2026 entry guide

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 US 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.

PLEASE NOTE
Entry Carts that have been inactive for more than 6 weeks will be considered abandoned and will be automatically deleted. Unpaid entries will not be judged or awarded.

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.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Shortlist will be announced in advance of the final winner’s announcement. These Shortlist winners will be informed of their status via email before being announced on our website, email blasts, social media platforms and through press releases to top publications in the industry.

PROMOTION
Winner’s will be announced on our website, email blasts social media, social media platforms, and through press releases to top industry publications and media outlets.

THE BIG APPLE AWARD
Inspired by the classic saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” the Big Apple Award celebrates NGO/Non-Profit health advertising that champions prevention, wellness, and bold solutions to urgent health issues. Just like New York City—fast-paced, fearless, and always pushing boundaries—this honor goes to work that makes real-world impact through creativity, compassion, and change.


AWARD RANKING
GRAND AWARD
GOLD
SILVER
BRONZE
FINALIST

THE BIG APPLE AWARD

Duplicates can be purchased through our Estore.

ELIGIBLE AIRING
To be eligible for the 2025 competition, entries must have been published or aired between January 1, 2024 and October 24, 2025 to be eligible for submission.

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
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):

YEAR
COMPETITION NAME
ENTERING COMPANY
NETWORK/BRAND
TITLE
CATEGORY

Finalists will 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.

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.

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.

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, CEOs, Directors, Producers, CMOs, 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 (Bronze, Silver, and Gold), 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: TOWER ROUND
All Shortlist entries are scored again based on their own merits. This round determines the Bronze, Silver, and Gold winners.

Once in a while, an idea comes along that stands far above the rest. Determined by the Executive Jury from top scoring winners, the Grand Award(s) will be awarded to the entry or entries that possess creativity, innovation, and exceptionally effective communication deserving of this special recognition.

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 2024, 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 UPLOAD CASE STUDY VIDEOS FIRST
Must not be longer than three minutes in length. Any technical questions may be emailed to processing@newyorkfestivals.com

HOLDING COMPANY OF THE YEAR
The NYF Health 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.

HEALTH NETWORK OF THE YEAR
The NYF Health Network of the Year will be awarded to an advertising agency network that earns the highest score for entries in all mediums across all competitions. 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.

HEALTH AGENCY OF THE YEAR
The NYF Health Agency of the Year will be awarded to an advertising agency that earns the highest score for entries in all mediums across all competitions.

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.