A-1. Building, Real Estate

Commercial and residential real estate, construction, development, includes all related products, materials, tools and services of real estate.

A-2. Government & Public Service

Municipal or state economic development, lotteries, utilities, civil, diplomatic or armed forces, parks, libraries, public services, etc. Includes political and patriotic campaigns, state campaigns and programs, recruitment efforts.

A-3. Personal Care

Soap, oral care, face & body lotions and cleansers, basic eye and ear-care products (e.g. cotton swabs, eye drops, etc.), deodorants, feminine hygiene products, razors, shaving cream, etc.

A-4. Pet care

Animal care products and services of all types, including food, toys, veterinary and boarding services, training, breeders.

A-5. Leisure & Recreation

Products and services aimed at hobbies, leisure, and recreation, including, but not limited to: dating services/apps, personal development/improvement programs/apps, genetics/ancestry testing services, sporting and camping goods/services, etc.

A-6. Delivery Services

Couriers, package/freight shipping, food & drink delivery, grocery delivery, flower/gift delivery, overnight delivery, package tracking, international service, etc.

A-7. Electronics

TVs, radios, mobile devices, home entertainment, laptops, tablets, cameras, smart home devices, computer hardware, game consoles, drones, VR/AR technology, sound systems, etc. Electronic devices may be aimed at consumers or businesses.

A-8. Health, Fitness,& Wellness

Unregulated products/services focused on consumer health and/or promoting a healthy lifestyle. Includes digital health products, fitness trackers, health/fitness apps, exercise equipment, nutraceuticals, vitamins, energy bars and drinks, etc.; fitness studios; weight loss and fitness programs, training camps and facilities, etc.

A-9. Gaming & E-Sports

All forms of e-sports and single and multi-player video games, including virtual reality, arcade, console, mobile, online and computer games.

A-10. Internet & Telecom

Mobile network providers, high speed internet access services, online services, bundled communications (internet, telephone, and TV), etc.

A-11. IT, Software, Apps

Software, groupware, operating systems, SaaS/IaaS and Cloud based services, software/apps stored locally on a computer/tablet/mobile device, etc.

A-12. Beauty & Fragrance

Includes cosmetics, fragrances, hair products, nail products, skincare treatments, salons, etc.

A-13. Culture & The Arts

Museums, plays, music organizations and festivals, concert series, cultural festivals, theater festivals.Museums, plays, immersive experiences, music organizations and festivals, concert.

A-14. Media & Entertainment Companies

TV networks, streaming services, websites (entertainment, lifestyle, news, trade, etc.), magazines, newspapers, consumer or trade media, radio stations, broadcasters, etc.

A-15. Fashion & Accessories

Includes all apparel, accessories, jewelry, styling services, clothing rentals, etc.

A-16. Beverages: Alcohol

Beer, champagne, liquor, wine, hard seltzers, wine coolers, etc.

A-17. Beverages: Non-Alcohol

Diet and non-diet soda, coffee, tea, juices, milk, milk substitutes, bottled water, sparkling water, energy drinks, etc.

A-18. Non-Profit

Not-for-profit organizations of all types including charitable, social, civic, advocacy, trade, special interest, religious, etc. Includes membership drives, recruitment, fundraising, etc.

A-19. New Product or Service - Introduction

"Efforts used to introduce a new product or service that is not a line extension. Brand new products or new products in a new category are required to enter this category instead of their industry category. Address the category situation and how your product/service was new and the situation you faced as a result of it being new. For example, what specifically was new? Why did the newness matter? Note: For Commerce & Shopper efforts, enter the Commerce & Shopper: New Product or Service Introduction category."

A-20. New Product or Service - Line Extension

Efforts used to support a variation of an existing product that shares the same brand name and is in the same category as the existing product and shares the same characteristics as the parent but offers new benefit (flavor, size, package, type, etc.). New extensions can either enter this category OR an industry category. Address the category situation, how your product/service was new and the situation you faced as a result of it being new. For example, what specifically was new? Why did the newness matter?

A-21. Education & Training

Includes all educational organizations and institutions, training programs, job/career sites, etc.

