OBIE Awards

GUIDELINES

If your work stopped people in their tracks and made them look, feel, think, or act, it belongs here.

The OBIE Awards celebrate distinctive, original work built to earn attention where people live, move, work, shop, and gather.

This is about the strength of the idea and how it comes to life. Judges are looking for creative that demonstrates clarity of concept and excellence in craft, where thinking and execution work together to drive impact. Strategy, data, and technology may strengthen your entry, but the work itself must lead.

There is no limit to the number of entries you may submit, provided all eligibility requirements are met.

All entries must be authorized for submission by the appropriate agency, brand, and or client.

ELIGIBILITY

• To be eligible for the 2026 OBIE Awards, paid advertising must have been displayed on an out of home advertising location between January 1, 2025 through May 31, 2026.
• Work that is identical or substantially similar to an entry submitted in any previous OBIE Awards competition is not eligible.
• To qualify, the advertiser or its agency must have paid for space directly to an out of home media company that owns or operates the advertising assets. The only exception is public service advertising entered in the OOH for Good category.
• All work must have been executed in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Illegal installations or entries that fail to meet official entry requirements will be disqualified.

DEADLINES & FEES

Early entry rate: $300 per entry, per category for submissions received by Friday, April 3, 2026.

Standard rate: $400 per entry, per category for submissions received after April 3, 2026.

Final deadline: Friday, June 12, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.

All fees are nonrefundable.

Payment must be made by credit card at the time of online submission. 

QUESTIONS? 

Email [email protected]

A. Creative Idea & Impact

Ideas first. Media second. If the idea doesn’t stop people in their tracks, it’s not for this section.

1. Big Idea in OOH

This category recognizes the most original and powerful creative ideas executed through out of home. It is intended for work where the idea itself is the hero, not the media plan or placement strategy.

Entries should demonstrate a bold concept that only works because it exists in the real world. The idea should be immediately clear, confidently expressed, and designed for public visibility and impact.

This category rewards:

• Conceptual originality
• Clarity and confidence of the core idea
• Creative bravery over polish for polish’s sake

      2. Contextual Brilliance

This category recognizes work where location, timing, environment, or audience context is integral to the creative idea. The message works because it appears exactly where and when it does.

Entries should show how context actively strengthens the idea rather than serving as a backdrop. If the concept could have lived anywhere else without losing meaning, it may not be a fit for this category.

This category rewards:

• Inventive use of place, moment, or circumstance
• Context that sharpens and elevates the creative
• Ideas inseparable from their surroundings

      3. Social Buzz

This category recognizes out of home work that sparked conversation, sharing, and public reaction. The OOH execution should be the catalyst that people photographed, posted, debated, or talked about.

While creators or media coverage may amplify the work, the buzz should be driven by the strength of the out of home idea itself.

This category rewards:

• OOH ideas that generated organic conversation or sharing
• Clear evidence of public attention beyond the placement
• Out of home as the catalyst source of momentum

      4. Experiential & Immersive OOH

This category recognizes out of home experiences that people physically engage with in the real world, including immersive installations, interactive builds, or participatory environments.

The experience should clearly serve the creative idea. Scale or spectacle alone is not enough.

This category rewards:

• Meaningful audience interaction
• Immersive use of space, scale, and physicality
• Experiences designed for real-world engagement

      5. Omnichannel Impact

This category recognizes campaigns where out of home played a pivotal role within a larger, integrated effort. OOH meaningfully shaped the idea, amplified its reach, or unlocked impact across channels.

Entries should demonstrate how OOH contributed distinctly and was essential to the campaign’s success.

This category rewards:

• Clear evidence that OOH was critical to campaign impact
• Thoughtful integration across platforms
• OOH playing a high-impact role, not a background one

      6. Creative Effectiveness

This category recognizes work that pairs strong creative thinking with meaningful, measurable outcomes. Results may include business impact, behavior change, brand lift, or cultural effect, as long as objectives and outcomes are clearly defined.

Entries should show how creativity contributed directly to what moved and why it mattered.

This category rewards:

• A strong creative idea tied to clear objectives
• Credible results reflecting real-world impact
• Demonstrated value of creativity beyond execution

B. Creative Craft

Because execution still matters. A lot.

