ADC Annual Awards Opened Entries for 106th Edition
Designers and agencies can now submit work for the global competition, with tiered pricing available for smaller firms.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Advertising
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The Art Directors Club has opened entries for its 106th Annual Awards, a program established in 1920 to recognize excellence across creative disciplines. Revenue generated from entry fees supports the organization's ongoing educational and mentorship initiatives.
Why it matters
For smaller creative shops, the program provides a venue for professional recognition while funding industry development. Agencies and independent studios can leverage tiered pricing structures to manage the costs of participation.
The 106th edition of the ADC Annual Awards continues a program launched in 1920, now spanning disciplines from AI to architecture. Revenue from these entries supports 75 professional development and education programs operated by the nonprofit.
The players
The Art Directors Club
A nonprofit organization that manages the ADC Annual Awards and provides industry-wide education and mentorship programs.
DixonBaxi
A London-based design agency that produced the campaign for the 106th Annual Awards.
The One Club
A global nonprofit organization that maintains a partnership agreement with CapCut to support industry creative work.
The details
The program has updated its structure for the new cycle, separating Typography and Type Design/Lettering into distinct disciplines under a unified jury. Additionally, the organization introduced three new packaging design categories: New Product Launch, Packaging Effectiveness, and Unboxing Experience. Participants may also compete for the Paul Manship Medal, which honors a designer's contributions over the previous 5 to 10 years.
Timeline
November 2026: Jury Presidents will be announced.
January 2027: The full jury will be announced.
January 22, 2027: The regular entry deadline for all submissions.
March 5, 2027: The final entry deadline for the competition.
May 19, 2027: Winners ceremony during Creative Week 2027.
Market Landscape
The ADC Annual Awards functions as a century-old benchmark for excellence in advertising and design. This 106th edition continues the trend of integrating emerging technologies like AI into legacy award frameworks alongside traditional disciplines.
Smaller studios and independent creators should review the tiered entry pricing to determine the feasibility of multiple submissions. Owners should also audit their project portfolios for work in the newly added packaging categories before the regular deadline on January 22, 2027.
The takeaway
The ADC Annual Awards serves as a key indicator of evolving design standards across diverse sectors from AI to packaging. Operators should monitor the announcement of Jury Presidents in November 2026 to understand which creative priorities will be emphasized during the evaluation process.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest developments and trends in our Advertising section.
More information
To review categories or submit entries, visit the ADC awards entry portal.
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