A-22. Household Supplies & Services (incl FMCG)

FMCG products. Cleaning products, waxes, detergents, floor-care products, fabric softeners, paper products, lawn care, etc.

A-23. Travel & Tourism

Cruises, hotels, resorts, amusement parks, travel websites and booking services, travel tours, tourism campaigns, etc.

A-24. Products & Services For Children

Includes baby food, cosmetic and personal care, clothing, toys and other goods and services for kids etc.

A-25. Food

Fresh, packaged, and frozen foods.
(For snacks & desserts, see the Snacks & Desserts category.)

A-26. Industrial & Energy sector

All products, materials, tools, and services related to the manufacturing, energy production, and infrastructure industries.

A-27. Professional Services

Includes Business/Professional services such as accounting, consulting, legal, staffing, recruiting, domestic services, etc.

A-28. Restaurants

Quick service, casual dining, mid-scale, fine dining, tablecloth, and any other restaurants. Catering services.

A-29. Entertainment & Sports

Includes all forms of entertainment, including movies, TV shows, podcasts, books, music, comics, games, toys, entertainment apps, etc. Sporting events such as the Super Bowl, sports teams, etc. (See Gaming & E-Sports category for video games.)

A-30. Retail

All retail companies (online and/or brick and mortar) with general or specific merchandise such as department stores; clothing, shoes or jewelry stores; grocery stores; home and garden stores; movie/bookstores; discount/bulk retailers; pet care; toy stores; specialty stores; convenience stores; etc.

A-31. Agricultural

All related products, materials, tools and services.

A-32. Snacks & Desserts

Ice cream, candy, chips, cookies, bakery items, nut, fruit and vegetable snacks, popcorn, etc.

A-33. Insurance

Marketing promoting specific products or services related to insurance and the capabilities of financial institutions offering these services. All types of insurance are eligible (home, auto, financial, life, travel, business, etc.), except for health insurance service providers.

A-34. Home Furnishings & Appliances

Kitchen and laundry appliances, air conditioners, carpeting, furniture, decorator’s supplies, paint, wallpaper, etc.

A-35. Business & Office Supplies

Business cards & professional printing, office equipment including printers, copiers, supplies, furniture, etc.

A-36. Automotive – Vehicles

Cars, trucks, motorcycles, vans. Both brand and model advertising.

A-37. Automotive – Aftermarket

Gasoline, motor oil, tires, batteries, paint, quick-lube, oil change, muffler, transmission, windshield wipers, enhancements, etc.

A-38. Transportation

All transportation methods: air, train, bus, taxi, rideshare services, subway systems, bike shares, scooter shares, car rentals, ferries, etc.

A-39. Pharma & Healthcare Services

Pharmaceutical and medicinal products, medicines, healthcare services: OTC, consumer/DTC, devices, professional healthcare (healthcare products that are directed to healthcare professionals), hospitals, HMOs, referral services, dental and medical care services, pharmacies. Efforts may be targeted to healthcare professionals, patients,and/or consumers.

A-40. Finance

Financial products and services including overall corporate/brand image, capabilities of a financial institution or specific products or services. Includes: credit/debit cards, reward/loyalty cards, financial planning, mobile payment services, retirement funds, investment, home banking, loans, mortgage, mutual funds, etc.

B-41. Business-to-Business

For marketing efforts from businesses targeting other businesses. Includes B2B efforts for any type of product or service, from any marketplace segment.

B-42. Youth Marketing

This category honors efforts that successfully communicate to teens or young adults. The entry should be written in a way that identifies how the case was created and specifically directed to this audience, and how it succeeded.Identify any elements in the creative work or strategy that are specifically directed to the youth market and any relevant dynamics and/or nuances, trends, values, linguistic characteristics, and their significance with respect to your submission. Note: Judges may not be familiar with this particular youth audience, so showcase details that may be missed.

B-43. Multicultural

Any effort whose success was dependent on effectively and authentically connecting with a specific cultural or ethnic group. If the entry had multiple audiences, it is necessary to demonstrate results for the specific audience detailed in the entry and the potential halo effect on the wider audience. Identify any elements in the creative work or strategy that are specifically directed to this community and any relevant cultural differences, dynamics and/or nuances, traditions, values, linguistic characteristics, and their significance with respect to your submission.

