DAC and Pep Boys have won Silver in the Campaign Effectiveness Award category at the 2026 US Agency Awards for the “Early Black Friday Hype” campaign.

The recognition celebrates a campaign built around a simple insight: Black Friday decision-making starts well before Black Friday itself.

By reaching tire shoppers earlier in their research journey, DAC and Pep Boys built awareness and consideration ahead of the most competitive holiday shopping period, then connected that interest with conversion-focused activity as purchase intent increased.

The campaign combined distinctive creative with a coordinated media strategy across video, audience targeting, and paid search. It ultimately generated 27% more leads from paid media.

This award reflects the strength of the partnership between DAC and Pep Boys, and our shared focus on turning customer insight into measurable outcomes.

Thank you to the Don’t Panic Events judging panel, and congratulations to everyone who helped bring the campaign to life.

Learn more about the award.