      1. Copywriting

This category recognizes exceptional use of language in out of home. Entries should demonstrate how words were used with intention, originality, and restraint in public space.

The strongest work understands the realities of the street and communicates clearly and quickly.

This category rewards:

• Precision and originality of language
• Command of tone and voice
• Copy that earns its space

       2. Visual Design & Art Direction

This category recognizes visual craft that carries and strengthens the idea, including illustration, photography, typography, layout, and art direction.

Work should demonstrate intention as well as aesthetic strength.

This category rewards:

• Strong visual hierarchy and clarity
• Distinctive, intentional aesthetic choices
• Visuals that communicate instantly and endure

      3. Motion & Animation

This category recognizes creative use of motion in out of home that elevates an idea rather than distracts from it. 

Entries should demonstrate how well-used motion served the idea.

This category rewards:

• Intentional, idea-led motion
• Smart pacing and rhythm
• Creative restraint when simplicity strengthens impact

      4. Production & Build Craft

This category recognizes excellence in fabrication, engineering, and physical execution, including complex builds or custom structures.

The work should show how craft and construction serve the idea.

This category rewards:

• Complexity and quality of construction
• Innovation in materials or execution
• Physical builds that support the idea

C. Innovation & Future-Facing OOH

New tools. New rules. No autopilot.

      1. Immersive Technology

This category recognizes innovative uses of emerging technology in out of home, including anamorphic, holographic, projection mapping, and other immersive techniques.

Technology should be used intentionally in service of the idea.

This category rewards:

• Purposeful use of emerging technology
• Seamless integration of technology and concept
• Immersive, surprising experiences

      2. Programmatic & Real-Time OOH

This category recognizes creative ideas designed to respond to real-world inputs such as time, weather, data, or cultural moments.

Entries should show how responsiveness strengthens the idea without sacrificing clarity.

This category rewards:

• Ideas built to adapt in real time
• Expressive use of data or triggers
• Concepts that embrace unpredictability with focus

D. Commerce, Purpose & Global Work

      1. Retail Media & Commerce OOH

This category recognizes commerce-first creative work that uses out of home as a driver of retail behavior. Entries should demonstrate how OOH functions as a connected system across environments to build intent, momentum, and measurable impact on purchase.

The focus is on creative campaigns where OOH does the heavy lifting in shaping intent before and around the point of sale, not standalone transactional or price-led messaging.

In-store signage, point-of-sale materials, and traditional shopper marketing executions are not eligible on their own. However, if an in-store media network is used as part of a broader OOH-led campaign and the in-store messaging is clearly integrated into the overall creative idea, it may be included within the entry.

This category rewards:

• Creative ideas expressed across multiple OOH environments
• Clear creative continuity leading toward action
• Smart use of context, location, and sequencing
• Meaningful influence on retail outcomes

      2. OOH for Good

This category recognizes out of home work that brings social, civic, or community issues into shared public space in a clear, considered, and creatively strong way.

Work is evaluated on creative strength, not the scale of the cause or organization.

Tribute boards are not eligible.

This category rewards:

• Clearly articulated intent tied to a specific issue
• Creative ideas designed for public space
• Relevance to audience, environment, and moment

Note: Executions and campaigns entered in this category cannot be entered in any other category. 

      3. Local Impact OOH

This category recognizes out of home work created for local advertising within a single city, region, or community.

It is intended for campaigns executed outside the largest U.S. metropolitan markets.

This category rewards:

• Creative originality driven by local insight
• Inventive use of limited budgets or formats
• Excellence where resourcefulness matters

      4. International OOH

This category recognizes outstanding out of home work executed outside the United States.

This category rewards:

• Cultural relevance rooted in local insight
• Creative originality shaped by regional realities
• Excellence in execution within market environments

Note: Executions and campaigns entered in this category cannot be entered in any other 

category. 

E. Industry Sectors

Different industries. Different pressures. Same creative bar.

      1. Healthcare OOH

This category recognizes out of home work for healthcare that communicates with clarity, empathy, and relevance in public space.

Eligible work may include hospitals, health systems, insurers, wellness brands, and healthcare services. Work focused on education, access, or wellness that does not promote a pharmaceutical product belongs here.