C-44. Brand Content & Entertainment

This category recognizes efforts that successfully engaged audiences through original branded content that goes beyond traditional advertising. The focus should be on content created to be actively sought out and consumed by the audience for its entertainment or informative value. Entries must detail the content itself, its alignment with brand and business objectives, the distribution and audience engagement strategy, and the measurable impact on the brand and business. Branded content may be produced and distributed by publishers or independently and can include long-form entertainment.

C-45. Brand Integration & Entertainment Partnerships

This category honors brands that have effectively reached their audience via strategic integrations and entertainment partnerships. Submissions should detail how the brand was seamlessly interwoven in an engaging way. Detail the strategic reasoning behind the partnership – why was this partner chosen over others? Clearly explain the selection process of the partner, and how this partnership led to the results that met the brand objectives.

C-46. Experiential Marketing: Live, Digital, Hybrid

This category is to showcase brand experiences beyond traditional advertising – work that truly brought a brand or product to life and interacted with a specific audience to achieve desired objectives should be entered. It may include a re-invented product demo, re-imagined pop-up, or a “brick and mortar” retail overhaul; it may have created a new game, an alternate or virtual reality experience, or an interactive/immersive film experience that effectively showcases a new product or brand personality. Award winners will show how the brand is reaching out to their audiences to establish meaningful relationships, memorable, engaging experiences, and unique connections. Entrants must address how the experiential marketing related back to the overall brand strategy. Judges will expect to understand the ‘participation’ in the experience as a core factor.

D-47. Renaissance

For rebirth campaigns. To enter, your brand must have experienced a downturn of several years and a period of at least six months of upturn sales. Entrants must detail the business challenge, the situation of the brand, the competitive landscape and how the effort succeeded. Note: The entry must address the previous marketing investment and strategy as part of the context and provide detail on the length of the renaissance.

D-48. David vs. Goliath – Situational

This is an award for larger brands that are successfully competing at a disadvantage in their market. Entrants must detail the business challenge, the competitive landscape, and how the business succeeded despite the circumstantial odds. Define your competitive landscape, including the market difference between the David and Goliath to demonstrate why the brand was a Situational David. Note: Judges will deduct from the case without sufficient proof that the submitting brand is a Situational David.

D-49. David vs. Goliath – Traditional

This is an award for smaller brands, or new/emerging brands that are less than five years old making inroads against big, established leaders, taking on “sleeping giants,” beyond their current category and set of competitors to tackle a dominant leader. Entrants must detail the business challenge, the competitive landscape, and how the business succeeded despite the odds. Define your competitive landscape, including the market difference between the David and Goliath to demonstrate why the brand was a Traditional David. Note: Judges will deduct from the case without sufficient proof that the submitting brand is a Traditional David.

D-50. Short-term Effectiveness

For campaigns that may take effect over one day, or up to four weeks. Maximum of 3 months data permitted. Participants should determine relevance between entry and its' category depends on product and the campaign objectives. In the jury process will be account factor of achieve results in a shorter time, or compared to the usual similar campaigns.

D-51. Single Communication Channel

This category is focused on the effective use of a single communication channel, such as TV, outdoor advertising, magazines, radio, etc. Entrants should demonstrate how their brand successfully utilized one channel to achieve marketing objectives, delivering maximum impact on the target audience. The use of just one communication channel will be key factors in the judging process.

D-52. Small Budget: Products/Services

The category is focused on non-profit organizations and associations. To be eligible, an entry may not be for a line extension and must represent the only marketing efforts during the time period. The value of donated and non-traditional media as well as activation costs must be included. A small budget is defined in the context of your competitors' spending in the market. It is important to demonstrate how your campaign achieved effectiveness even with lower financial expenditures compared to other players in the market.

D-53. Small Budget: Products/Services

The category is focused on products/services. To be eligible, an entry may not be for a line extension and must represent the only marketing efforts for the brand during the time period. The value of donated and non-traditional media as well as activation costs must be included. A small budget is defined in the context of your competitors' spending in the market. It is important to demonstrate how your campaign achieved effectiveness even with lower financial expenditures compared to other players in the market.

