The Internet Advertising Competition is open to all organizations and individuals involved in the process of developing all forms on Internet advertising. Ads eligible for entry must have run at some time during the period from January 1, 2024 until January 31, 2025.
The person submitting the entry will be considered the "nominator" and will receive all communications regarding the Awards and will be the only person allowed to make changes to the entry data once it is submitted. You do not have to be a member of the Web Marketing Association (WMA) to enter the Internet Advertising Competition Awards.
Entries must be accessible online via a single URL. Entries must be submitted online using the official IAC Online Entry Form. To access the entry form, you first need to create a free nominator account. This account will allow you to enter multiple entries without having to reenter your personal contact information each time and will be central point of communications about your entries.
Entries should be submitted on a single HTML page containing your creative and/or each element of the campaign or a URL leading directly to the website or creative element. The page may be password protected (provided you enter this information on the entry form) and available to the IAC judges. The HTML page must show the creative to be judged for that entry only. However, entries may also include a link to a page showing how the entry was displayed in use if available. It is important that the judges be able to determine exactly what creative is to be reviewed with each entry so it is advisable to include direct links to the creative rather than a single page for all of the organization's entries.
If you are submitting a voice skill or action, please submit the URL of the page which allows the skill or action to be enabled. In Alexa, you will see a share option that will allow you to copy the page's URL.
Entries not containing a valid URL link to the entered ads may be disqualified. An advertisement is considered entered after a completed Entry Form is logged by the WMA server and payment of the entry fee is received by the WMA prior to the competition deadline. When an entry is processed, the nominator will receive an email receipt confirming the entry and it will be reflected in the nominator account.
The Internet Advertising Competition judges represent all aspects of the advertising and Internet worlds. Entries will be judged on the judging criteria and compete head-to-head with other entries within their specific category.
Judging Criteria:
Our judges are experienced professionals with an in-depth understanding of the current state-of-the-art in advertising design and technology and the objectivity to score entries according to a predefined set of criteria.
Our 2025 judges represented some of the best the Internet Advertising community has to offer. Our past judges work for leading companies such as: Arc Worldwide, Blue Coda, BlackRock Investments, Brunner Digital, Campbell-Ewald, CNN News Group, Deep Interactive Asia, Digitas, EuroRSCG 4D, Google, IBM Interactive, imc2, JWT, LeapFrog Interactive, Mass Transmit, McCann Worldgroup, Razorfish, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Tectis GmbH, TMP Worldwide, Universal McCann Interactive, Weber Shandwick and Wunderman / Y&R. We expect most of these long-term judges to return for the 2025 program.
Internet Advertising Competition Awards will be given to those entries that the judges rate as best within each industry category. Award winners will receive a handsome trophy customized for their entry.
Entries not winning the top award in their category will be eligible for an Outstanding Advertising Award based on upon the total score. Award winners will receive a personalized certificate, suitable for framing, to acknowledge their achievement.
No award will be issued if, in the opinion of the judges, all entries within a given category do not meet a high standard of excellence.
A Best of Show award will also be selected in each of the advertising format categories.
The agency that wins the most awards in a single show will be given the Top Agency Award and be singled out for special recognition in our winners press release.
Agencies that demonstrate excellence across multiple entries will also receive special recognition. The Outstanding Interactive Developer Award will be awarded to those organizations who win 6 or more awards in a single competition.
Judging categories are based upon Industry and Format
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Advertising Advocacy Airline Application Service Provider Arts Associations Auction Automobile B2B Bank Beverage Biotechnology Broadcasting Brokerage Catalog Computer: Hardware Computer: Retailer Computer: Software Cooking and Recipe Construction Consulting Consumer Goods Cooking and Recipe Credit Union Design Directory or Search Engine Diversified Business Education Employment Energy Entertainment |
Environmental Events E-Zine Faith-based Family Financial Services Food Industry Game Site General Interest Government Health Care Home Building Hotel and Lodging Information Services Institutional Services Insurance Interactive Services International Business Internet Service Provider Intranet Investor Relations Investment Legal Leisure LGBT Magazine Marketing Manufacturing Media Medical |
Military Mobile Movie Music Mutual Fund News Newspaper Non-Profit Online Community Other Pharmaceuticals Portal Professional Services Public Relations Publishing Radio Real Estate Regional Restaurant Retail School Shopping Small Business Sports Telecommunication Toy & Hobby Transportation Travel University |
Voice Skill or Action (Alexa skill or Google Assistant Action used in branding)
Online ad (including Banner, Pop-up, Interstitial, or floating ad)
Online campaign (including Banner, Pop-up, Interstitial, or floating ad)
Email message (ad delivered via email)
Email message campaign (ad delivered via email)
Online Newsletter campaign
Websites* (website, microsite or landing page used in advertising process)
Interactive application (executable file delivered online)
Mobile Applications (apps for use on mobile devices such as iPhone, Android)
Social Media Campaign (apps and campaigns used on social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or LinkedIn)
Online Video
Integrated ad campaign (campaign using two or more of the above online media)
The campaign categories are open to advertising campaigns consisting of no less than three and no more than five ads
used to promote a single product, brand, or concept.
Nominators may enter ads in multiple categories, if appropriate. For example, ads appearing as part of a campaign may also be entered as a single ad in the same or a different category. However, separate entry forms and fees are required for each category entered.
* Please note: In the IAC Awards, websites are judged for their advertising qualities, not overall web development. The annual WebAward competition is better suited for the evaluation of total website development.
The fees for the 2025 Internet Advertising Competition Awards are $199 for single entries and $225 for campaign, websites and interactive applications categories. The non-profit industry category will receive a reduced entry fee of $149 for all entries.
Entry fees are payable through our secure server via credit card (MasterCard, Visa, American Express) or by check. Nominators wishing to submit their payment by check must submit their entry using the online entry form prior to submitting payment. Checks must be issued in US Dollars from a US bank. A receipt or invoice for entry fees will be generated by the online entry form submission process.
To submit entry fees by mail, please make checks payable to Web Marketing Association. Submit the entry online and then
mail the check along with printed entry application to:
Web Marketing Association
P.O. Box 475
South Wellfleet, MA 02663
The WMA cannot bill firms for entry fees. WMA is not responsible for incomplete or disqualified entries. Entry fees for incomplete or disqualified entries are non-refundable.
In the event that the entry deadline is extended, there will be a $50 late fee for any entry submitted after the deadline of January 31, 2025.
The deadline for entering the 2025 Internet Advertising Awards Competition is Tuesday, January 31, 2025. Any entries submitted after the original deadline, if the deadline is extended, are subject to a late fee. Winners will be notified by e-mail prior to the general announcement of winners expected to be in March 2025.