AARON AWARDS OPENS FOR 2027 WITH EXPANDED CATEGORIES AS AI ADVERTISING COMES OF AGE

The AARON Awards, the world’s first programme dedicated to AI creativity in advertising, has opened entries for its 2027 edition. With expanded industry categories, an enhanced international jury and free submissions until January, the awards aim to reflect the growing sophistication and commercial adoption of AI-driven advertising worldwide.

The AARON Awards, the world’s first awards programme dedicated exclusively to AI creativity in advertising, has officially opened submissions for its 2027 edition, signalling a new phase in the evolution of artificial intelligence within the global advertising industry.

After a successful inaugural year that attracted entries from 45 countries, the awards return with an expanded structure designed to reflect the increasing volume of AI-generated work being commissioned by brands and agencies. Organisers believe the changes mark a turning point for a sector that has rapidly evolved from experimental projects to mainstream commercial production.

The first edition was dominated by speculative advertising, with the Best AI Spec Ad for Brand category receiving the highest number of submissions. While organisers expect independent experimentation to remain an important part of the awards, they anticipate far more commercially commissioned work in 2027.

“Last year, spec advertising was our biggest category, and for good reason. It gave artists the freedom to experiment, develop their craft and demonstrate what was possible without waiting for a client brief,” said Vinne Schifferstein Vidal, Co-Founder of the AARON Awards.

“But the market has moved considerably since then. We’re seeing more AI work commissioned by major brands, more sophisticated production workflows and a growing number of creative professionals making AI a central part of commercial production. We expect that shift to be reflected in this year’s entries.”

In response to those developments, the awards have introduced a more detailed category structure. New industry-specific awards will recognise AI-driven creativity across sectors including automotive, fashion, beauty, retail and technology, alongside other major advertising industries.

The new additions will complement existing craft and technical categories that celebrate disciplines such as hybrid production, real-time experiences, workflows and key-frame creation. The Spec Ad category will also return, ensuring independent artists and self-initiated projects continue to have a platform.

Marie-Céline Merret Wirström, Co-Founder and Curator of the AARON Awards, said the expanded programme aims to encourage bolder creative thinking as AI tools become increasingly embedded in the creative process.

“We’re hoping to see even greater creative ambition this year. As generative AI becomes part of everyday creative workflows, there’s more room to take risks, explore unexpected ideas and push the craft further,” she said.

“Our expanded categories give that ambition more space, recognising different disciplines and the particular creative challenges of each industry. We’re excited to see work that surprises us and takes brand storytelling somewhere new.”

The 2027 edition will also feature an expanded international jury drawn from some of the most influential organisations in advertising and technology. New judges include PJ Pereira of Silverside AI, Theresa Ong of Meta, Charlotte Glennon of Colenso, Vix Jagger of Droga5, Kavan Cardoza of Phantom X, Maria Devereux of Accenture Song and Caio Del Manto of Euphoria Creative.

Returning jury members include representatives from Monks, Envato, Code and Theory, ElevenLabs, HumAIn, Promptr, AIgency AMS and Superheroes.

Pereira, who will serve as jury president, said the awards are focused on recognising excellence rather than technology for its own sake.

“There’s a massive difference between simply making something and making something great,” he said. “They’re using the technology to push the craft forward, and that’s exactly the kind of work we should be celebrating.”

Supported once again by partners Envato and Lighthouse AI Academy, the awards are offering free submissions until 15 January 2027 to encourage participation from independent creators, emerging studios, agencies, production companies and in-house brand teams. Entries will remain open until 28 February, with winners set to be announced during the global AARON Awards show in mid-April 2027. Submissions are now open at www.aaronawards.com.