2021 New York Festivals Advertising Awards
Since 1957, the NYF Advertising Awards has been one of the most respected and competitive international competitions around.
Singularly focused on and dedicated to honoring excellence in impactful messaging and effective execution. The mission statement is simple; to facilitate a fair competition where “the work” is placed in front of an extraordinary jury of cutting edge and highly accomplished industry peers. They decide what had the impact worthy of an NYFA Tower: an industry acknowledged imprimatur of excellence in execution, craft and creativity.
DEADLINES AND ENTRY FEES
We’d like to encourage entering as early as possible to make the judging process more efficient. Early entries are rewarded with lower fees.
EARLY DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 26, 2021
SINGLE – $450
SINGLE PLUS – $550
CAMPAIGN – $1000
OFFICIAL DEADLINE: APRIL 2, 2021
SINGLE – $500
SINGLE PLUS – $600
CAMPAIGN – $1200
FINAL EXTENDED DEADLINE: APRIL 16, 2021
SINGLE – $550
SINGLE PLUS – $650
CAMPAIGN – $1500
STUDENT DEADLINE: APRIL 16, 2021
SINGLE – $100
SINGLE PLUS – $100
CAMPAIGN – $100
PROCESSING FEES
Entrants can only submit payment in US Dollars. Your payments can be made by Bank Transfer or Credit Card.
Credit Card Processing Fees – Visa/MasterCard 3% and American Express 3.2% of total order to be paid by the entrant. Shipping costs, credit card processing fees, customs duties, insurance, currency conversion and bank transfer fees to be paid by the entrant.
REFUND POLICY: Refunds of entry fees will only be granted if a 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.
If you have any questions regarding payment and fees, please contact: Accounting@NewYorkFestivals.com
For all other questions, please contact: Processing@NewYorkFestivals.com
ENTRY TYPE DEFINITIONS
SINGLE
A Single entry is one piece or execution of work. Additionally, you may enter one piece of supplemental supporting material, such as a case video or case board. The supplemental supporting material cannot be an execution of work.
SINGLE PLUS
A Single Plus entry is one piece or execution of work plus up to 4 supplemental supporting materials, such as case videos and/or case boards. Only one piece may be the focus of the entry, the supplemental supporting materials cannot be additional executions of work. Multiple pieces of work should be entered as a Campaign.
CAMPAIGN
2-5 pieces or executions of work that were created as part of a campaign. This entry type accepts one supplemental supporting material such as a case video or case board.
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for the 2021 competition, entries must have been published or aired between January 1, 2020 and April 16th, 2021 except entries into the Creative Marketing and Effectiveness category group. Entries in the Creative Marketing and Effectiveness have an eligibility period of January 1, 2019 – April 16th, 2021. All winners must be able to show proof of media buys if requested.
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.
SCAM ADS
New York Festivals was the first advertising competition to ban “Scam Ads”— ads that were never published or were published without the full knowledge and consent of the advertiser. Our SCAMGUARD system encourages jury members to anonymously flag suspicious ads and include comments in support for their suspicions. 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 barred from entering our competitions for a period of three years.
ENTRY PROCESS GUIDELINES
Please see the Entry Process PDF for a step-by-step guide to entering the NYF Advertising Awards competition. Entry Carts that have been inactive for more than 6 weeks will be considered abandoned and will be automatically deleted.
TEXT FORMATTING
Winning entries will be showcased on our website exactly as they are entered, please make sure proper spelling and correct capitalization are used in the title, agency and brand name.
JURY BRIEF REQUIREMENT
USE THIS SECTION OF THE ENTRY PROCESS TO EXPLAIN TO THE JURY WHY YOUR ENTRY SHOULD WIN IN THE CATEGORY CHOSEN.
A Jury Brief is required for all entries to assist the jury in their evaluation of the work. Be sure to include any relevant details that will add context and help the jury understand why your entry deserves recognition.
