We encourage entering as early as possible to make the judging process more efficient. 

A separate fee is applied per each category selection. 

Early entries are rewarded with lower fees. 

OPEN FOR ENTRIES: JANUARY 13, 2026 

SINGLE – $600 

SINGLE PLUS – $700 

CAMPAIGN –$1200 

EARLY BIRD DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 27, 2026 

SINGLE – $650 

SINGLE PLUS – $750 

CAMPAIGN – $1300 

OFFICIAL DEADLINE: APRIL 23, 2026 

SINGLE – $700 

SINGLE PLUS – $800 

CAMPAIGN – $1400 

FINAL DEADLINE: MAY 8, 2026 

SINGLE – $750 

SINGLE PLUS – $850 

CAMPAIGN – $1500 

STUDENT ENTRY 

$100 THROUGHOUT THE ENTRY PERIOD

Currency must be in USA Dollars made payable to INTERNATIONAL AWARDS GROUP, LLC. We accept credit card payment using VISA, MasterCard, and AMEX. 

CREDIT CARD FEES 

3% of total order for VISA and MasterCard. 

3.2% of total order for AMEX. 

SUBMISSION & PAYMENT 

If you are submitting more than one entry, send only one payment for the total amount of all your entry fees. INTERNATIONAL AWARDS GROUP must receive payment information within 7 business days of completing your online entry submission in order to process entries. 

WIRE (OR BANK) TRANSFER 

A $150 US dollar fee will be applied to all wire (or bank) transfer payments to cover intermediary bank fees. 

This fee will be added to the total amount on your invoice. 

Your invoice number and our bank transfer information will be available to you just after checkout. You will then be able to print your invoice for your accounting department so they can execute the transfer. If you have any questions about your invoice forward it to accounting@newyorkfestivals.com. Do not reply to invoice@newyorkfestivals.com 

• All bank charges must be prepaid by you. 

• You must include your invoice number on your bank transfer instruction forms so we can match your payments to your order. 

• You must send the financial contact information with your invoice for all wire transfers, purchase order requests, and/or tax information requirements to accounting@newyorkfestivals.com 

WE DO NOT CHARGE MEDIA HANDLING FEES, SALES TAX, OR VAT TAXES. 

LATE ENTRY FEE 

Any entry submitted after the official Final Deadline may be subject to a 10% Late Entry Processing Fee. 

REFUND POLICY 

Refunds of entry fees will only be granted if a written request is made within 14 days of submitting entries and then a $100 fee per entry will be charged to cover additional administrative costs. After 14 days, because entries will have been processed and entered into the system, no refunds will be granted but we will be able to block the entries from the judging schedule. 

NO REFUNDS WILL BE MADE ONCE JUDGING BEGINS. 

The Shortlist will be announced in advance of the winners announcement. 

All Winners will be informed of their status via email, and announced on our website, email blasts, social media platforms and through press releases to top publications in the industry.

Duplicates can be purchased through our store.

AWARD RANKING 

BEST OF SHOW 

GRAND AWARD 

GOLD 

SILVER 

BRONZE 

FINALIST 

ELIGIBLE AIRING

To be eligible for the 2026 competition, entries must have been published or aired between January 1st, 2025 and May 8th, 2026. Entries in the Creative Marketing Strategy/Effectiveness category group have an eligibility period of January 1st, 2024 and May 8th, 2026.

JURY DISPOSITION

New York Festivals gives the jury the right to move an entry to a different category should they determine the work does not belong in the category in which it was originally entered. By moving the ad, the jury will agree it will receive an award equal to or higher than the one it was originally scheduled to receive.

SCAMGUARD

Our SCAMGUARD system encourages jury members to anonymously flag suspicious ads and include comments in support for their suspicions. Scam ads were never published or were published without the full knowledge and consent of the advertiser.

FLAGGED ENTRIES

Every flagged entry is investigated. Should the evidence prove the scam, the entry will be disqualified and the people listed in the credits of the entering company will be suspended from entering our competitions for three years.

USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)

New York Festivals recognizes that artificial intelligence and machine-assisted tools are increasingly part of modern creative workflows. Their use is permitted. However, all entries must meet the same standards of authenticity, transparency, and client approval as traditionally produced work. 

Entrants must ensure that: 

• AI tools are used as part of a legitimate creative process, not to fabricate work, results, or media placement. 

• All submitted work represents a real campaign that was client-approved and publicly aired or published. 

• Case studies, results, and metrics are accurate and not artificially generated, exaggerated, or misrepresented through the use of AI. 

