The MX Group and Okta Slay the Giants, Win Effie for Advertising Effectiveness

May. 29, 2026

Effie Worldwide honored The MX Group and Okta with a Silver Effie for advertising effectiveness at the 2026 Effie Awards U.S. gala, held May 27 in New York City. The campaign “It’s Possible” for Okta, a cybersecurity company specializing in identity and access management, cut through a market dominated by giants and fear-based messaging.

MX is believed to be the first pure-play B2B agency to win a U.S. Effie, a first that signals B2B work can compete at the highest levels of marketing effectiveness. Other “David & Goliath” winners and finalists included B2B and B2C brands Samsung and Wells Fargo with work from agencies BBDO New York, GSD&M, The Martin Agency, and Mischief @ No Fixed Address.

The MX Group (MX) President and CEO Tony Riley said:

“Being recognized for a program that made such a commercial impact on the client’s business is incredibly meaningful. Winning in the Effies’ ‘David & Goliath’ category is on brand for MX, where we are constantly helping B2B brands push beyond expectations, fight against heavily resourced competitors, and achieve their growth ambitions.”

 

Paul Hirsch, Chief Creative Officer of MX said:

“Great strategy and excellent creative have always been at the heart of effective B2B campaigns, and this win proves it. B2B is uniquely demanding with complex products, long sales cycles, and plenty of stakeholders. But this recognition shows that rising to that challenge and producing great work aren’t mutually exclusive.”

 

The "It’s Possible" campaign helped Okta, a challenger brand, punch above its weight and take on tech giants in the cybersecurity category, where marketing often stokes fear and anxiety. With the MX insight that secure technology is freeing, the campaign reframed identity from a barrier into a springboard for growth.

The campaign reached B2B decision makers through a global activation strategy that spanned six countries and included an innovative approach to targeting that allowed layered digital media to be served in a way that made Okta’s spend feel as big as the industry giants that are their competitors. It included OTT, audio, outdoor ads and a Formula 1 sponsorship. 

The campaign helped Okta leap to #1 in unaided awareness, double its lead quality, and deliver record engagement.

Peter Braughman, Senior Director of Media at MX said:

“When every dollar has a reason, results follow. This campaign proves that smart media planning isn’t just strategy, it’s the ultimate performance driver.”

 

The Effie win caps a strong stretch for MX, which recently added Versalift, Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services, and SEEBURGER to a client roster that includes Zekelman Industries, Cummins, Discover, and Lysol Pro Solutions.