This category rewards:

• Ideas shaped by audience mindset and health context
• Clear, thoughtful communication
• Balance of sensitivity and creative ambition

      2. Pharma OOH

This category recognizes out of home work for pharmaceutical brands operating within regulated environments.

Entries should show how compliance and ethical constraints informed the creative idea rather than limited it.

This category rewards:

• Creative ideas shaped by regulatory realities
• Clear, memorable communication of complex messages
• Intentional use of OOH to reach patient or caregiver audiences

      3. Consumer Packaged Goods OOH

This category recognizes out of home work for CPG and direct-to-consumer brands that reimagine familiar products or categories with creative clarity.

This category rewards:

• Original ideas within competitive categories
• Distinctive brand expression in public environments
• Clarity and impact at speed

      4. Fashion & Luxury OOH

This category recognizes out of home work for fashion and luxury brands that express brand identity with confidence and intention.

This category rewards:

• Creative originality grounded in brand perspective
• Thoughtful use of scale, restraint, and craft
• Cultural relevance beyond aesthetics

      5. Financial Services OOH

This category recognizes out of home work for financial services that translates complex or trust-based messages into clear public communication.

This category rewards:

• Creative clarity in reframing complexity
• Emotional intelligence within category norms
• Effective use of scale or repetition to build confidence and trust

      6. Technology OOH

This category recognizes out of home work for technology, AI, and B2B brands that makes innovation understandable and human in public space.

This category rewards:

• Human-centered storytelling
• Clear, immediate public communication
• Relevance and usefulness in everyday life

      7. Entertainment & Media OOH

This category recognizes out of home work for entertainment and media that builds anticipation, participation, or shared cultural moments.

This category rewards:

• Strong cultural timing and insight
• Original expression of known properties
• OOH used to create collective experience

      8. Legal Services OOH

This category recognizes out of home work for legal services that translates complex or sensitive services into clear, memorable ideas.

Eligible work may include law firms, legal service providers, advocacy-related legal communications, or public legal education.

This category rewards:

• Human, relatable creative ideas
• Clear communication in public environments
• Differentiation through insight and craft

      9. QSR OOH

This category recognizes out of home work for quick service restaurant brands that turns real-world moments into prompts for action.

Eligible work may include brand campaigns, menu launches, limited-time offers, or app-supported executions.

This category rewards:

• Ideas designed for real-world hunger moments
• Clear, appetizing communication
• Strategic use of OOH to influence choice, behavior, or timing

      10. Travel & Hospitality OOH

This category recognizes out of home work for travel and hospitality brands that inspires desire or emotional connection to place.

This category rewards:

• Storytelling rooted in sense of place
• Emotional resonance in public environments
• Distinctive expression within a crowded category

F. Tribute Board Retrospective (Non-Award)

Tribute boards serve as meaningful reflections of cultural moments and collective remembrance throughout the year. While tribute boards are not eligible for competitive OBIE Awards, entrants may submit them for consideration in a curated, non-competitive retrospective.

A limited number of submissions will be selected for inclusion in a special showcase at the awards show, recognizing their cultural significance without placing them in competition with other entries.

Please note: Submission does not guarantee inclusion in the retrospective.

The 2026 OBIE Awards jury will be announced soon.

Established in 1992, the OBIE Hall of Fame recognizes brands whose sustained commitment to out of home has shaped the medium and defined creative excellence over time. Past inductees include American Express, Netflix, Dunkin’, and GEICO, among others.

Each year, OAAA members select the next inductee, honoring a legacy of influence, consistency, and distinction.

Voting for the 2026 OBIE Hall of Fame will open soon.

The 2025 OBIE Awards book is now available. You can purchase the current and previous OBIE books here.

GENERAL

What are the OBIE Awards?

The OBIE Awards are the oldest and most prestigious honors for creative excellence in out of home (OOH) advertising. The program honors outstanding work built for the medium and recognizes both the strength of the idea and the power of its execution.

Who can enter?

Agencies and brands may submit entries, provided the work meets all eligibility requirements and has proper authorization.

Media owners, production companies, technology partners, and other eligible organizations may submit work if they played a meaningful role in the original creative concept and execution, not solely media placement, adaptation, or repurposing of existing creative.

