industry categories

Campaigns entered into these industry categories will be considered for a Gold, Silver or Bronze ARF David Ogilvy Award. We welcome all types of ad campaigns to enter. If you don’t see your category represented here or are not sure where to enter, reach out to Sara Serpe at sara@thearf.org.

automotive Cars, trucks, motorcycles, gasoline, motor oil, servicing and parts	business-to-business Products and services that are exchanged or targeted from one business to another
direct-to-consumer Products and services that avoid a retail environment or intermediary and connect directly with the consumer	fashion, beauty & home Clothing, eyewear, hosiery, shoes, jewelry, perfumes, cosmetics, furniture, paints, home appliances, cleaning supplies
financial services & insurance Credit cards, loans, mutual funds, banking, additional financial services	food & beverage Fresh, packaged and frozen foods (fruits, vegetables, coffee/tea, meats, cheeses, cereals, canned goods, snacks, etc.), soda, water, juice, beer, wine, spirits
electronics, tech & telecommunications Telephone, internet, and cellular companies, services and/or platforms, phones, tablets, social media, apps, video games, websites, VR/AR devices, sound systems, voice-enabled tech, wearable tech	government, public service & non-profit Municipal or state development, lotteries, utilities, public service messages, political messages
health & personal care Consumer healthcare/OTC products, first aid, skin and hair products, soap, deodorant	multicultural Products and services targeting multicultural audiences/consumers
pharmaceuticals Drugs and medical devices prescribed by a licensed professional	professional services Real estate companies, law firms and legal services, clinics, delivery services (UPS, FedEx, USPS, DHL)
retail & restaurants Brick and mortar and/or online stores selling apparel, specialty products, general merchandise and/or services + restaurants including, fast food, casual dining, white tablecloth, coffee shops, and juice bars (any restaurant establishment may enter)	sports, media & entertainment Sporting events, teams and merchandise, films, music, TV shows, news programs, theater, museums, network, cable, and streaming platform branding
travel Airlines, transit, hotels, rental services (i.e., Airbnb, HomeAway)

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spotlight categories

In addition to the industry vertical categories, Spotlight Categories honor the latest trends in the industry, including awareness about social issues, consumer experiences and data-driven campaigns.
The awards follow the same criteria as the industry verticals, however only Gold and Silver distinctions are awarded in these categories.

best brand transformation

Most brands follow a standard lifecycle trajectory: high growth, maturity, level-off or decline. Exceptional campaigns break that model and reverse flat or declining sales. The Brand Transformation Award honors a campaign that used insights to reverse a downward trend or to chart a new course that reinvented the brand image, created new cultural relevance, or drove growth in an unexpected direction.

best consumer experience

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” (Maya Angelou). Brands are banking on this wisdom and investing more of their marketing budgets into immersive experiences that create meaningful connections with consumers. The Best Consumer Experience Award honors a campaign that compellingly featured the power of experience. A winning campaign could represent either a blended project—showing a mix of brand and consumer experience work— or only consumer experience work.

best new or emerging brand

Communicating the merits of a new or emerging brand can be daunting, whether differentiating from an existing category or establishing a foothold in a new category. The Best New or Emerging Brand Award honors a campaign that used insights to break out among a cluttered industry category or established themselves as a stand-alone brand.

brand purpose new

More brands, especially against 2020’s backdrop of health, social and economic unrest, are focusing on a higher reason to exist than just making a profit. Some might argue that “Purpose” is now the fifth marketing “P.” A purpose-driven initiative transcends product, takes a stand, is aspirational and shows off the brand efficacy and “soul” of the company. Brand Purpose is also not crisis-specific or a one-off stunt. The newly established Brand Purpose Award honors a campaign that showcases the brand’s raison d’etre and relates to something bigger—a contribution to humanity.

data innovation

An abundance of data is meaningless if it does not power captivating creative campaigns. Data can create connected experiences vs. discrete touchpoints and help creative teams deliver passions and interests that align to targeted audiences. The Data Innovation Award honors a campaign that utilized innovative techniques to gather new and/or mine existing data, resulting in an actionable insight.

social responsibility

Changing attitudes and behavior is not just for “selling” products—it can lead to healthier lives, educate entire communities or lend a helping hand to make the world a better place. The Social Responsibility Award honors a campaign that used insights to drive a message of positive change to a target or brought awareness to global or environmental needs. The award recognizes both branded efforts with a social message and/or work on behalf of non-profit organizations and institutions.

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grand ogilvy award

This award will be bestowed to the most outstanding campaign selected from all Gold award winners.

IMPORTANT: The number of levels (Gold, Silver, or Bronze) awarded in each category is at the sole discretion of the jury. This ensures that each campaign is reviewed based on its own merit and not by competing with campaigns in the same category. Recognition in any category may not be awarded at the discretion of the jury.