• AI-generated or AI-assisted elements do not mislead jurors about the nature, scope, or execution of the work. 

New York Festivals reserves the right to request disclosure or clarification regarding the use of AI tools as part of its investigation and review process. Failure to provide accurate information, or the use of AI to simulate, fabricate, or disguise non-existent work, will be treated as a violation of these Rules and Regulations and may be subject to the same penalties as confirmed scam advertising. 

Before closing your cart to pay you will be asked to accept these policies with a check box that states:   

“I Agree to the New York Festivals Rules and Regulations & Code of Conduct, including policies governing the use of Artificial Intelligence.”

When submitting your credits, be aware that if your entry is a Medal winner, the base of your Tower trophy will list the following details (45 characters per line):

If your entry wins a Tower, the lines on the Base will appear as follows.

- Competition Name

- Entering Company

- Brand

- Title

- Category

Finalists and Student Winners are to receive one diploma per their winning entry, containing the same details listed above, as well as the first ten credited individual names with their corresponding job titles. If your entry wins a Diploma, the lines on the Diploma will appear as follows:

- Competition Name

- Entering Company

- Brand

- Title

- Category

- Credit 1

- Credit 2

- Credit 3

- Credit 4

- Credit 5

- Credit 6

- Credit 7

- Credit 8

- Credit 9

- Credit 10

All winning entry credits will be available online in our Winners Gallery. Additional names with job titles may be added during credit check or by request.

Entries that reach the Shortlist will be notified and given the opportunity to update and correct their credits and shipping addresses. If no corrections are made prior to final announcements, the credits and shipping information submitted during the entry process will be considered the credits of record.

Once winners have been announced, personalized trophies and customized diplomas (up to ten names and titles) may be purchased via our eStore. Any shipping costs and customs duties are paid by the winning entrant.

- SINGLE

An individual piece of work.

2 FILE MAXIMUM
1 Main Execution + 1 Supplemental piece, such as a case video or case board. The supplemental supporting material cannot be an execution of work.

- SINGLE PLUS

An individual piece of work, includes more space for supplemental material.

6 FILE MAXIMUM
1 Main Execution + up to 5 supplemental pieces.

NOTE: Multiple, separate, executions of work should be entered as a Campaign.

- CAMPAIGN

A collection of related work in its entirety.

6 FILE MAXIMUM
Up to 6 Main Executions and/or Supplemental pieces. All will be considered in judging.

We are a creative awards competition; Individual entries are evaluated for their intrinsic merits - without comparing them with others. The number of entries in a category has no bearing on how each entry is scored by the jury. One, none, or more than one award may be given in any category. Each entry is, in effect, in competition with itself, and is measured by our international award-winning jury of experts using an industry-accepted standard of excellence.

THE JURY 

Juries includes Founders, Chief Creative Officers, Chief Strategy Officers, CEO’s, Directors, Producers, CMO’s, Managing Partners, and top tier strategists and creatives all of whom are influential leaders at agencies and brands across all regions. Their industry experience provides entrants with an award-winning jury panel that is well versed in creating ground-breaking, award-winning work.

SCORING 

Our judges are asked to evaluate each entry against the definition of the category group and category it is entered into. For the majority of our category groups, the judges score the work against the definitions on a scale of 1-10. 

For the category groups Creativity in Commerce, Creative Marketing Strategy/Effectiveness, PR, and Future Now (the efficacy section), there is additional information required and differently weighted judging criteria, these changes are fully noted in the information accompanying each of those category group's details in the entry guide PDF.

THE JUDGING PROCESS  

Entries are judged in multiple rounds against high standards of creative execution and effectiveness to determine the Shortlist, and then Finalist, Medalist (GOLD, SILVER, and BRONZE), Grand Award, and Best of Show winners.  Creative executions, details from the written brief, and the overall presentation of the work are taken into consideration. 

ROUND 1: PRELIMINARY ROUND  

Judges review entries and score each based on its own merit, not in comparison to other entries. This round determines the Shortlist. 

ROUND 2: MEDAL ROUND  

All Shortlist entries are scored again based on their own merits. This round determines the Bronze, Silver, and Gold winners.

The Grand Award will be presented to the entry in each category group that earns the highest score and is deemed worthy of a Grand Award by the Executive Jury. We do not mandate that the jury declare a Grand Award in each category group. Once a Grand Award is declared in a category group, it is eligible to be judged in the Best of Show session by the Executive Jury. 

The Best of Show is awarded by the Executive Jury.

