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Winner Package
Winners receive an exclusive winner’s seal, an official certificate, an invitation to the awards ceremony, and a permanent profile on the ADS Awards platform.
Introducing the ADS Awards
Celebrating Advertising That Inspires With Integrity
About Us
Our Mission
To champion advertising that inspires, respects, and moves advertising culture forward while upholding creativity, ethics, and responsibility.
We recognize work that transforms ideas into striking narratives, where every visual element serves a purpose and every story leaves a lasting impression.
ADS Awards is the newest initiative from Farmani Group, an internationally recognized organization dedicated to discovering, promoting, and celebrating talent across design, communication, photography, and architecture.
Founded in 1985, Farmani Group has played a pioneering role in shaping the creative industries through prestigious awards programs including the Lucie Awards, International Design Awards, Architecture MasterPrize, Creative Communication Awards, and many others.
Benefits
Why Enter
Entering the ADS Awards is a powerful platform for companies and creators to demonstrate continued evolution, energize teams, attract world-class talent, and reaffirm their position at the forefront of innovation and creative excellence.
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Brand Distinction
An ADS Award represents a definitive mark of excellence in the global advertising landscape, recognizing exceptional creativity, strategy, and execution.
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Talent & Strategic Value
Recognition enhances a company’s stature and signals leadership, vision, and commitment to advancing the industry.
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Global Visibility
Winners benefit from curated international exposure through strategic PR and media engagement around the awards.
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Credibility & Prestige
An ADS Award mention stands as a respected third-party endorsement of excellence, elevating perception and strengthening long-term growth.
ADS Awards
The Landscape of Modern Advertising, Celebrated in 10 Main Categories
The ADS Awards recognize excellence across established professionals and emerging talent. The main competition honors agencies, brands, and creative professionals whose work defines the highest standards of innovation, strategy, and execution in global advertising.
ADS Awards New Blood is dedicated to the next generation of creative voices, giving students and emerging talent a platform to present bold ideas and fresh perspectives on an international stage.
40%
CreativityIdea, storytelling, originality, and craft.
40%
EffectivenessReal-world results where provided.
20%
EthicsResponsible representation, honesty, cultural sensitivity, and responsible use of technology and AI.
Eligibility PeriodJanuary 1 to December 31, 2026
Final DeadlineJanuary 30, 2027
JudgingFebruary 1 to March 1, 2027
AnnouncementMarch 15, 2027
Categories
ADS Awards Categories
Creators can enter one or multiple categories with the same project, as long as it genuinely fits the description. Separate entry fees apply.
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Film & Video Excellence
Advertising in motion, from 6-second stings to long-form films.
- TV commercials, online films, and digital spots
- Social videos, episodic content, and branded short films
- Documentaries or narrative pieces made for brands
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Social Media Craft & Innovation
Ideas designed natively for social platforms: fast, smart, and culture-aware.
- TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, X, Facebook, Shorts, and Reels
- Social content series, trends, and UGC-style campaigns
- Platform-first mechanics such as filters, stickers, live streams, and duets
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Digital & Interactive Experience
Where creativity meets interaction, technology, and UX.
- Websites, microsites, apps, tools, and digital services
- AR, VR, XR, AI-driven interfaces, and experiential tech
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Print, Outdoor & Design Craft
Bold visuals in the physical or static world.
- Posters, billboards, transit ads, retail, and ambient outdoor
- Print campaigns and design-driven campaign visuals
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Art Direction & Visual Craft
A home for pure visual excellence and style, including illustration, photography, animation, motion graphics, and campaign identity.
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Audio & Sound Creativity
Ideas that live in the ear: radio, sonic branding, audio logos, branded podcasts, installations, and voice-led interfaces.
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Integrated Campaign
One idea, many touchpoints, executed as a whole ecosystem across film, social, outdoor, digital, experiential, and more.
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Branded Entertainment & Culture
Where brands live inside culture through films, series, collaborations, gaming, creators, festivals, and entertainment partnerships.
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Social Impact & Good Cause
Work that uses creativity to drive positive change across NGO, charity, sustainability, equality, inclusion, education, and public good initiatives.
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Emerging Talent / Independent Creator
A stage for freelancers, solo creators, small studios, students, recent graduates, and self-initiated projects with strong ideas.
Jury
Leading Creative Voices
The ADS Awards jury brings together leading creative voices from advertising, design, digital, and culture. Selected for experience, integrity, and creative impact, jurors evaluate all work using consistent criteria for a fair, thoughtful, and transparent process.
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Jury Selection
Jurors are selected through a curated process led by the ADS Council and Farmani Group team to assemble a balanced, diverse, and highly respected jury that reflects the breadth of modern advertising and creative practice.
- Proven creative excellence and industry impact
- Senior-level experience in leadership, founder, or independent roles
- Strong professional reputation among peers
- Cultural awareness and ethical judgment
- Experience across film, design, digital, social, strategy, audio, and brand storytelling
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Nominations & Final Selection
Nominations may come from the industry, past jurors, partners, and the wider creative community. Final jury selection prioritizes diversity of perspective, geography, discipline, and background while ensuring a consistent standard of expertise and integrity.
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Fairness
Evaluate all work fairly, independently, and without bias.
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Consistency
Apply the same judging criteria to every entry.
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Confidentiality
Respect the confidentiality of submissions and jury discussions.
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Responsibility
Declare and avoid conflicts of interest.
Jurors judge work on creative merit, effectiveness, and ethical responsibility, not on brand size, budget, or personal preference.
What Jurors Value
Ideas That Set a Higher Standard
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Original Thinking
Strong ideas, personal voice, and work that moves advertising culture forward.