D-54. Timely Opportunity

This category spotlights effective strategic efforts that were able to generate desired results as a direct outcome from a single significant moment of activity. Cases should show how the brand or product/service was put in an intensely bright spotlight to create immediate, measurable, unexpected, and unconventional impact. The best examples include live experiences, moments, stunts, and tactics, online and offline, perhaps amplified through PR, social media, digital engagement, or even the use of content created in the moment to fuel paid campaigns.

D-55. Sponsorships

This category is for marketing efforts centred around sponsorships. Entrants are required to provide information on the nature of collaboration/sponsorship and strategic rationale/fit behind it, as well as evidence that it was this sponsorship that led to effective results and delivered your objectives. Sponsorships can be between two brands or between a brand and an individual e.g. an influencer/public-life personality/celebrities. This sponsorship can be part of a wider marketing effort or a standalone activity.

D-56. Marketing Disruptors

For efforts that grew the business/brand by changing the marketing model in ways that drive the industry forward. A marketing disruptor of any size can enter. Detail the marketing challenge, the competitive landscape, and how the brand succeeded by changing the existing marketing model for the brand/category.

D-57. PR, Corporate Reputation

Marketing efforts that promote corporations, not exclusively their products. Includes sponsorships, image, and identity. In addition to presenting metrics related to the reputation, entrants are encouraged to also address how these metrics relate to the business of the brand and why they are important.

D-58. Sustained Success: Non-Profit

The category is focused on non-profit organizations and associations. Efforts that experienced sustained success for at least three years are eligible for entry. At a minimum, include at least three years of creative work and case results, and include the current competition year’s results. Work must have a common objective in both strategy and creative executions; with a continuation of core executional elements (e.g., spokesperson, song, theme, tagline, etc.) that demonstrates effectiveness over time. As part of the entry, specifically address how the effort evolved over time (e.g., media choices, targeting, insights, new products/services, etc.). Answer all questions for the initial year and describe how/why change occurred over time. Note: There is a special entry form and different creative requirements for the Sustained Success.

D-59. Sustained Success: Products/Services

The category is focused on Products/Services. Efforts that experienced sustained success for at least three years are eligible for entry. At a minimum, include at least three years of creative work and case results, and include the current competition year’s results. Work must have a common objective in both strategy and creative executions; with a continuation of core executional elements (e.g., spokesperson, song, theme, tagline, etc.) that demonstrates effectiveness over time. As part of the entry, specifically address how the effort evolved over time (e.g., media choices, targeting, insights, new products/services, etc.). Answer all questions for the initial year and describe how/why change occurred over time. Note: There is a special entry form and different creative requirements for the Sustained Success.

E-60. New Product/Service Introduction for Commerce & Shopper

To enter this category, the case must address the commerce/shopper effort surrounding the launch of a new product/service. Whether it is the creation of a whole new brand, a new product from an existing brand, or a new line extension, submissions in this category need to present how shopper insights were leveraged to overcome the barriers faced by products/services being launched for the first time. If submitting an effort that was part of, or inspired by, a national campaign, explain how you adapted it for the shopper and the retailer.

E-61. Category/Aisle Evolution

Some of the most impactful efforts occur when a deep understanding of shoppers’ attitudes, behaviors, and needs lead to innovative category/aisle evolution, whether in-store, online or both. Entrants must outline how the effort utilized shopper activation at shelf or shopper awareness of evolution to enhance the shopping experience and drove greater engagement, conversion, and category growth. Successful entries in this category will be sustainable evolutions and not simply promotional in nature.

E-62. Challenger Brand Solution

This is an award for smaller, new, or emerging brands that are making inroads against big, established leaders, taking on “sleeping giants,” or moving into a new product/service field beyond their current category and set of competitors to tackle a dominant leader. (Challenger brands are defined as having less than 15% of branded market share in the product/service category.) Entrants must detail the business challenge, the competitive landscape, and how their business succeeded despite the odds. Requirements include a definition of the competitive landscape, including the market difference between the entered brand and its top competitors to demonstrate why this brand is a challenger. Note: Judges will deduct from the case if sufficiently proof that the brand is appropriately classified as a challenger brand is not included.

