Early bird entries submitted before 23:59 on 3 July, 2026 will be charged an early bird rate of $400. Standard entries submitted from 23 May to 23:59 on 14 August 2026 will be charged at the rate of $600. Final entries submitted from 15 August to 23:59 on 04 September 2026 will be charged at the rate of $800. Individual entries will be charged at $150 during the early bird period, until 23.59 on 3 July, and $300 thereafter.
WHEN IS THE ENTRY DEADLINE?
The deadline for standard entry is 23.59 on 14 August, 2026. The final deadline is 23.59 04 September 2026.
IS THERE A LIMIT TO THE NUMBER OF ENTRIES I CAN SUBMIT?
No – you can submit an unlimited amount of entries in multiple categories. We recommend that you tailor each of your entries for each category. For any support on category entry, please contact awards@atharfestival.com
HOW DO I ENTER?
To submit an entry, please download the entry form, complete and upload (as a word or PDF document) when prompted via the online entry portal.
IS THERE A WORD LIMIT?
All entries must not exceed the stated word count of 1000 words. The word count does not include the 150 word summary or the 150 word Saudi Context.
WHAT IS THE CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY?
Campaigns must have been completed between 01 January 2025 - 04 September 2026
WHAT SUPPORTING MATERIALS CAN I PROVIDE?
Supporting materials can be provided in Word, PDF or JPEG formats. You must upload a case video up to 2 minutes.
IS THERE A FILE UPLOAD LIMIT?
All files must not exceed 2MB each. You can upload up to three supporting documents, along with your entry form.
WHAT DATE IS THE ATHAR AWARDS TAKING PLACE?
The Athar Awards 2026 will take place in November over a Gala Dinner.
ARE THE ATHAR AWARDS ONLY FOR CREATIVE AGENCIES?
No. The Athar Awards are open to brands, in-house teams, agencies, government entities, production companies, startups and freelancers.
You do not need to be a creative or advertising agency to enter.
WHO SHOULD SUBMIT THE ENTRY - THE BRAND OR THE AGENCY?
Entries may be submitted by:
● The brand or in-house team
● An agency or production partner on behalf of a brand
● Or jointly
All entries are judged anonymously.
DO THE ATHAR AWARDS HAVE BRANDING, FILM OR PR CATEGORIES?
No. The Athar Awards do not have format-based categories (such as Branding, Film, PR, Production or Digital). All entries are judged within categories aligned to the pillars of Saudi Vision 2030, not by channel or format.
CAN BRANDING WORK BE ENTERED INTO THE ATHAR AWARDS?
Yes. Brand identity, rebrands, brand platforms, naming and design-led work are all eligible to enter — provided the work aligns with the purpose and impact of a category.
For example, branding work may be entered into:
● Best Transformation Campaign
● Best Cultural Campaign
● Best Business Growth Campaign
CAN FILM OR PRODUCTION-LED WORK BE ENTERED?
Absolutely. Brand films, documentaries, short films, content series, TV, cinema and production-led work are all eligible. Film-led work should be entered into the category that best reflects its objective and impact, not its format.
CAN PR OR COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGNS BE ENTERED?
Yes. PR, communications and reputation-led campaigns are fully eligible across all campaign categories. The jury will assess the idea, strategy, execution and results, regardless of whether the campaign was PR-led, film-led or brand-led.
CAN DESIGN OR EXPERIENCE-LED WORK BE ENTERED?
Yes. Design, experiential, retail, event and experience-led work can be entered across all relevant categories. What matters is why the work was created and the impact it delivered - not the channel.
HOW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT CATEGORY IF THERE ISN’T ONE FOR MY DISCIPLINE?
Choose the category that best reflects the purpose and outcome of your work. Ask yourself:
● What was the core objective?
● Which Vision 2030 pillar does this support?
● What impact did it deliver?
The format of the work does not determine the category.
CAN THE SAME WORK BE ENTERED INTO MORE THAN ONE CATEGORY?
Yes. The same campaign or project can be entered into multiple categories, provided each submission is tailored to the category criteria.
WHAT IF I’M STILL UNSURE WHERE MY WORK FITS?
The Athar team is happy to help. If you’re unsure which category best suits your work, please contact the team before entering.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE NETWORK AGENCY AND INDEPENDENT AGENCY PATHWAYS?
Network Agencies Pathway is for work delivered by agencies that are part of global holding companies or network groups (e.g. WPP, Dentsu, MCN, Omnicom, Publicis and similar organisations).
Independent Agencies Pathway is for work delivered by independent agencies, including locally founded agencies that may be affiliated with or partnered with a network but operate as independent businesses.
WE ARE ENTERING AS A BRAND OR IN HOUSE TEAM, WHICH EXPANDED PATHWAY DO WE ENTER?
Brands and Government entities can continue to enter work as normal. When submitting a campaign, simply select the entry pathway based on the agency that delivered the work. If an agency was not used, enter into the independent agency pathway.
WHAT DOES THE CREDITING MEAN?
Creative Team of the Year, Production House of the Year, and Brand of the Year honour the organisations shaping the creative landscape of the Kingdom and will be awarded based on cumulative wins across all categories, these titles recognise those whose work consistently sets the benchmark for excellence, ambition, and impact in Saudi Arabia.
As points are allocated to all officially credited agencies, brands, and production partners on winning entries, accurate and complete credits are essential. These awards celebrate sustained achievement and true collaboration reflecting the collective effort behind the work driving the industry forward. You must name the brand, agency and production house in your entry submission. The winners will be determined based on performance across all award categories during the judging process. Points will be automatically allocated to credited companies and teams behind winning work as follows: