2026
The AYA Inclusion Awards
The AYA Inclusion Awards – a creative recognition of profound distinction, aiming to transform the advertising, marketing and communications industries – spaces that control how we view the human condition and each other. The award is a symbol of why inclusion is good for the world and good for business.
Entries for the AYA Inclusion Awards are open until May 15.
What's in the Winning Work?
Demonstrates Ideas
Entries will need to demonstrate ideas intended to reshape the world; work that sets out to positively impact ingrained inequality, imbalance, or injustice, and should illustrate how the work tackles, highlights or redresses issues of diverse representation and/or shatters stereotypes or stigmas.
Supports Team Inclusivity
Ensuring the team that created the spot is also inclusive will be important.
One work, One Entry
The same piece of work can only be entered once for the AYA Inclusion Award.
Commercial or Non-Commercial
Entries for the AYA can be for any commercial or non-commercial company/client, regardless of the product or service or the medium of communication.
Acknowledgement
The AYA Inclusion Awards is an important acknowledgment that recognizes the power of creativity to reshape the world. By celebrating work that promotes diversity and inclusion, the AYA helps to make the world a more just and equitable place. After all, the world never looks the same once creativity gets a hold of it.
For Example, an AYA Inclusion Award-Winning Entry Could:
Challenge
Challenge
Challenge
Challenge stereotypes about a particular group of people.
Promote
Challenge
Challenge
Promote inclusion and understanding of people with disabilities.
Highlight
Challenge
Highlight
Highlight the contributions of people of color to society.
Awareness
Possibility
Highlight
Raise awareness of the challenges faced by neurodivergent people.
Impact
Possibility
Possibility
Show the positive impact of older adults in the workforce and on society.
Possibility
Possibility
Possibility
The possibilities to change the industry narrative are infinite.
The AYA Inclusion Award celebrates culture-shifting creativity
in the areas of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, religion, disability, neuro, age, body diversity and beyond. In the spirit of equity, all entries are free.
All entries must include the following
Confirm Eligibilty
In the spirt of equality all entries are free. Submitted work must have been active between May 2025 and April 2026. If the submitted work ran before the start of the Eligibility Period then a minimum of 50% of the implementation must have ran within the Eligibility Period to remain eligible for the AYA Inclusion Awards.
Completed Application
Please make sure to include all the required information on the application.
Case Study Video
A case study video describing your campaign must be included with every submission. Each case study must not exceed 2 minutes in length.
Entry Description
A 250-500 word description on the team’s diversity both in front and behind the lens.
On-time Submission
To qualify for the AYA Inclusion Award all entries must be completed and submitted by Friday, May 15, 2026, at 11:59 P.M. Pacific Standard Time. Submitted work must have been active between May 20, 2025 and April 30, 2026. If the submitted work ran before or after the Eligibility Period then a minimum of 50% of the implementation must have ran within the Eligibility Period to remain eligible for the AYA Inclusion Awards.