E-63. Digital Commerce

This category is for campaigns that effectively used insights, strategy, creative, and analytics to drive digital shopper conversion. Show how, by utilizing data and a deep understanding of the shopper, the brand and/or retailer succeeded in a digital setting. A successful effort will combine strong shopper knowledge with digital marketing practices to increase conversion online. The effort must be based on a shopper insight(s) and be shopper-driven. Explain the strategy of how the effort went to market. Submissions in this category will be solely evaluated on digital commerce effectiveness.

E-64. Experiential Commercial Marketing

This award features work that truly brought a brand, product, or retailer to life – either literally or virtually – and interacted with shoppers to influence conversion. You may have re-invented the product demo, re-imagined the pop-up store, led a “brick and mortar” retail overhaul, or created a new game/interactive film experience that effectively showcases a new product/brand personality. As long it truly came alive and worked. The winners of this award will show how brands and/or retailers are reaching out to audiences to establish meaningful relationships, engaging experiences, and unique connections. Entrants in this category must address how the experience related back to the overall brand strategy.

E-65. Multi-Brand Shopper Solution

Shoppers are looking for ways to tackle everyday challenges, whether it’s what to prepare for dinner or how to maintain a beautiful lawn – they seek all-in-one solutions. This award celebrates multi-brand/product/manufacturer solutions that came together to address exactly what their target shopper needed. Entries into this category must address the rationale behind the creation of these differentiated shopper solutions. Brands may be from a single manufacturer or multiple manufacturers. Shopper solutions may be developed by manufacturer(s) and/or retailers.

E-66. Multi-Retailer Program

For campaigns that ran with a central idea and executed that idea via dedicated rollouts to three or more different retail chains. Cases in this category will highlight and explain both the cohesive thread working at each retailer, and the specific customizations that were done for each retailer. Entrants should outline the specific barriers and challenges in tailoring their solution to each retailer – elaborating on the nuances among the shopper segment and insights at each retailer, differences in retail environments, etc.

E-67. Omni-Channel Shopper Solution

Winners in this category will represent the best examples of manufacturers and retailers committed to providing effective omni-channel shopper programs. Enter brands that have ensured an effective, connected shopper journey and showcase how manufacturers and retailers are connecting the dots in their engagement strategies to ensure simple, seamless, effective experiences across the shoppers’ path to purchase. In- store, online, customer service, loyalty programs, mobile apps, delivery services, social media, aisle disruption – it could entail anything – as long as the case illustrates how it was all connected to provide a fully integrated “shopper journey” from beginning to end.

E-68. Retail Media

This category highlights the success achieved through strategic collaborations between retail media networks and brands, driving measurable business growth for both parties. Whether digital or instore, or omnichannel, demonstrate how your efforts were tailored to specific customer segments using data-driven insights. Showcase the use of multiple channels, both online and offline, to deliver a cohesive and effective campaign that resonates with your target audience and drives tangible results for both retailer and brand.

E-69. Single-Retailer Program

For campaigns that ran with a tailored, retailer-specific idea and executed that idea at a single retail chain (mass merchants, supermarkets, drugstores, warehouse clubs, pure play digital commerce stores, etc.). The work in this category will provide insights as to how an effort was effectively designed to work with the retailer and the shoppers of that retailer. Entrants should elaborate on the specific shopper barriers affecting their brand at that retailer and how they addressed those issues in a customized way for that retailer.

F-70. Social Media

This category celebrates campaigns designed around social media as the primary touchpoint, leveraging its influence to engage connected consumers. Focus on campaigns where social media was the core idea, not just an element. Provide a clear rationale for using social media, demonstrate its direct impact on audience behavior, and show how it drove measurable business results.

F-71. Engaged Community

This category is about managing effective, engaged communities. Entrants are brands that are creating content, experiences, platforms, news, etc. that get their communities to grow, engage, share, act, or amplify messaging in a way that directly relates to the brand’s goals. State clearly how the brand managed the community, defined effectiveness around the community, what they specifically achieved, and why the engaged community was significant for the development of the brand/business.