Several categories require specific information, including Creative Marketing Strategy/ Effectiveness, Public Relations, Small Budget/Big Idea, Brave Work/Brave Client, Innovative and Signal/Noise. Make sure to refer to the category descriptions for any specific requirements
TRANSLATION
If your entry is primarily non-English, you MUST provide a translation or detailed jury brief in the space provided on the online entry form for our jury members. If you are submitting creative materials offline for your entry, a digital translation on CD, DVD or flash drive must be attached and mailed with a copy of your invoice. Please do not send written translations.
FILM
We recommend including translations in the film as clear, legible subtitles. Ex: white letters on a black bar.
AUDIO
If your entry is not produced in English, a complete script in English for radio is required for the jury to understand the entry. Include script text in the translation space on the entry form.
WEBSITES
Translate only relevant menu sections, headlines and text.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Case study videos must not be longer than three minutes in length.
UPLOAD OPTIONS
You can upload your pieces from within the online entry process during Step 2.
– OR –
You can wait until after checkout and add your piece later using the Upload Piece link in ‘My Account’ page under your entry.
Any technical questions may be emailed to:
processing@NewYorkFestivals.com
ACCEPTED FORMATS AND REQUIREMENTS
MP3
MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, stereo or mono, 44.1 kHz, 16-bit sampling, minimum sample rate: 160 kbps.
JPG/JPEG
300 dpi resolution in RGB color, 2000×3400 pixels. CMYK format are NOT accepted.
MOV AND MP4
Must use H.264 compression, 10-bit video sources are preferred (Select “Enable Streaming” or “Fast Start”). Audio must be encoded as MPEG 4/AAC Main Profile compressor with 48 kHz 16 bit sampling. (160 KBPS minimum, 256 KBPS recommended).
WE DO NOT ACCEPT PRORES FILES.
WEBSITE URL
You may submit a webpage as an entry or as supporting creative material. All links must stay active through April 30th, and must be direct links that do not require a login or password.
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.
WINNER ANNOUNCEMENTS
Winners whose entries made the Shortlist will be notified via email and will receive images to share on social media. Finalists 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. The Best of Show, Grand Award, 1st Prize, 2nd Prize, 3rd Prize and Industry Awards will be decided by the Executive Jury at a live session held in New York City.
AWARD RANKING
BEST OF SHOW
GRAND AWARD
1ST PRIZE
2ND PRIZE
3RD PRIZE
FINALIST
SHORTLIST
INDUSTRY & SPECIAL AWARDS
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.
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 seperate 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.
UNITED NATIONS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION (UNDPI) AWARD
In 1990, New York Festivals established the UNDPI awards in collaboration with the United Nations Department of Public Information to honor public service advertising that best exemplifies the aims and ideals of the United Nations, including peace and security; advancement of women’s rights; social development; health issues, including HIV/AIDS; human rights; crime and violence; literacy; sustainable development; and poverty.
All Public Service Type entries achieving Finalist status will be automatically eligible for consideration for this prestigious award at no additional cost to the entering company. All entries are judged by an official panel convened by the United Nations.
CREDITS
Everyone involved in the ad is eligible to have their name and professional title listed on our website, including team members from the agency, client and production company. Name credits may be listed in order of rank, with the highest-ranking team member first.
Entrants should enter the credit information at the time of entry. You will be able to review and update your credits if your entry is shortlisted. A reminder email will be sent and all credit changes after the deadline will be charged $50.
EXHIBITION AND COPYRIGHT
IF YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR WORK SHOWCASED ON OUR WEBSITE AND PLATFORMS:
Indicate “NO” where prompted in the entry process and Email Scott Rose: Scott.Rose@NewYorkFestivals.com
All copies of entries submitted become the property of International Awards Group, LLC, and its affiliated awards companies, 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 worldwide, 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 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, 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.
NYF ADVERTISING AWARDS STAFF
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 – Executive Director
Lauren Murray – Assistant Executive 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
+1 212.643.4800
New York Festivals
260 WEST 39TH STREET, 3RD FLOOR
NEW YORK, NY 10018, USA
(212).643.4800