PLEASE UPLOAD CASE STUDY VIDEOS FIRST.

Must not be longer than three minutes in length. Any technical questions may be emailed to processing@newyorkfestivals.com

ACCEPTED FORMATS AND REQUIREMENTS

MOV AND MP4
We do not accept ProRes files.

MP3
May be uploaded in its original format.

PDF
Can contain one image or multiple. Magnification enabled within judging.

JPG/JPEG
Accepted but magnification unavailable. Vertical and horizontal images outside of a 4:3 (16:9) aspect ratio should be submitted as a PDF to provide the highest resolution.

WEBSITE URLS
You may submit a webpage as an entry or as supporting creative material. All links must stay active through July 2026, and must be direct links that do not require a login or password. To ensure fair and anonymous judging, websites cannot include the agency name.

If submitting from YouTube, Vimeo, SoundCloud or other streaming sites, please make sure your file is downloadable. If that is not an option, we will need the video or audio file for showcasing purposes, should your entry reach finalist status.

Please see the Entry Guide PDF to enter the NYF Advertising Awards competition. Once you have closed your carts, you will be able to input piece details and upload assets for your submissions.

STEP 1 - BASE INFORMATION
--ENTRY TITLE (60 Characters MAX)
--BRAND NAME (40 Characters MAX)
--YOUR AGENCY (CREATED BY)
--CREATIVE DIRECTOR
--CREATIVE DIRECTOR EMAIL
IF APPLICABLE
--FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY
--PUBLIC RELATIONS COMPANY
--HOLDING COMPANY
--AGENCY NETWORK

Please make sure that your Title, Agency, and Brand name all contain proper spelling and correct capitalization. Winning entries will be showcased on our website exactly as they are entered.

--ENTRY TYPE (See ENTRY TPE DEFINITIONS above for Single, Single Plus, Campaign, Etc.)
--RELEASE/AIRDATE (Must be within Eligibility Window)
--SHOWCASE YES or NO (Winning entries will be promoted on our website. Learn more in 11. Exhibition and Copyright below)
--DO YOU QUALIFY FOR ANY OF THE NYF INDUSTRY/SPECIALTY AWARDS?
--BOUTIQUE AGENCY OF THE YEAR AWARD
--BEST NEW AGENCY AWARD
--IN-HOUSE AGENCY OF THE YEAR AWARD
--INDEPENDENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR AWARD

STEP 2 - ASSIGN CREDITS 
Please list individual credits in order of importance with the highest credit first. There is a 40 character limit per each NAME and JOB TITLE field (including spaces).

Winning trophies will be shipped to the entering contact shipping address only. Any return and re-shipping costs will be paid for by the entrant.

See 5. Credits above for additional details

STEP 3 - SELECT CATEGORY
Select the category that most closely relates to your submission’s type of program, primary purpose, content, or target audience.  You may enter the same production or program in multiple categories. There is an entry fee for each category you enter.

THESE CATEGORIES REQUIRE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION (Max. 400 words per field):

-CREATIVITY IN COMMERCE
--INSIGHT/CONTEXT
--EXECUTION/IDEAS
--RESULTS/CONVERSION

-CREATIVE MARKETING STRATEGY/EFFECTIVENESS
--OBJECTIVE
--IDEA & STRATEGY
--TYPES OF MEDIA & EXECUTION
--RESULTS & EFFECTIVENESS

-THE FUTURE NOW (DATA INTELLIGENCE & EFFECTIVENESS)
--OBJECTIVE
--IDEA & STRATEGY
--TYPES OF MEDIA & EXECUTION
--RESULTS & EFFECTIVENESS

-PUBLIC RELATIONS
--CAMPAIGN START DATE
--CAMPAIGN END DATE
--TARGET AUDIENCE
--OBJECTIVE
--RESEARCH
--PLANNING
--EXECUTION
--EVIDENCE OF RESULT
--CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION (ONLY TO BE SHARED WITH JURY)
 

STEP 4 - REVIEW
The “Review Entry” page will detail your Base Information, Pieces, Credits, Categories, and Additional Information (if applicable). Please make sure these details are correct.

When you are ready, click the “ADD ENTRY TO CART” button to proceed.

If you click the “SAVE DRAFT” button, your entry will appear in the “Complete Drafts” section of your Account Dashboard.

STEP 5 - MY CART
Your cart will display any completed entry drafts that have been added to it.

If your cart is empty, please click “Enter” in the header to start a new entry, or return to your Account Dashboard to finish any incomplete drafts.