F-72. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

This category aims to recognize the use of AI technology to enhance marketing effectiveness. This includes audience targeting, interactive experience, programmatic, content generation and innovation. Entrants should illustrate how AI drove effectiveness, from initially motivating audiences to ultimately driving consumer behavior.

F-73. Direct to Consumer

This category is for effective marketing efforts from direct-to-consumer businesses. DTC efforts for any type of product or service, from any marketplace segment, are eligible.

F-74. Influencer Marketing

This category recognizes brands that successfully partnered with influencers to achieve short or long-term marketing goals. Influencers can range from micro to macro and include social media personalities, brand ambassadors, and bloggers. Clearly define the strategy, target audience, and why the influencer was chosen. Highlight how the influencer engaged the audience, influenced consumer behavior, and contributed to the brand's success by driving measurable business results.

F-75. Performance Marketing

"This category celebrates the most impactful performance marketing strategies, where a combination of tactics generated significant, incremental results and conversions. Describe how you leveraged the synergy between your organic and paid ecosystems to create a halo effect, using datadriven insights, agile testing, and continuous optimization. Your submission should be performance-led, demonstrating how approaches such as (but not limited to) affiliate marketing, paid search, SEO, email campaigns, personalization at scale, influencer or sponsored content directly drove measurable outcomes like increased revenue or leads.

PLEASE NOTE! Download the special entry form for this category – PERFORMANCE MARKETING ENTRY FORM

G-76. Health & Wellness: Disease Awareness & Education

Honoring effective marketing within the healthcare industry. Efforts dedicated to generating funding/donations/support for research, treatment, and care of specific health conditions. Public health and non-profit cause marketing efforts produced to raise awareness/education about specific health conditions. Brand/client efforts designed to educate and/or promote health awareness. Efforts may be targeted to either healthcare professionals, patients and/or consumers. Note: Disease Awareness & Education efforts must enter to this category – they may not enter Positive Change categories.

H-77. Business/Product/Service Innovation

This category awards innovative single marketing and businessactivities or entire marketing programs. Submit any action or business idea regarding innovation for the product, service, or business that has had an exceptionally positive impact on the market position. Examples of eligible activities in this category include: product/service innovation; change in packaging, both in terms of its appearance and size; design, technology or ux innovation for the business, product or service; consumer involvement in product development; operation change, etc.

H-78. Customer Experience

This category awards innovative single marketing and business activities or entire marketing programs. Submit any action or business idea regarding customer experience innovation that has had an exceptionally positive impact on the market position of a business, brand, product or service. Examples of eligible activities in this category include: design, technology or UX innovation for the customer experience; consumer involvement in product development; introduction/change of a loyalty program, introduction of a new distribution channel, etc.

I-79. Cross Media Storytelling

The brand builds up the communication area through the usage of 3+ marketing tools, creates a loud informational occasion around itself and receives a viral effect (earned media). Communication should coincide with the global values of the brand as much as possible, and the content should be relevant to the target audience. This is a large-scale integrated campaign that brought business results, and also formed an image in the long term perspective. The category does not include shopper/trade marketing campaigns, promo sale activation. Participants should describe the idea in detail, eco-system of the campaign, organicity, efficiency and further development of communication.

I-80. Media Idea

This category is about outstanding effectiveness as a result of media-led ideas. The line between what constitutes a creative idea and a media idea is blurring and there are occasions when the media idea drove the entire effort. Of course, media cannot exist without the content, but this award is intended to recognize those cases that were led by the media thinking – where the integration of media and message led to success. The award honors media-led ideas that are powerful enough to become the genesis of the marketing program itself, to the extent that the program would not have been successful without the strategic media idea.

I-81. Media Innovation

This award showcases those who had the insight and creativity to change the way a particular media channel is consumed, or to create a new channel. The award will go to brands who reached out of the conventional approach to grab their audience and effectively engage with them. Whether the effort was one execution or multiple, and/or used one engagement channel or multiple – the work must represent new and creative usage of the media channels we know and love, or have not yet met. Note: All entries must specifically address what was innovative and the results achieved. Address the category situation and provide clear articulation of how the media was used innovatively and how the media strategy/plan optimized the results.

