MAD STARS 2025 Opens for Entries
MAD STARS invites marketing, advertising, and digital content professionals to show their creativity as it celebrates its 18th anniversary. Submissions for MAD STARS 2025 are open until June 16.
NEW CATEGORIES IN 2025 TO REFLECT INDUSTRY EVOLUTION
As the advertising and marketing landscape continues to evolve, MAD STARS has introduced new categories to recognize emerging trends. The new categories expand the scope of the awards and acknowledge the broad range of creative techniques underpinning the world’s best advertising. The categories now feature six Groups, 25 Stars, and 442 Categories providing entrants with a wide array of opportunities to show their work in the best possible light.
1. AI in the Spotlight: PIVOT Evolves to Capture Innovation
The first important addition is that creatives utilizing AI technology can be submitted. The PIVOT category has been redefined to focus on AI, highlighting its transformative role in marketing, advertising, and creativity. The new category aims to spotlight innovative cases that use AI to develop new advertising techniques or enhance consumer experiences.
2. VIDEO Group transforms into the Entertainment Group
The former VIDEO Group has been renamed the Entertainment Group, reflecting the growing influence of entertainment in advertising. New subcategories, including Games, Sports, and Music, acknowledge the expanding role of creativity in shaping culture and artistic expression across entertainment sectors.
3. New Culture & Context Sector for Meaningful Impact
A Culture & Context sector has been added across various categories to recognize work that deeply resonates with cultural contexts and market dynamics worldwide.
FAIR AND HONEST JUDGING BY THE WORLD’S BEST MINDS
MAD STARS 2025 is judged by more than 340 experts worldwide, ensuring fair and high-quality judging that meets global standards. For the Professional division, one online preliminary judging is followed by three final judging (one online and two offline) to determine Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Crystal winners by category, Grand Prix by category, and Grand Prix of the Year. Meanwhile, General Public division winners will be selected based on preliminary judging only.
The Professional division entry fees are structured across three submission periods. Entry fees vary by submission period and the Stars category, ranging from US$250 to US$400 for single entries and US$250 to US$500 for series entries. General Public division entries remain free of charge, find everything you need to know to enter here.
This year, the festival will take place in August in Busan, under the theme, AI-vertising, AI Advertising Marketing Era. A key highlight will be a diverse range of insights, innovations, and success stories revealing how AI is transforming the advertising and marketing industries, along with explorations of the challenges and opportunities the industry faces now and in the future.
KEY DATES in 2025
∙ 1st Deadline (Early Bird): May 9, 2025
∙ 2nd Deadline (Regular): May 30, 2025
∙ Final Deadline: June 16, 2025
Submit your entry by June 16, for a chance to be recognized among the best in global creativity.
