Group, an independent body that evaluates marketing excellence across disciplines, has built the Sammy into a benchmark for performance‑driven innovation. Winners are typically recognized for translating strategic intent into quantifiable outcomes—an increasingly rare feat in a landscape where many platforms tout capabilities without clear ROI evidence.
Russ Fordyce, Chief Recognition Officer at BIG, summed up the award’s significance:
> “The 2026 Sammy winners are not just great marketers, they are accountable ones. What set this year’s honorees apart was their ability to connect strategy to outcomes and show exactly what moved the needle. BIGO Ads is a strong example of that standard in action.”
Fordyce’s remarks hint at a broader shift: advertisers are demanding proof that technology not only automates processes but also lifts bottom‑line results.
BIGO Ads’ AI‑driven full‑funnel approach
At the heart of BIGO Ads’ recognition lies a platform that merges deep‑learning user acquisition with real‑time in‑app bidding and hands‑on optimization. The system is engineered to operate across the entire marketing funnel—from prospect discovery to post‑click monetization—allowing advertisers and app developers to align acquisition efficiency with revenue generation.
Key technical components include:
- Deep‑learning acquisition engine that predicts high‑value users based on behavioral signals and contextual data.
- Real‑time in‑app bidding that dynamically adjusts spend at the impression level, aiming to capture the most valuable inventory.
- Hands‑on optimization tools that provide granular controls for campaign managers, enabling rapid iteration and fine‑tuning.
By linking acquisition cost metrics directly to monetization performance, BIGO Ads claims to deliver a more accountable, ROI‑centric advertising model. The platform’s ability to surface actionable insights in near‑real time differentiates it from legacy demand‑side platforms that often treat buying and selling as separate silos.
The strategic context: AI and ROI in 2026
- Performance‑first budgeting – Brands are allocating a larger share of ad spend to channels that can demonstrate clear cost‑per‑acquisition (CPA) and return‑on‑ad‑spend (ROAS) improvements.
- In‑app inventory explosion – Mobile gaming, short‑form video, and social experiences continue to dominate user attention, prompting demand for sophisticated bidding mechanisms that can operate at scale.
- Regulatory scrutiny – data‑privacy regulations in the EU, US, and APAC regions push vendors toward privacy‑preserving AI models that still deliver actionable targeting.
Within this environment, a platform that can marry deep‑learning acquisition with transparent, ROI‑focused bidding is positioned to meet the heightened expectations of marketers and regulators alike.
Executive perspective from BIGO Ads
Eden Liu, Head of Global Business at BIGO Ads, reflected on the award’s relevance to the company’s roadmap:
> “This recognition is a meaningful validation of BIGO Ads’ commitment to building advertising technology that delivers measurable business value. As the industry moves toward more accountable and ROI‑driven growth, we will continue to strengthen our AI‑powered optimization, monetization intelligence, and platform capabilities to help advertisers and developers grow more efficiently and sustainably.”
Liu’s statement underscores a strategic emphasis on continual refinement of AI models, a focus that aligns with the broader industry push for accountability. The comment also hints at forthcoming enhancements, though specifics remain undisclosed.
Market implications for advertisers and developers
For advertisers, the award signals that BIGO Ads’ platform has passed an independent, performance‑based vetting process. Companies looking to allocate spend across mobile and in‑app environments may view the platform as a lower‑risk option, especially when budget committees require evidence of ROI before committing to new technology stacks.
Developers, particularly those operating within the JOYY ecosystem, stand to benefit from an integrated solution that promises to boost both user acquisition and in‑app revenue. By leveraging a single system that handles both sides of the funnel, developers can reduce operational overhead and avoid the friction of stitching together disparate tools.
Competitive landscape: Where does BIGO Ads fit?
The ad‑tech market in 2026 is crowded with players offering AI‑enhanced bidding, from Google’s Performance Max to Amazon’s DSP and a host of independent SSPs. However, many of these solutions focus primarily on either acquisition or monetization, rarely delivering a seamless bridge between the two.
BIGO Ads differentiates itself by positioning the full‑funnel experience as a core product attribute rather than an add‑on. While competitors may offer “post‑click” optimization modules, BIGO Ads embeds monetization intelligence directly into its acquisition engine, potentially reducing latency between bid decision and revenue realization.
Analysts note that such integration can lead to higher overall campaign efficiency, but they also caution that the success of any AI model depends on data quality and the ability to adapt to shifting consumer behavior. BIGO Ads’ affiliation with JOYY—a publicly traded company (NASDAQ: JOYY) with a sizable user base—provides a rich data reservoir that may give it an edge in model training and validation.
Industry voices weigh in
- Ad‑tech consultant Maya Patel, who tracks AI adoption across programmatic platforms, offered an external view:
> “Awards like the Sammy are valuable because they cut through the hype and focus on outcomes. If BIGO Ads can consistently demonstrate that its AI‑driven approach translates into lower CPA and higher ROAS, it will likely see increased adoption among brands that have been cautious about AI’s black‑box nature.”
- Similarly, venture analyst Carlos Mendes observed that “the convergence of acquisition and monetization analytics is a logical next step for the industry. Platforms that can close that loop are better positioned to capture incremental value for advertisers.”
Looking ahead: What the award could mean for BIGO Ads’ growth trajectory
Winning a recognized industry award can serve as a catalyst for several strategic initiatives:
- Client acquisition – The accolade may be leveraged in sales conversations, helping BIGO Ads win new accounts that prioritize validated performance.
- Investor confidence – As a subsidiary of JOYY, the award adds a data point for shareholders monitoring the firm’s diversification beyond its core social and streaming services.
- Product development – The public acknowledgment of its AI capabilities could justify additional R&D investment, accelerating feature rollouts in areas such as predictive budgeting and cross‑device attribution.
While the press release does not disclose specific revenue figures or future roadmap details, the combination of independent validation and a clear market need suggests that BIGO Ads is poised for continued relevance in the evolving ad‑tech arena.
Conclusion
BIGO Ads’ receipt of the 2026 Sales and Marketing Excellence “Sammy” award highlights a growing demand for advertising solutions that can substantiate ROI through AI‑driven, full‑funnel methodologies. As marketers become more accountable for spend and outcomes, platforms that blend user acquisition with real‑time monetization intelligence are likely to gain traction. The recognition from the Business Intelligence Group not only validates BIGO Ads’ current technology stack but also positions the company to capitalize on an industry increasingly focused on measurable growth.
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