When you have added an entry to your cart, the following options will become available:
“EDIT” will allow you to return to your Entry Details.
“SAVE FOR LATER” will move your Entry Draft into the Completed Drafts section of your Account Dashboard.
“+ADD ENTRY” will start a new entry.
“CHECKOUT” will proceed to payment.

STEP 6 - CHECKOUT
PLEASE PREPARE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION
If you encounter any errors, please contact processing@newyorkfestivals.com

FEDEX DOES NOT SHIP TO PO BOXES.

PLEASE GIVE US YOUR STREET ADDRESS FOR THE DELIVERY OF YOUR AWARD.

STUDENTS MUST USE THEIR PERSONAL ADDRESS NOT THE SPONSORED SCHOOL ADDRESS. WE CANNOT SHIP TO SCHOOLS.

BILLING ADDRESS
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
STREET 1
STREET 2
STREET 3
CITY
STATE
ZIP CODE
COUNTRY
PHONE
EMAIL
COMPANY

SHIPPING ADDRESS
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
STREET 1
STREET 2
STREET 3
CITY
STATE
ZIP CODE
COUNTRY
PHONE
EMAIL
COMPANY

PAYMENT METHODS
Refer to 2. Processing Fees above for more information

1.CREDIT CARD
-CARD TYPE
-NAME ON CARD
-CARD NUMBER
-EXPIRATION DATE

2. WIRE TRANSFER - $150 Fee

STEP 7 - REVIEW & SUBMIT
Once you have completed all of the fields in Checkout, you can give a final review of your billing and shipping addresses before you confirm and submit your order to close your cart. 

STEP 8 - CONFIRMATION NUMBER
Upon confirmation, an Invoice and Order Number will be generated and e-mailed to you; please refer to this as your record.

Your orders and entries will be displayed at the bottom of your Account Dashboard under “Paid Entries.”

After you receive your confirmation number, you will need to upload your piece details.

STEP 9 - PIECE DETAILS
-PIECE TITLE (No character limit)
-ENTRY FORMAT (See 8. Technical Specifications above for more information)
-JURY BRIEF (800 Word Max): Use this section of the entry process to explain to the jury why your entry should win in the category chosen. This is your opportunity to include any additional context, descriptions, and/or statistics.  You may submit the same written material to all Entry Pieces, or you may choose to differentiate, we leave the option open to the entrant.
-UPLOAD - Drag & drop your file into the space provided to upload your work. To add a new file, please click either “+NEW PIECE” or “+CASE STUDY” to create a new Entry Piece for
you to upload to.If you do not see either of these options, you have used all of your available Entry Pieces. For more space, please consider adjusting your Entry Type.
-TRANSLATION:
FILM 
We recommend including embedded translation in the film as clear, legible subtitles.
Ex: white letters on a black bar
If embedded subtitles are unavailable, please include complete written translations with your submission via the space provided in the entry form.
AUDIO
If your entry is not produced in English, please include a complete English script with your submission where indicated in the entry form.
WEBSITES
Translate only relevant menu sections, headlines and text.

HOLDING COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Is awarded to the holding company that earned the highest combined score for all entries in all mediums, calculated from all points earned by its networks and agencies.

GLOBAL BRAND OF THE YEAR
Is awarded to a brand that earns the highest score for entries in all mediums and has distinguished itself through innovative and creative marketing while demonstrating effective communications.

GLOBAL AGENCY NETWORK OF THE YEAR
Is awarded to an advertising agency network that earns the highest score for entries in all mediums. For consideration to be part of a network, the company concerned must be wholly or majority owned by a network or associated with a network group through naming and/or branding.

REGIONAL AGENCY OF THE YEAR
Is awarded to an advertising agency that earns the highest score for entries in all mediums. The five regions of the world are North America, South America, Middle East/Africa, Europe and Asia/Pacific.

BOUTIQUE AGENCY OF THE YEAR
Is awarded to an agency unaffiliated with a large agency network, employs less than 75 people and has made an impact on the marketplace. In order to qualify for this award, the agency must win at least three different awards for three separate or individual entries. Finalist Awards do not apply. Single and Campaign entries do not count as separate entries. In the event no agency qualifies, this award will not be presented.

IN-HOUSE AGENCY OF THE YEAR
Is based on total points earned, the In-House Agency of the Year Award will be given to the in-house agency that obtains the highest score for entries in all categories across all mediums. Agencies must opt-in for In-House Agency of The Year during the entry process in order to qualify for this award. In order to win In-House Agency of The Year, the individual agency must win at least three awards for three separate or individual campaigns. The agency with the highest scoring entries in total will be awarded this honor.

