2026 Program Summary

OPEN FOR ENTRIES December 15, 2025

The ANA In-House Excellence Awards showcase the incredible creativity and innovation of in-house marketing teams across multiple categories. It is designed to feature the most creative, strategic, and growth-driving marketing and advertising.

Entry Deadlines

• Call for Entries: December 15, 2025
• Early Bird Deadline: February 6, 2026
• Standard Deadline: February 20, 2026
• Final Deadline: March 20, 2026

Entry Fees (ANA Member Rate/Nonmember Rate)

• Application Fees
  • Early Bird Deadline: $400/$500
  • Standard Deadline: $500/$600
  • Final Deadline: $600/$700
• Additional Entry Fees (If selected as part of your application. The following fees do not change based on your entry date.)
  • Entry Audit (2025 or 2026): $250 if purchased at the same time as you submit your entry
  • In-House GEM Award: $350
  • In-House Agency of the Year: $400
  • In-House Leader of the Year: $400

Team Eligibility

Anyone working as part of an internal team, whether within a client-side marketer, retailer, media company, non-profit, or educational institution. For the In-House Leader of the Year Award, any leading individual of an internal team is eligible.

Specifically for the Small Team Featured Categories, only in-house teams of 25 full-time staff or less are able to enter.

Work Eligiblity

Any marketing asset, campaign, or project that the in-house agency is at least 50% responsible for creating to promote their company's brand, product, or service. Any marketing asset, campaign, or project that was created with less than 50% of the in-house agency's involvement will be disqualified. The marketing asset, campaign, or project must have gone live/ran in-market from January 1 to December 31, 2025.

All entries must be submitted in English, but creative containing all languages are wecome. Please be sure to include English translations for creative materials written or spoken in other languages.

You may enter as many campaigns in as many categories as you wish. Teams often enter the same piece of work into multiple categories. Review the category descriptions closely - you may need to slightly modify your case story for each category you enter to ensure it's a match for what a category is looking for.

Why enter the ANA In-House Excellence Awards?

• Receive the recognition you deserve
  Show off your expertise and industry leadership to executives and internal clients with an award uniquely designed to celebrate the work of in-house agencies.
• Raise the profile of your in-house agency
  ANA members are among the most powerful and influential marketers in the world. Enhance your reputation and raise your profile in front of these decision-makers at more than 1,000 client-side marketer member companies. Winning case studies will be shared with our network through ANA resources, and select winners will also be invited to share their insights and expertise at exclusive ANA events and be featured on ANA channels throughout the year.

Who judges the ANA In-House Excellence Awards?

ANA In-House Excellence Award judges are client-side marketers, agency executives, and in-house agency professionals from all areas of the ANA. Over 350 candidates are screened by the ANA In-House Excellence Awards team and are assigned to judge entries from the categories in which they have expertise. Main round judges evaluate the submissions on three key factors: strategy, creative execution, and results. 

Interested in judging the ANA In-House Excellence Awards? Click here to sign up, or email the In-House Excellence Awards team at inhouseawards@ana.net for more information.