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AWARDS
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ENTRIES OPEN
Recognizing the executives shaping marketing, advertising and media
For nearly 30 years, the Ad Age Leading Women program has recognized senior executives who drive transformation inside their companies and across the industry. In 2022, Ad Age introduced the Rising Stars award to honor early-career standouts already making significant impact.
Together, the two awards recognize women shaping the industry at every stage of their careers.
Key dates
Entries open: March 24, 2026
Final deadline: Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET
Honorees announced: August 2026
Leading Women Luncheon: October 2026 in New York
WHY ENTER
Being named a Leading Woman or Rising Star signals that you are among the industry’s most influential and forward-thinking leaders.
Honorees receive:
- A feature profile published on AdAge.com
- Membership in The List by Ad Age, a year-round leadership community for honorees across select Ad Age programs
- The option to participate in the Ad Age mentorship program, connecting students and rising leaders across the industry
- Opportunities to contribute to Ad Age editorial coverage exploring leadership, innovation and industry change
- Recognition across Ad Age editorial and event platforms, reaching leaders across brands, agencies, media companies and technology companies
All honorees are handpicked by the editorial staff at Ad Age. Winners will be notified in July and profiled in a feature honoring the 2026 classes of Leading Women and Rising Stars to be released in August.
LEADING WOMEN DETAILS
Ad Age Leading Women recognizes senior executives whose leadership is shaping their organizations and the broader marketing, advertising and media industries.
Honorees are leaders responsible for driving business results, guiding teams and influencing strategy across brands, agencies, media companies and platforms.
Who should be nominated
Senior executives responsible for business results, team leadership or strategic direction across marketing, advertising or media organizations. Nominees typically hold roles such as chief marketing officer, chief growth officer, managing director, executive VP or comparable senior leadership positions.
Submissions should highlight career accomplishments, leadership impact and meaningful contributions over the past 12 months.
Nominees can reside and work anywhere in the world, but entries must be made in English.
Pricing & deadline
There is a tiered entry fee structure for the program.
Regular pricing:
$350 per entry. Ends April 22, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET
Final deadline pricing:
$400 per entry. Deadline May 13, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET
Please pay strict attention to all the entry requirements as fees are non-refundable once entries are submitted.
Questions?
Visit our FAQs and important information sections. If your question isn't answered, please contact awards@adage.com.
RISING STAR DETAILS
The Rising Star awards honors women in non-managerial roles who have made an impact in the advertising, marketing and media world in the last year.
The award highlights up-and-comers who have demonstrated initiative, creativity and growth in their field.
Who should be nominated
Women who have been with their current company for 1–3 years and work in a non-managerial role (they do not manage teams or hold a leadership position that makes decisions for the overall business). Their work should have a clear impact on marketing or advertising.
Judges look for meaningful or measurable accomplishments within the past 12 months.
All entries are FREE and open to women who reside and work anywhere in the world, but entries must be made in English.
Deadline
The final deadline for Rising Star submissions is May 13, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET
There will be no deadline extensions.
Questions?
Visit our FAQs and important information sections. If your question isn't answered, please contact awards@adage.com.
WHAT THE ENTRY FORM REQUIRES
The entry form asks for details about the nominee’s role, career background and measurable impact over the past year.
- Current role and scope: What the nominee does today and what they oversee or are responsible for (such as teams, brands, functions, projects or areas of the business)
- Career background: A brief summary of the nominee’s career path and key previous roles or milestones
- Evidence of impact in the past 12 months: Up to three measurable results the nominee has delivered, ideally supported by quantitative metrics
- Supporting context: Additional details that help explain the nominee’s leadership or work, such as initiatives, campaigns, teams or projects
- Additional context: Information that helps explain the nominee’s trajectory, such as cross-functional collaboration, first-time initiatives, recognition or expanded responsibilities
- Quote from the nominee: One quote that may be published as submitted
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FAQs
We are looking for senior executives who have made significant contributions to marketing, advertising and media within the past year. Nominees typically hold leadership roles and are responsible for business results, team leadership or strategic direction across brands, agencies, media companies and platforms.
This is not a lifetime achievement award; submissions should focus on meaningful or measurable accomplishments within the past 12 months.