BEST NEW AGENCY OF THE YEAR
Is based on total points earned and recognizes the impact upstart agencies less than four years old have on the marketplace and their ability to garner international exposure. In order to qualify for this award, the agency must win at least three different awards for three separate or individual entries. Finalist Awards do not apply. Single and Campaign entries do not count as separate entries. In the event no agency qualifies, this award will not be presented.

INDEPENDENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR
Is based on total points earned, the Independent Agency of the Year Award will be given to the non-networked agency that obtains the highest score for entries in all categories across all mediums, irrespective of whether these have been entered by the agency or another party. Agencies must opt in for Independent Agency of the Year during the entry process in order to qualify for this award. In order to win Independent Agency of the Year, the individual agency must win at least three awards for three separate or individual campaigns. The agency with the highest scoring entries in total will be awarded this honor.

FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Is based on total points scored, regardless of whether entries were submitted by the production company, advertising agency, or a third party.

BEST OF SHOW
Is determined by the Executive Jury from among top-scoring winners. The Best of Show will be awarded to the entry that possesses creativity and innovation deserving of this special recognition.

PUBLIC RELATIONS AGENCY OF THE YEAR
The new addition to our prestigious Industry Awards is the PR AGENCY OF THE YEAR. Every entry now has a field to enter the PR company that was affiliated with the work. Based on the medal counts for all of the work attributed to them, the PR Agency of the year will be declared.

IF YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR WORK SHOWCASED ON OUR WEBSITE AND PLATFORMS: Indicate “NO” where prompted in the entry process and contact Processing@newyorkfestivals.com  

All copies of entries submitted become the property of International Awards Group, LLC, and its affiliated awards companies, NYF Advertising Awards®, NYF Health Awards®, AME Awards®, Midas Awards®, Global Awards®, and New York Festivals® (hereafter collectively referred to as NYF), and can be used for supplemental presentations to educational institutions, trade shows, advertising professionals, and the general public. Entries will not be returned.  

Entrant specifically grants a worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free permission to NYF to play or show the entries at award presentations, at NYF sponsored screenings around the world, or in any other public or private presentation with or without charge whenever and as often as NYF and its representatives see fit without any compensation to Entrant. Entrant agrees that NYF may use or process the entries for any purpose, including but not limited to, for the purpose of artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence training, machine learning, augmented human intelligence development, algorithm improvement, or similar data aggregation activities.  

Entrant authorizes NYF the use of any trademarks, animated characters, animals, and merchandised items included in the entries for such purposes. NYF may use entries or license entries or the reproduction of entries in perpetuity, without payment to Entrant or Entrant’s clients, non-exclusively throughout the world, for use in telecasts, broadcasts, videotapes, Internet, data analysis, DVDs, exhibits, annuals, and any other publications including without limitation, television, radio, or Internet presentations featuring the NYF winners. 

Entrant holds or will secure the necessary license for use of all music embodied within the entries. Entrant will fully defend, indemnify and hold NYF, its affiliated companies, assignees and licensees harmless from any talent or other residual charges due to the release of its entries or any third party claims against NYF, its affiliated companies, assignees and licensees resulting from the content of the entries and the intellectual property contained therein. The person submitting entry or entries certifies that he or she has full authority to approve the rights granted herein.

DISPOSITION OF ENTRY

Entries and materials submitted will not be returned and may be displayed, shown, duplicated, published or reproduced for educational or promotional purposes, as New York Festivals deems appropriate. By entering our competitions, the entrant agrees to hold International Awards Group, LLC, and any of its affiliated companies, exempt from any costs or expenses of any claim arising out of any use.

New York Festivals assumes no responsibility for the acts or omissions of those individuals or entities submitting entries pursuant to this notice. By entering, entrants guarantee they have obtained the permission of the rights-holder for any submission. All submitting entities and/or individuals are advised to review submissions with respect to correct name credits and other information.

Winning entries and materials are showcased for up to three years on our websites. After that time, since New York Festivals is not the rights-holder, credit material only is available in the showcase and in the eStore searchable by year and competition.

All of us at New York Festivals wish you and your company great success in this year’s competition for the World’s Best Advertising.

Scott Rose – President, New York Festivals Advertising Competitions
Jen Vizina – Director
John Ottinger – Competition Management

If you would like assistance or have any questions, concerns or suggestions, please contact our Processing Department at: processing@newyorkfestivals.com
212-271-5278