PROFESSIONAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE
12:00 p.m. January 17, 2025

STUDENT SUBMISSION DEADLINE
12:00 p.m. January 27, 2025

ABOUT THE AWARDS COMPETITION

The American Advertising Awards is the advertising industry's largest and most representative competition, attracting nearly 35,000 entries every year in local AAF competitions. The mission of the American Advertising Awards is to recognize and reward the creative spirit of excellence in the art of advertising.

Conducted annually by the AAF, the local tier is the first of a three-tier, national competition. Concurrently, across the country, local entrants vie to win an ADDY Award—recognition as the very best in their markets. At the second tier, local Club winners compete against winners from other local clubs in one of 15 district competitions. District awards winners are then forwarded to the third tier, the national stage of the American Advertising Awards. Entry in your local competition is the first step toward winning a national award.

Entering the American Advertising Awards supports the entire advertising industry, because the AAF and its local and district affiliates use the proceeds to enhance advertising through programs such as public service, internships, advocacy groups, advertising education, and consumer awareness.

Selection of the most creative entry in each category is affected by a scoring process in which a panel of judges evaluates all creative dimensions of every entry. A Gold award is recognition of the highest level of creative excellence and is judged to be superior to all other entries in the category. Entries that are also considered outstanding and worthy of recognition receive a Silver award. The number of awards given in each category is determined by the judges, based on the relative quality of work in that category.

ELIGIBLE MARKETS

The following Middle Tennessee cities fall within the boundaries of AAF Nashville, and are eligible to compete in this competition. If your city is not listed, but is located within the boundaries of the cities listed, you are also eligible to compete. If you are unsure about your eligibility, please email AAF Nashville awards chair, Susan Hart, susan.hart@finnpartners.com. The eligible cities/boundaries are: Nashville, Ashland City, Carthage, Clarksville, Columbia, Cookeville, Dickson, Fayetteville, Franklin, Gallatin, Hendersonville, Lebanon, Murfreesboro, Sparta, Springfield and Shelbyville Tennessee.

ELIGIBILITY / GEOGRAPHIC CONSIDERATIONS

All work entered into The American Advertising Awards competition for the current year must have first appeared in the media between January 1 and December 31 of the previous year. With the exceptions of Public Service Pro Bono categories and Advertising Industry Self-Promotion categories, work entered must have been the result of paid creative services and media placement in the normal course of business (excluding student entries). Entries must be submitted in the CBSA, DMA or MSA where the work was created (as defined by Arbitron or Nielsen for your local market). In the event that there are entrants located in markets not served by a local Club affiliated with the show, the acceptance, processing, judging, forwarding and fees of those entries will be decided by the governing body of the district in which the entrant is located.

AWARDS PRESENTATION

Entries will be judged during the judging period and winners will be subsequently notified. Winners will then be recognized at the official American Advertising Awards ceremony that typically takes place in February.

Gold award winners will automatically be forwarded to the District competition and AAFN will pay all forwarding fees. Silver award winners are eligible to advance, but the forwarding fees will be the responsibility of the entrant. Silver award winners from the AAFN will be contacted by a representative from AAF District 7 to see if they want their entries forwarded to the next level of competition prior to that level's judging period.

In addition to the chance at winning an award, entrants will also be in the running for several superlative awards. These awards will not be announced until the awards show.

QUESTIONS

If you have questions or need help, feel free to contact Susan Hart at susan.hart@finnpartners.com.