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Craft & Execution
Excellence in visual, verbal, sonic, digital, and experiential execution.
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Cultural Awareness
Responsible representation, honest storytelling, and work that respects audiences.
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Transparent Technology
Clear, ethical, and transparent use of technology, including AI.
All jurors are required to declare conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from judging any work with which they have a professional or personal connection.
Nominate a Juror
Help Shape the ADS Awards Jury
Do you know a respected creative leader with a strong point of view and a commitment to excellence? Help shape the ADS Awards jury by nominating industry professionals who inspire, challenge, and elevate the craft of advertising.
Submission Form
Enter Your Work
Submit your campaign details, creative materials, credits, ethics information, and declarations in one complete entry form.
FAQ
Questions
Who can enter the ADS Awards?
Advertising agencies, studios, in-house brand teams, independent creators, freelancers, production companies, students, and emerging talent. All entries are judged equally.
What kind of work is eligible?
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.
How many categories can I enter?
You may enter the same project into multiple categories if it genuinely fits. Separate entry fees apply.
How are entries judged?
Entries are evaluated using creativity and idea, craft and execution, effectiveness where provided, category fit, ethics, and responsibility. Judges score independently and declare conflicts of interest.
Does ADS allow AI?
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.
How much does it cost to enter?
- Small Agency / Boutique Studio: USD 180
- Medium Agency: USD 300
- Large Agency / Network: USD 450
- Independent Creators: USD 150
- Students & Emerging Talent: USD 60
Are discounts available?
Yes: 10% for 3 to 5 entries, 15% for 6 or more entries, and 30% for eligible NGO or non-profit campaigns.
What do winners receive?
The ADS Trophy, official certificates, inclusion in the Winners Showcase, and global promotion through ADS channels. Shortlisted entries also receive official recognition.
Who do I contact for help?
For submissions, eligibility, or payments: support@adsawards.org
Terms & Conditions
Entry Rules
By entering the ADS Awards, entrants confirm that submitted work is real, authorized, rights-cleared, accurate, and compliant with the legal and ethical standards required by the competition. The published version at the time of submission governs each entry.
ADS may request proof of rights, approvals, licenses, or supporting documentation at any time.
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Eligibility
- Entries must be real, publicly released work from the official eligibility period.
- Entrants must have full rights to submit the work.
- A signed Client Approval Form is required for all entries.
- AI use must be disclosed.
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Your Responsibilities
By entering the ADS Awards, you confirm that all information is accurate and truthful; all creative assets, music, images, talent, and data are properly licensed; effectiveness results are approved by the client and based on real performance; and the work complies with advertising, data, privacy, and copyright laws in the regions where it was published.
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Use of Submitted Work
By submitting an entry, you grant ADS permission to display your work during judging, showcase finalists and winners on the website, and use materials in award ceremonies, social media, PR, and archives.
ADS will not sell or commercially exploit your content.
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Judging
- Entries are evaluated by an independent jury.
- Judges follow strict confidentiality and conflict-of-interest rules.
- Entries are scored on creativity, craft, effectiveness where provided, and ethics.
- Jury decisions are final and cannot be appealed.
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Ethical Standards
Work submitted must not include discrimination, harmful stereotypes, misleading claims, illegal or unauthorized content, or violations of privacy or data protection laws.
ADS may disqualify entries that violate these standards.
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Fees & Refunds
- Entry fees, if applicable, must be paid in full before judging.
- Fees are non-refundable, except in cases of administrative error by ADS.
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Disqualification
ADS may disqualify entries that provide false or misleading information, lack proper authorization, misrepresent data or AI involvement, or breach legal or ethical requirements.
Disqualified entries are not eligible for refunds.
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Data & Privacy
- ADS collects only the personal information necessary to manage entries.
- Data is handled securely and not shared with third parties unless required by law.
- Entrants must not upload confidential or sensitive data without authorization.
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Intellectual Property
Entrants retain full ownership of their work. ADS receives a limited license for award-related use only.
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Updates to These Terms
ADS may update these Terms & Conditions annually. The version published on the website at the time of submission applies to all entries.
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Privacy Policy
ADS Awards collects and uses only the personal data needed to manage entries, accounts, payments, judging, communications, winner promotion, and legal compliance. This may include contact details, professional details, submission materials, payment records, technical information, and any information you provide in the entry form.
We process personal data where it is necessary to provide the awards service, meet legal obligations, protect legitimate interests such as security and fraud prevention, or where you have given consent for optional communications or non-essential cookies. We keep personal data only for as long as needed for these purposes, award records, legal requirements, and dispute handling.
Personal data may be shared with service providers, payment processors, jurors, event partners, professional advisers, and authorities where required by law. Where data is transferred outside the European Economic Area, appropriate safeguards will be used. You may request access, correction, deletion, restriction, portability, or objection to processing, and you may withdraw consent at any time. To exercise your rights, contact support@adsawards.org. You may also complain to your local data protection authority.
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Cookie Policy
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. ADS Awards may use strictly necessary cookies to make the site work, remember security or form-session settings, and provide services you request. These cookies do not require consent.
With your consent, ADS Awards may also use preference, analytics, or marketing cookies to remember choices, measure website performance, understand how visitors use the site, and improve communications. Third-party services may set their own cookies when embedded content, analytics, payment, video, or social features are used.
You can accept, refuse, or change non-essential cookie choices at any time through the cookie settings on this site or by adjusting your browser settings. Refusing non-essential cookies will not prevent you from using the core website, but some optional features may work less smoothly.
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