Top 40 Classic

The concept at the core—the "what if" that made everything else possible. Not the execution. Not the strategy. The creative idea itself.

Enter work featuring:

• A breakthrough creative concept that drove the entire effort
• A single, powerful insight that unlocked everything
• An idea that reframed the problem in a way no one had before
• A creative platform with legs beyond a single execution

Examples: Brand repositioning concepts, campaign big ideas, creative platforms, unexpected product or cultural reframes, "why didn't anyone think of this before" moments.

The thinking that set everything up—the research, positioning, and audience understanding that made the creative work inevitable.

Enter work featuring:

• A strategic insight that changed how the brand showed up
• Research or data that unlocked a new direction
• Audience understanding that drove meaningful creative decisions
• A repositioning or go-to-market approach that delivered results

Examples: Brand strategy, communications planning, repositioning work, launch strategies, audience-first campaigns, data-driven pivots.

Flawless execution. The skill, precision, and artistry that elevated the work from good to unforgettable.

Enter work featuring:

• Technical excellence in any creative discipline
• Meticulous attention to detail that elevated the final product
• Mastery of visual, auditory, or interactive elements
• Production quality that stands out in a crowded landscape

Examples: Art direction, typography, cinematography, editing, animation, illustration, sound design, copywriting, UX design, photography, production design.

Work where the media strategy was a creative act—innovative channel use, unexpected placements, or data-driven targeting that made the work hit harder.

Enter work featuring:

• Innovative or unexpected media placements
• Channel strategies that amplified the creative idea
• Data-driven targeting that delivered measurable results
• Media choices that were integral to the concept, not an afterthought

Examples: Media-led campaigns, programmatic innovation, contextual placements, cross-platform strategies, real-time media plays, hyperlocal targeting.

Creative born on social platforms, designed for sharing, and built to create conversation.

Enter work featuring:

• Campaigns created specifically for social platforms
• Community engagement that built real connection
• Influencer or creator partnerships that felt authentic
• Work that sparked conversation, sharing, or participation

Examples: Platform-specific campaigns, influencer collaborations, creator partnerships, community management, social stunts, viral moments, user-generated content initiatives.

Work that showed up in the real world—pop-ups, installations, live events, packaging, product design, and retail environments.

Enter work featuring:

• Experiential activations that engaged audiences in physical spaces
• Pop-ups, installations, or live events with creative ambition
• Strategic evolutions of packaging, product design, or web presence
• Brand experiences that redefined how consumers interact with the brand

Examples: Pop-up experiences, brand installations, live events, retail activations, immersive environments, packaging redesigns, product innovations, website relaunches.

Strategically aligned collaborations between a brand and partner that produced original content built on shared values.

Enter work featuring:

• Strategic partnerships that created high-impact connections
• Original content produced through collaboration
• Work built on shared values and complementary audiences
• Content that served the audience first—without feeling like an ad

Examples: Brand-to-brand collaborations, media publisher partnerships, creator collaborations, nonprofit alliances, branded films, documentary content, podcasts, editorial partnerships.

Creative that addressed social, environmental, or cultural challenges. PSAs, sustainability initiatives, and purpose-driven campaigns.

Enter work featuring:

• Cause-driven campaigns that delivered real impact
• Work advancing sustainability, equity, inclusion, or social change
• PSAs that cut through and drove action
• Brand work authentically connected to a larger purpose

Examples: PSAs, nonprofit campaigns, sustainability initiatives, DEI work, cause marketing, advocacy campaigns, community impact projects.

Work where the idea did the heavy lifting—earning attention through creativity, not paid placement.

Enter work featuring:

• Campaigns with limited resources that delivered outsized results
• Work that earned attention through PR, organic sharing, or cultural relevance
• Scrappy, resourceful executions that punched above their weight
• Ideas so good they didn't need to buy their way into culture

Examples: PR-driven campaigns, earned media plays, viral organic moments, guerrilla tactics, clever hacks, resourceful low-budget executions, stunts that generated coverage.

Creative brilliance that doesn't fit in a box. If your work defies categorization, this is your category.

Enter work featuring:

• Work that genuinely doesn't fit any other category
• Creative that invented its own lane
• Projects that defy traditional advertising definitions
• Anything brilliant that needs its own stage

Examples: Anything goes—surprise us.