Entry Guidelines & FAQs

All entries are evaluated against four published criteria:

Criteria	Weight
Impact, outcomes & measurement	35%
Earned first thinking & execution	25%
Creativity & strategy	25%
Degree of difficulty	15%

Category selection cannot be changed once you have proceeded to the entry form and submitted payment. We recommend reviewing the category descriptions carefully before proceeding.

After selecting your categories, you will be directed to the detailed entry form where you can provide specific information and upload supporting materials for each selected category.

A single piece of work may be entered in up to three categories. Each category carries its own entry fee and its own supplemental questions. The Confidential & Specialist and Leadership category groups are standalone and cannot be entered in conjunction with other category groups.

Yes, you can save your entry as a draft at any point and return to complete it before the final submission deadline.

The judging criteria are published openly and reward strategy, earned first thinking and measurable impact.

Open submissions: 15 October 2026
Early Bird deadline: 9 November 2026 (US$250 per entry)
Regular deadline: 7 December 2026 (US$300 per entry)
Final deadline: 21 December 2026 (US$350 per entry)
Finalists published: 17 February 2027
Awards Night: 31 March 2027

Any organisation — agency, in-house team, consultancy or individual — that has delivered an earned-first communications campaign or strategy. There is no requirement to be based in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, but the work should have been delivered in or for the region.

The inaugural edition of the Earned First Awards focuses on the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey. Work delivered in or for the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey region is eligible. Global campaigns with significant Middle East, North Africa and Turkey components are also eligible.

The Earned First Awards judge the best work across the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, whether a campaign ran in one market or across many. We made a deliberate decision to avoid category proliferation, given that category/entry fee bloat is a well-documented problem in marcomms awards. However, if entry volumes support it, we may choose to recognise finalists and winners at a local or sub-regional level, at no additional charge to entrants.

Not necessarily — but if a category has finalists, it will have a winner. We would never ask entrants to invest their time or money in attending an awards reception only to discover their category returned no result. Where a category does not attract entries of sufficient quality, no finalists will be named.

There is no formal cap per organisation, but the programme is designed to reward depth of work, not volume of entries.

The Consultancy Performance Index (CPI) is a separate Earned First research property and is entirely distinct from the Earned First Awards. Rather than an awards programme, it is a research process evaluated by the Earned First editorial team — and free to participate in. The Earned First Awards, meanwhile, recognise outstanding earned-first campaigns and communications work, and are open to consultancies, in-house teams, and independent practitioners across the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey. The two programmes operate independently: participation in the CPI has no bearing on Awards eligibility or judging, and vice versa, although Index Champions are typically recognised at the same awards reception as Earned First Awards winners.

Work that was delivered, published, or activated between 1 Oct 2025 and the entry deadline. Multi-year programmes are eligible for the Long-Term Credibility & Transformation category.

Endorsements are not required, except for the Earned First Leadership Award, which requires a third-party endorsement as part of the submission.

Yes. A single campaign may be entered in multiple categories if it genuinely meets the criteria for each. Each entry carries its own form and each category its own fee. The Confidential & Specialist and Leadership categories are standalone and cannot be entered in conjunction with other category groups.

The Confidential Impact Award exists specifically for high-stakes work that cannot be publicly disclosed. For all other categories: sensitive client data may be marked as such, but outcome evidence must be provided to the jury.

Yes. Entries that used AI as a tool in service of the strategy and outcome are eligible. Campaigns where AI use is the primary innovation should be entered in the AI-Enabled Earned Strategy & Innovation category. AI novelty alone does not score well; the jury looks for evidence of human judgement and measurable outcomes.

The main entry narrative should not exceed 1,500 words. Supporting earned evidence may be included in addition to the word count. Quality and precision matter more than length.

Yes. Unlike some awards programmes, the Earned First Awards do not require blind submissions. You may include your agency or organisation name throughout your entry. The jury's independence is guaranteed by its composition rather than by anonymisation.

Evidence of earned media outcomes: coverage, audience data, business or reputational impact metrics, third-party validation. The jury values rigorous, transparent measurement. Where data is commercially sensitive, it may be marked as such, but outcomes must demonstrate proof.

Images and visual assets are not required but may be included as supporting material. Your entry should be led by a written narrative (maximum 1,500 words) supported by evidence of earned outcomes. Visual assets — such as screenshots, coverage samples or campaign imagery — can strengthen your submission and may be used to showcase finalists and winners.

Yes. In addition to the core entry questions, each category has its own supplemental questions tailored to that type of work. Review the category description carefully before you begin writing.

Early Bird: US$250 per entry (deadline 9 November 2026). Regular: US$300 per entry (deadline 7 December 2026). Final: US$350 per entry (deadline 21 December 2026). Each category requires a separate fee. There is no incremental discount for additional categories.

Yes. Earned First Partners receive a 10% discount via a promotional code. The partner discount applies after the Early Bird period.

All entries are non-refundable.

The jury is drawn from earned first experts across corporates, consultancies, media and academia. Jury members are announced on the Jury page. The Confidential Impact category is only judged by Earned First editors.

Entries are scored against four published criteria: Impact, outcomes & measurement (35%), Earned first thinking & execution (25%), Creativity & strategy (25%), Degree of difficulty (15%).

No. The jury is specifically instructed that campaigns which succeeded because they were well-funded or structurally advantaged are not favoured over work that navigated resistance, scrutiny or complexity. The ‘degree of difficulty’ criterion (15%) explicitly rewards this.

Shortlisted entrants may receive anonymised jury commentary as part of Earned First’s competition coverage. Non-shortlisted entrants will not receive individual feedback on their entries.

Entries are evaluated independently in January 2027. Jurors meet virtually in February in small groups (60–90 minute sessions) to discuss shortlisted work and determine winners. Shortlists are announced 17 February 2027.

The inaugural Earned First Awards MENAT ceremony takes place on 31 March 2027 alongside the PRAXIS MENA Summit. Full details on venue and format will be announced later this year.

The Grand Prix — Earned Campaign of the Year — is not open for direct entry. It is selected by the jury from all category winners. There is only one Grand Prix per edition.

All shortlisted entrants will be announced on the Earned First website and newsletter on or before 17 February 2027. The shortlist will also be published on this website.

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FAQs

Judging Criteria

Can I change my selected categories later?

What happens after I select categories?

Do I need to fill separate forms for each category?

Can I save my progress and return later?

What are the Earned First Awards?

What are the key dates?

Who can enter?

Are these awards limited to the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey?

Why are there no geographic categories?

Will every category have a winner?

Is there a limit on the number of entries?

Where is the Consultancy Performance Index?

What work is eligible?

Do my entries need to be endorsed?

Can I enter the same campaign in multiple categories?

What if I cannot disclose client details publicly?

Can AI-assisted campaigns enter?

How long should my entry be?

Can agency names appear in the submission?

What supporting materials should I include?

Do I need to submit images?

Are there specific questions for each category?

What does an entry cost?

Is there a discount for Earned First Partners?

Can I get a refund if I change my mind?

Who are the judges?

How are entries scored?

Are well-resourced campaigns favoured?

Will I receive feedback on my entry?

What is the judging timeline?

When and where is the ceremony?

What is the Grand Prix and how is it selected?

How will I know if I have been shortlisted?

Dates to remember