CATEGORIES
Entrant categories for both students and professionals
01 Advertising Design
Design for digital or print applications that promotes or sells products, services, organizations, or messages. Can be a single piece or involve multiple components within a campaign.
02 Integrated Brand System
A fully designed campaign with multimedia deliverables such as print, web, packaging, wearables, or environmental graphics.
03 Announcements & Invitations
A published announcement or invitation.
04 Book Design
A complete bound book, book cover, or book jacket.
05 Collateral
A one-off creation such as a brochure, handout, menu, iconography, calendar, leave-behind, and/or merchandise.
06 Editorial Design
Print or digital applications of magazine covers and spreads, annual reports, newspaper layouts, and/or general design for publications. Can include single or multiple spreads.
07 Environmental Graphics & Design
Design in a physical space – such as billboards, wayfinding, murals, exterior building signage, vehicle graphics, museum exhibits, tradeshow and/or point-of-purchase displays.
08 Identity Mark
A symbol, logotype, or trademark by itself.
09 Identity System
The application of a logo used in a business card, letterhead, and/or envelope. (Note: More extensive systems should be entered in Integrated Brand System.)
10 Illustration
A single illustration or series—includes flat, dimensional, or digital styles, hand lettering, editorial designs, and comics.
11 Video Spot*
A filmed spot of any length used for promotion. Includes title graphics, commercials, and/or documentary work.
12 Photography
A single image or a series used for print or digital ads, posters, editorials, client websites, products, or documentary applications.
13 Poster Design
Single or series of any size printed poster.
14 Sales Promotion & Packaging
A single piece, series, or campaign—including packages or packaging lines, labels, shopping bags, direct mail, sales kits, etc.
15 Self-Promotion
Any work that promotes your design business or company. Includes client gifts or seasonal work.
16 Website & App Design*
Websites and microsites, app design, game design, VR or AR. (Note: Websites and apps must be published online at the time of submission.)
17 Social Media Content Design*
A single piece, series, or campaign for social media platforms. Includes graphics, images, reels, and videos (up to 30 seconds).
18 Animation & Motion Graphics*
Animated spot, series or campaign – includes stop motion, GIFs, stand alone animations, etc.
19 NEW: Design for Social Impact/ Public Service
A single piece, series, or campaign created for nonprofit organizations that contribute to the public good. Ex. Museums, Orchestras, Ballet Companies, Zoos, Theatre, etc.
20 Unpublished
For Professionals only: unpublished work created with a graphic application in mind. (Note: Unpublished work is not eligible for the Best of Show award.)
*For categories that require an additional URL, please include the full URL in the submission form. If a password is required to view the content, include it in the notes area. For website, animation, and video entries, a JPEG with thumbnails or a storyboard is required with each entry.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Rules
Submission Requirements: All work entered in the ADAI exhibition must have appeared between February of 2024 to February of 2025. All entries must meet eligibility and deadline requirements, be entered in the appropriate category, and be correctly labeled.
Submit only one JPEG file per project entry at the correct dimensions, file size, and file labels.
All information that is submitted through the online entry form will print exactly as listed on any credits and/or awards – ADAI is not responsible for incorrect or incomplete information. All submissions must be paid through the website.
Entrants accepted into the exhibition will be notified via email once judging is completed. Those not accepted will not be notified. Those accepted can find out what entrants were accepted at the day of the exhibition.
Title each JPEG entry exactly as follows:
The file naming process has changed since 2024. Please follow file naming structure as follows – entrants labeled incorrectly are at risk for not being eligible.
Do not include company or personal names in file name in order to remain anonymous.
Do not include any special characters in file name.
Professionals:
Pro_CategoryNumber_EntrantTitle.jpg
Example: Pro_16_MoviePoster.jpg
Students:
Stu_CategoryNumber_EntrantTitle.jpg
Example: Stu_16_MoviePoster.jpg
Suggestions for successful entries:
Multiple pages/items: combine into one organized layout. For books, editorial layouts, and collateral, you may want to include a closeup of typographic detail. It is not necessary to include every page or spread. For visual reference, view our previous year’s exhibition winners.
Requirements
Image width: 3820 pixels
Image height: 2160 pixels
Max file size: 10 MB
File format: JPEG
Awards
Each entry is carefully evaluated by a panel of judges for both students and professionals (student and professional work is judged and awarded separately).
Those with accepted entrants will be notified via email after judging is completed in March of 2025. Entrants will not know which award they have won until they attend the exhibition where awards will be presented.
Types of Awards
Each of these awards are given to both students and professionals.
- Best of Show – The highest honor, given to one entry chosen from all Best of Category winners. This award is only given to published work.
- Best of Category – Awarded to the top selected entry in each category.
- Judge’s Choice – Each judge selects one entry they personally want to highlight with this special recognition.
- Award of Excellence – Every accepted entry into the exhibition receives an Award of Excellence.
Additional Notes:
- ADAI will provide one award per recognized entry.
- Duplicate awards may be available for an additional fee.
Entries Due
FEBRUARY 21, 2025
Entries registered after February 21, 2025 require a late fee of $5 per entry. No entries can be registered after February 24, 2025.
All entry submissions are final and entry fees are nonrefundable.
$40
Professionals
Per Entry
$15
Students
Per Entry