All submissions made on behalf of a brand or agency must have documented approval. Entrants will be required to confirm that all necessary authorizations have been secured and may be asked to provide proof upon request.

Who should be listed as the primary creative owner?

The primary creative owner should reflect who originated and led the creative idea. In most cases, this will be the agency or brand.

Media owners or partners may list themselves as the primary creative owner only if they originated and developed the core creative idea, not solely the platform, format, technology, or media access. Creative authorship and collaboration should be clearly explained in the entry.

Is there a limit to the number of entries?

No. There is no limit to the number of entries an organization may submit, as long as each entry meets eligibility requirements.

What time period is eligible?

For the 2026 competition, work must have been commercially released and paid for, with verified placement on an out of home unit between January 1, 2025 and May 31, 2026.

Can previously entered work be resubmitted?

Work that is identical or substantially similar to an entry submitted in any previous OBIE Awards competition is not eligible.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

What qualifies as eligible out of home advertising?

Eligible work must have appeared on an out of home advertising unit where media space was purchased directly from a media owner or operator. The only exception is public service advertising entered in the OOH for Good category.

Are illegal installations eligible?

No. All work must comply with applicable laws, regulations, and industry standards.

Any campaign, activation, or execution requiring permits, approvals, or permissions must have secured them before installation. Entrants may be required to provide proof of permits and permissions upon request.

Unauthorized installations, including illegal wild postings or any execution placed without proper approval, are not eligible. Images or documentation of illegal executions must not be submitted as part of an OBIE entry.

If an entry includes unauthorized or illegal work, the entire submission may be disqualified, even if other components of the campaign were legally executed.

Can I enter the same work into multiple categories?

Yes, provided the work meets the criteria for each category entered. A separate fee applies for each category submission.

What materials are required?

Entrants will be asked to provide:

• A written entry summary explaining the idea and execution
• Supporting creative materials such as images, video, or case films
• Credits and contact information
• Category-specific information where applicable

All materials must accurately represent the work as it appeared in market.

Are case films required?

Case films are encouraged when they help clarify the idea, execution, and impact of the work. However, the creative itself remains the primary focus of judging.

AI & DISCLOSURE

Is the use of artificial intelligence permitted?

Yes. The OBIE Awards recognize that artificial intelligence tools may be used in the development, production, or presentation of creative work.

AI-assisted or AI-generated elements are permitted, provided the work complies with all eligibility requirements and applicable laws.

Is AI usage required to be disclosed?

Yes. Entrants must disclose the use of AI if it played a material role in the creation, execution, or case materials of the work.

Disclosure should clearly outline:

• How AI was used
• At what stage it was used
• Whether the final work appeared in market as submitted

Failure to disclose material AI usage may result in disqualification.

How will AI-assisted work be judged?

All entries are judged on the strength of the idea and the quality of the execution. The use of AI does not in itself advantage or disadvantage an entry.

Judges evaluate the creative outcome, not the tool used to produce it.

Can AI be used in case films or supporting materials?

Yes, provided the case materials accurately represent the work as it appeared in market. Case films must not mislead the jury regarding the scope, scale, or impact of the campaign.

JUDGING

How is work judged?

Entries are evaluated by a jury curated by OAAA and composed of industry leaders, brand decision makers, and influential creative voices.

Judges assess:

• Strength and clarity of the idea
• Excellence in execution
• Creative impact within the medium

Are results or performance metrics required?

Results are not mandatory in every category, but measurable impact may strengthen your submission where relevant.

When will winners be announced?

Winners will be revealed at the 2026 OBIE Awards ceremony on October 15, 2026. Finalists and additional details will be announced in advance of the event.

FEES & DEADLINES

What are the entry fees?

Early entry rate: $300 per entry, per category for submissions received by April 3, 2026.

Standard rate: $400 per entry, per category for submissions received after April 3, 2026.

When is the final deadline?

The final deadline is June 12, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.

Are fees refundable?

No. All entry fees are nonrefundable.

What payment methods are accepted?

Payment must be made by credit card at the time of online submission. Organizations wishing to pay by check or another method must contact OAAA at [email protected] to arrange alternative payment.

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

Who should I contact with entry questions?

For additional assistance, contact OAAA at [email protected].