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Ad Black Sea is open to everyone involved in advertising, production, media, PR, design and creative industries worldwide, including agencies of all kinds, brands, freelancers etc. The festival is international, entries are accepted from participants from any country in the world (for exceptions please see ineligibility rules).
The Entry must have aired, launched or been released to the relevant Audience for the first time during the period from April 1, 2025 to July 15, 2026. There are two extended eligibility periods for Creative Effectiveness: 2024-2026 and Long Term Creative Effectiveness and Long Term Strategy: 2022-2026.
The Entries that were submitted for Ad Black Sea 2025 in the same category are not accepted for participation.
The Entry must have been created within the context of a normal paying contract (except for inhouse agencies and self-promotion) and genuine brief from a Brand or, if it’s a case of a non-profit organisation, the Brand has approved all of the media/production/implementation. It is not speculative or conceptual advertising, and has not been banned or withdrawn from airing.
The commissioning Brand/Brand-owning company as well as a duly authorised senior officer (CD, CEO or Chairperson) from the Entrant must have given permission for the work to be entered.
The Entry is ineligible, if the Entrant is based in or residing in Russia or Belarus, or the Entry is relation to a project or Client based in Russia or Belarus.
All entries must be compliant with these rules, technical requirements, and must have been launched to the public (published/aired/released).
By uploading and submitting Entry to the competition online, Entrant undertakes to pay entry fees. All entries submitted to the competition will be judged, and the payment of fees will be due, unless the entries are withdrawn, in writing, before August 20, 2026. Entries cannot be cancelled or removed from the competition after this date.
All entry forms must be completed online at: adblacksea.awardhub.org
Entries must be submitted in English. All information provided must be accurate and truthful, and all materials must be submitted for judging exactly as they were published, aired, or implemented, and may not be modified for the purposes of this competition. However, files that are not originally in English must be translated (for example: an English translation in the image footnote, English subtitles for video, or an English translation in the text field).
All judging materials will be presented to the jury in digital format. Please make sure that any material provided can be easily shown to and understood by the jury.
Confidentiality of judging: Entry should not reference the name or logo of the entrant anywhere on the entry form or creative materials. The jury shouldn’t know whose entry they judge (except in the case of self-promotion, in-house work or if the reference existed in the original execution).
All supporting case films and materials are correct and final versions (these cannot be changed once your Entry has been submitted).
It will be in your own interest to explain or translate any specific word play or local, social, cultural or political references and nuances
Digital Presentation Image: a visual presentation of your work, including images and text concisely summarising the brief, execution and results. Format: JPG, JPEG, PNG. maximum size: 7MB Maximum
Case Film (120 seconds maximum): A short film explaining your work in English. Content includes the brief, execution and results. This will be used in judging and displayed publicly. Format: MOV/MP4, Size: 1GB Maximum.
Supporting Images: Digital images that may help support your entry in the jury room. Maximum 5. Only to be included if necessary and relevant. Format: JPG, JPEG, PNG. maximum size: 7MB Maximum
URL: Direct link to your digital execution e.g. website, microsite, app download page or social media page. If your direct link is not in English, you may provide a URL which leads to a page which explains your work in English. In order to avoid your work being withdrawn from the festival, your URL must be accessible online at least until 15th September 2026.
Awards Show Film. Submitted only if original film is longer than 3 minutes. A 60 second edit of your film. This will be shown at the award show, should your work win Gold.
Advertising Campaigns, Brand Experience & Activation, Creative Effectiveness, Creative Strategy, Design & Branding, Digital & Mobile, Media, Out of Home, Sustainable Development Goal:
Film, Film Craft, Print & Publishing, Visual Craft*:
*Certain categories within Film and Print & Publishing Disciplines have a different fee, for details, please see the category list, or Entry Kit
All pending invoices can be viewed under My Entries/Invoices. Card Payment Link will be generated within 48 hours after submitting the entry and sent via e-mail.
All prices include applicable taxes and payments can be made in GEL or EUR.
Entrant must cover all bank processing fees.
By uploading and submitting Entry to the competition online, you undertake to pay entry fees. All entries submitted to the competition will be judged, and the payment of fees will be due, unless the entries are withdrawn, in writing, before August 20, 2026. No refunds will be available for withdrawn Entries.
Entries may be submitted into 13 disciplines, each comprising several categories. Each category has its own shortlist and winners (GOLD, SILVER, BRONZE). Only those who achieve GOLD in at least one category will have the opportunity to be named the BEST OF their Discipline.;
When a work is designated as BEST OF, it no longer retains the GOLD title.
There is no limit to the number of winners. However, the jury reserves the right to withhold prizes if entries do not meet the evaluation criteria. In certain instances, special prizes may be awarded.
Based on the outcomes across all disciplines, the Jury will select the festival’s best entry from the pool of BEST OF and GOLD winners. This entry will then be awarded the FESTIVAL GRAND PRIX.
Eligible entries may also qualify for an additional award - FESTIVAL GRAND PRIX FOR GOOD, which is given to works that focus on humanitarian and charitable causes.
When an entry receives a higher award, it no longer retains points for Shortlist. The maximum points for Shortlists are 10. When an entry is awarded the FESTIVAL GRAND PRIX title, it retains any other prize previously received, though the points are not cumulative.
Based on the results, the festival will award Best Agency of the Festival. It may also present two conditional titles:
