Advertising agencies, studios, in-house brand teams, independent creators, freelancers, production companies, students, and emerging talent. All entries are judged equally.

Work must be real, publicly released, launched within the eligibility period, approved by the client where applicable, rights-cleared, and compliant with ethical, legal, and advertising standards.

Emerging talent must be within five years of the start of their professional career. Student entries are eligible only when the work was produced within a professional internship or student position at a professional creative agency.

You may enter the same project into as many categories as it genuinely fits — there is no cap on entries. Separate entry fees apply per category.

Yes. A single campaign may win up to three ADS Awards across all categories. This ensures the recognition reflects the singular quality of the work.

Winners are announced within six weeks of the submission deadline. Judging runs from February 1 to March 1, 2027; winners are announced on March 15, 2027 — while campaigns may still be in market and still generating conversation.

The larger festivals cover creative work across many disciplines, from design and craft to entertainment and PR. ADS Awards is focused specifically on advertising — the films, posts, campaigns, and copy that reached real audiences. Our entry process is intentionally short, our categories are limited to ten, and winners are announced within six weeks of the submission deadline. We built ADS Awards as a dedicated home for advertising work: judged fairly, recognized quickly, and open to teams of every size.

Every entry is scored independently by each juror on four dimensions — Idea, Execution, Strategic Relevance, and Impact — before any group discussion. Shortlisted entries are then debated by the full panel. Where a professional or personal connection exists, the juror declares it and recuses themselves from that work.

Yes, but AI use must be disclosed, including what tools were used, at which stage, and how human creative control was maintained. Undisclosed AI may result in disqualification.

• Independent Creators: USD 150
• Small Agency / Boutique Studio: USD 180
• Medium Agency: USD 300
• Large Agency / Network: USD 450

Yes: 30% for eligible NGO or non-profit campaigns.

Official certificates, inclusion in the Winners Showcase, and global promotion through ADS channels. Shortlisted entries also receive official recognition.

For submissions, eligibility, or payments: support@adsawards.org