2026 American Advertising Awards

Entry deadline: January 23

Late deadline: January 30

Judging begins: February 6

Enter Competition

The American Advertising Awards celebrate the power of creativity and the brilliant teams behind it.

This is your opportunity to compete with the best in the Bay area and the chance to gain local, regional, and national recognition for your work.

Whether you're an independent creator, agency, in-house team, or student, the AAF SF Bay Area competition is your launchpad to the next level.

We’ve made a few enhancements to the 2025–26 AAF SF Bay Area competition that reflect our region’s creative strengths and support more inclusive recognition:

Influencer of the Year

A new category introduced at the SF Bay Area competition level only. This means it will be judged and awarded in the SF Bay Area. Winners here do not advance to district or national competition.

Video

We've also introduced production budget-based subcategories in two existing categories:

  • Television Advertising

  • Integrated Consumer Campaigns

    These are designed to better reflect the scope of work at different production levels. Eligible winners in these budget-based subcategories will roll up into the national-level category definitions if advanced.

Podcasts

In the Podcast category, we've added an SF Bay–specific subcategory for work targeting local audiences.

While the Podcast category itself exists at the national level, this local-targeting subcategory is unique to our competition. Eligible winners from this category may still advance to regional or national.

Judging & Finalists

Entries that receive top scores from our judges will be designated shortlisted finalists. Finalists awarded Gold and Silver will be revealed at the AAF SF Bay Area Gala & Awards Gala.

Recognition for outstanding work includes:

    • Best of Show 

    • Best of [Category Name] – awarded at the discretion of the judging panel

    • The Mosaic Award – honoring work that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion

    • Additional recognition to be announced

Entry Fees

Entry fees listed are good through the deadline day. Any entries submitted after the deadline day are subject to a late fee.

Professional Competition – AAF SF Bay Area Members
Request your member discount code by emailing marklandon@greatersf.org

  • Individual Entry: $170

  • Campaign Entry: $205

Professional – Non-Members

  • Individual Entry: $240

  • Campaign Entry: $275

First-Time Entrants
If this is your first time entering (or haven’t entered in 5+ years), you can receive a $50 discount per entry. Request your discount code at marklandon@greatersf.org


Student Competition

Student Individual: $55
Student Campaign: $65


NOTE: Save on professional entries by joining AAF SF Bay Area. To receive member prices, please request Member Discount Code at marklandon@GreaterSF.org

Note: Discounts may not be combined

FAQs

  • No. You do not have to be a member of AAF SF Bay Area (or another AAF Organization) to participate in the American Advertising Awards. However, members do receive discounts on entries and admission to the gala. Depending on the number of entries you submit, you may find that it is more valuable to join and receive the member discount.

  • Yes! You can submit as many entries as you wish into as many categories as you wish.

  • We will inform everyone in the competition whether any of their entries were named as a winner. We will not announce which specific entries won or what award they will be given until the gala.

  • If you are not sure of the category to enter, please send your question with information about the entry to MarkLandon@GreaterSF.org. He will be able to help you. If you enter in the wrong category, you won’t be disqualified, we will simply move it to the correct one.

  • If you are currently a student, or a 2024 graduate, you can enter work created as a student in 2024 the student categories. If you created work for clients in 2024, whether or not you were a student, you must enter those in the professional categories.

  • What makes the entries eligible for the San Francsico Competition is where the entrant is located, not the client. Therefore, your clients could be from anywhere in the world, as long as the creative concepts were managed or created from your office within the Bay Area.

  • You can submit entries in any language. We do request that if the entry is not in English that you submit a translation with it. This can be as a separate document or through subtitles, if it is a video.

  • In the professional competition, the entry must respect all copyrights owned by others, including music, artwork and other items. In the student competition, it is not required that you receive permission to use copyrighted items since the entry was never intended for use in the marketplace.

If you have additional questions, join us at the FAQ webinar in January or email marklandon@GreaterSF.org