I-82. Media Content Partnerships

This category recognizes brand-media partnerships that created and activated original content beyond traditional advertising. These partnerships should showcase innovative consumer connections through integrated communication channels centered on creative and strategic content. Each activation channel should demonstrate how the media company contributed to the campaign’s effectiveness and impact. Submissions must detail the strategic rationale for the partnership, the selection process, and how the partnership led to results that achieved the brand’s objectives.

I-83. Target Audience Reach In Media Campaign

This category are evaluated the depth of analysis and understanding of the brand role and media in the life of specific groups of consumers, including their needs, lifestyle, values and interests. The reach of target audience should insure a success of campaign in general.

I-84. Data-driven

Data-driven is the application of data and/or technology to connect people to the brand at the right moment/s. These efforts should prove how they specifically utilized data to drive creativity or to optimize media to improve business outcomes (brand kpis, ROI, performance marketing measures, etc.). The best examples will recognize the interplay and application of data, inclusive of automation and AI, to engage with and/or deliver to a precise audience and achieve the best results. To enter, your case must detail the role that data had within the creative and/or media strategy in achieving the brand and business goals.

J-85. Positive Change – Environmental: Brands

Recognizing brands with marketing programs that have measurably shifted audience (B2B or B2C) behavior toward more environmentally sustainable choices, and/or grown demand for more sustainable products and services by incorporating environmentally conscious messaging into their marketing communications.

J-86. Positive Change – Environmental: Non-Profit

Recognizing non-profit organizations and associations with marketing programs that have measurably shifted audience (B2B or B2C) behavior toward more environmentally sustainable choices, grown demand for more sustainable products and services, and/or measurably drove positive impact for their cause by incorporating environmentally conscious messaging into their marketing communications.

J-87. Positive Change – Social Good: Brands

Recognizing brands that are making the world a better place by using the power of their communications platforms for "good." This category celebrates for-profit brand efforts that effectively combined business goals with a social cause (health, education, community, family, etc) and successfully related that cause back to the company's overall brand strategy, resulting in positive business and social impact.

J-88. Positive Change – Social Good: Non-Profit

Recognizing non-profit organizations and associations whose communications efforts have effectively driven positive change for society and successfully contributed back to the organization's purpose. Campaigns must show measurable impact and proven results in support of the cause.

J-89. Positive Change – Social Good: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

For marketing efforts proven effective in solving / impacting a social problem or in expanding an existing program in ways that benefit our society. This is about creating positive societal and cultural change, changing accepted norms and stereotypes that create societal inequalities with inspired action. Examples include initiatives that creating a more diverse, equitable and inclusive society; or creating equal opportunities at work and in wider society for all members of our society. Any effort that sets out to give back in some way for the greater good is eligible to enter, and any/all marketing efforts, whether full campaigns or unique efforts within a campaign are eligible to enter as long as measurable results exist.

J-90. Positive Change – Social Good: PEACE

For marketing efforts proven effective in positively impact the world. Examples include initiatives aimed to change the world: to fight against war, aggression, genocide, crimes against humanity.

K-91. Seasonal Marketing

Seasons, holidays and annual events allow marketers the opportunity to build strategic efforts based on the time-based interests of their target audience. This category honors those efforts that effectively capitalized on a season, holiday, or annual cultural event to drive results for their business.

K-92. Crisis Response / Critical Pivot

This category recognizes brands that successfully navigated significant structural and cultural shifts or moments of crisis (e.g., pandemic, social justice movements, political events) by effectively pivoting their marketing strategy or business activities. Entrants must clearly identify the pivot and explain how the messaging, campaign, production approach, or go-to-market strategy was adapted. Highlight the impact and effectiveness of these actions on the brand’s success. Examples may include shifts in brand positioning, portfolio management, digital acceleration, and more.

K-93. Current Events

For cases that effectively leveraged immediate relevance, interest, or importance via a targeted marketing/PR strategy around current news and events (e.g., World Cup, Olympics, economic situations, social issues, etc.). Note: Annual events should enter the Seasonal Marketing category.