Nominees can reside and work anywhere in the world, but entries must be made in English. Entries must be submitted individually; team entries are not accepted.
This is not a lifetime achievement award; submissions should focus on meaningful or measurable accomplishments within the past 12 months.
Nominees can reside and work anywhere in the world, but entries must be made in English. Entries must be submitted individually; team entries are not accepted.
The Rising Star award honors women in non-managerial roles who are making an impact in marketing, advertising or media. Candidates must have been with their current company for 1–3 years, do not manage teams and do not hold a leadership role that makes decisions for the overall business. Their work should have a clear impact on marketing or advertising.
Judges look for initiative, creativity and measurable accomplishments within the past 12 months.
As with Leading Women, nominees can reside and work anywhere in the world, but entries must be made in English.
Judges look for initiative, creativity and measurable accomplishments within the past 12 months.
As with Leading Women, nominees can reside and work anywhere in the world, but entries must be made in English.
The entry form asks for information about the nominee’s role, career background and recent impact. Entrants will be asked to provide:
- Current role and scope
- Career background
- Breakout contributions from the past 12 months
- Evidence of impact (up to three measurable outcomes)
- Supporting context and additional context
- One quote from the nominee
Entries may be submitted by the nominee or by someone else on their behalf. You should ensure the nominee is aware of and approves the submission, as the entry may be published if selected.
Yes. Multiple nominations are allowed, but each nominee must be submitted as a separate entry.
No. Nominees from outside the U.S. are welcome to enter; all entries must be submitted in English.
Leading Women entries require a paid submission. Rising Stars entries are free to enter.
No. All information submitted must be publishable. Do not include anything you do not have permission to share publicly.
Requests to remove or alter submitted information during or after judging may result in disqualification.
Requests to remove or alter submitted information during or after judging may result in disqualification.
All entries are due May 13, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET.
There will be no deadline extensions.
There will be no deadline extensions.
All Leading Women entries must be submitted and paid by credit card online at AdAge.com.
Please contact awards@adage.com if you experience any issues submitting payment.
Please contact awards@adage.com if you experience any issues submitting payment.
Once an entry has been submitted, it cannot be edited through the platform.
If there is a factual error, please contact the awards team to request a correction. Changes cannot be made once the final deadline has passed and judging has begun.
Requests to remove or alter submitted information may result in disqualification.
If there is a factual error, please contact the awards team to request a correction. Changes cannot be made once the final deadline has passed and judging has begun.
Requests to remove or alter submitted information may result in disqualification.
The 2026 Leading Women and Rising Stars honorees will be notified in July and profiled on AdAge.com in August.
All honorees will be celebrated at the Ad Age Leading Women Luncheon in October 2026 in New York.
All honorees will be celebrated at the Ad Age Leading Women Luncheon in October 2026 in New York.
Our awards team is here to help with any technical issues you might experience. Please contact awards@adage.com.
Your account on AdAge.com is separate from the account used for Leading Women or any other Ad Age award program. When you click "Enter now," be sure to register a new account—unless you've previously submitted to our awards and already have one. If you’re still having trouble logging in, please email awards@adage.com.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Entry accuracy and publication
All information submitted must be accurate and publishable by the time the honorees are announced.
Anything included in an entry—including results, descriptions of work or supporting details—may be published by Ad Age. Do not submit information you do not have permission to share publicly.
Entries that contain fabricated work, ghost campaigns, inflated or misleading metrics, inaccurate financials or other misleading information may be subject to disqualification. Ad Age reserves the right to request verification of submitted information at any point in the review process.
Ad Age reserves the right to verify submitted information and to withdraw or revoke recognition if an entry is later found to contain inaccurate or misleading information.
Entry requirements
Please review all entry requirements carefully before submitting. All entry fees are non-refundable once entries are submitted.
We encourage entrants to thoughtfully consider team members from diverse backgrounds and the contributions they have made when preparing nominations.
AI disclosure
Entrants are required to disclose whether artificial intelligence (AI) was used to help prepare the submission materials, including writing, editing or generating any part of the written entry or supporting materials.
This disclosure applies only to the submission materials, not to AI used in the nominee’s work or in work submitted as part of the nomination.