Everything you need to know about the American Advertising Awards

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It’s that time of year again—creatives across Birmingham are getting ready to submit their best work to the 2025-2026 American Advertising Awards, also known as the ADDY’s, one of the most respected competitions in the advertising industry. Whether you’re a designer, writer, videographer, marketer or student looking to make your mark, now’s your chance to compete on the local, district and national stages.

Here’s your guide to submitting work for this year’s competition, including deadlines, entry fees and what makes the ADDYs such a major moment for the creative community.

How the American Advertising Awards work

Each year, the American Advertising Federation (AAF) conducts the American Advertising Awards as the largest creative competition in the industry—drawing more than 40,000 entries nationwide. It all starts at the local level.

The first phase is the local Ad Club competition, where entrants submit their work to be judged within their market. Local winners then advance to one of 15 district competitions, where they compete against the best work from surrounding regions. From there, district winners move on to the national American Advertising Awards, where gold, silver and bronze ADDYs represent the highest recognition of advertising excellence in the U.S.

For Birmingham creatives, this multi-tier system means that a single strong entry can take you from a local win all the way to the national stage.

“The American Advertising Awards is our biggest event of the year. We encourage everyone to get their entries in by January 16th and be part of this celebration of local talent.” 

Jason Lovoy, President at Infomedia and AAF-Birmingham board member

Submission deadlines for AAF Awards

Submitting your work this year is all about timing. Here are the key dates you need to know:

• Submission Start: December 1, 2025
• Submission End: January 19, 2026
• Late Entry Period: January 20–23, 2026

If you’re planning to enter multiple pieces or campaigns, it’s best to plan ahead—especially if you want to take advantage of discounted early-bird pricing.

Early-bird, regular + late submissions

To make entering more accessible for everyone, AAF Birmingham is offering three pricing windows this year:

• Early Bird (Dec. 1–8, 2025)
  • Professional entries receive a $10 discount
  • Student entries receive a $5 discount

• Regular Entries (Dec. 2, 2025–Jan. 18, 2026)
  • Standard rates apply.
  • Great option if you’re finalizing work or submitting close to the main deadline.

• Late Entries
  • (Jan. 20–23, 2026) Anything submitted after 11:59PM on Jan. 23 will not be accepted.
  • A late fee of $80 applies to professional submissions.
  • Students submitting late pay an additional $10.

Entry fees for AAF Awards

Members of AAF Suncoast receive 50% off when entering the competition. Here’s the full breakdown:

• Member Single Entry: $125
• Non-Member Single Entry: $215
• Member Campaign: $160
• Non-Member Campaign: $289
• Student Entry: $50

Whether you’re submitting a single video, a full campaign, a branding system, a social series or anything in between, these fees cover your work for local judging and—if you win—advancement through the next two tiers.

Submit your work today!

The American Advertising Awards aren’t just about trophies—they’re about visibility, credibility and momentum. Winning locally puts your work in front of respected judges and top industry pros. Advancing to the district or national levels brings even more exposure and places you among the best creative minds in the country.

Even if this is your first time entering, it’s an incredible opportunity to showcase your skills, elevate your portfolio and gain recognition for the work you’re already proud of.

Submit your information on AAF Birmingham’s website today!

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