Waitlist Now Open Call for Entries Winter 25/26
The Rukus Awards
Categories ready to shake things up
Ideas worth remembering & celebrating
Independent, grassroots, work-first judging
Black-tie dinners, luncheons, or costly events
The Punk Rock of Design & Advertising Awards
Noisy on purpose. Strategic as hell.
The Rukus Awards celebrate the campaigns, designs, and ideas that didn’t play it safe. No bloated categories, no black-tie dinners, no pay-to-praise trophies. Just fearless marketing and design, judged fairly, by the people who actually do the work.
Not Another Bloated Awards Show:
- 100% independent, grassroots judging
- Categories built for marketers, designers & advertisers
- Recognition that can’t be bought with luncheon tickets
- The Rukus Awards run in seasons, not ceremonies. Each season is a new chance to shake things up.
No gatekeepers. No safe bets.
Find Your Place in the Rukus
- Submit Bold Work
- Recognition That Matters
- Call the Shots as a Judge
- Join the Waitlist
Submit Bold Work
This isn’t for quiet campaigns. Enter your marketing, design, or advertising work that made noise, broke the brief, or moved people. If it stirred conversation, it belongs here.
Think your work is too tame? Enter anyways and let our judges, well, be the judge.
You don’t win for showing up. You win for work that made an impact. Join the waitlist.
Recognition That Matters
Winning a Rukus isn’t about paying for praise—it’s about proving your work had impact.
- Credibility: Recognition for campaigns judged by peers, not politics.
- Visibility: Spotlight features and shareable badges to amplify your win.
- Community: Join a network of bold marketers, designers, and advertisers who thrive on shaking things up.
Influence That Counts
Being a Rukus judge isn’t about titles or politics—it’s about calling out the work that truly shook things up. As a judge, you’ll gain:
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Front-Row Access: See the boldest marketing, design, and advertising campaigns before anyone else.
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Industry Cred: Showcase your expertise by helping set the standard for what great work looks like.
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Community Connection: Join a diverse panel of creatives, strategists, and students who believe fearless ideas deserve recognition.
If you’ve ever said “holy shit, I wish I made that”—you’re the kind of judge we need. Sign up to be a judge.
Join the Waitlist
The Road to Rukus
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Fall 2025
Waitlist & judge recruitment
Be first in line to enter—or to help call the shots.We’re opening the doors. This is your chance to be first in line—whether you want to enter bold work or call the shots as a judge. Early signups shape the foundation of the very first Rukus Awards.
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Winter 2025/26
Submissions Open
Submissions kick off for bold marketing, design, and advertising work.Bring the noise. Submissions kick off with categories built for marketing, design, and advertising work that actually mattered. Big budgets optional. Big impact required.
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Early Spring 2026
Judging sprints
Panels and student judges take the loudest ideas head-on.The loudest ideas go under the spotlight. Work-first review, diverse panels, and our first wave of student judges ensure fairness and fresh perspective. Judges call the shots, not politics.
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Spring 2026
Winners announced
The first-ever Rukus Awards go public. No black-tie dinners required.The first-ever Rukus Awards go public. No black-tie dinners. Just bold recognition, digital shareables, and the start of a new tradition: celebrating the work that made people talk.
What We Celebrate
The Rukus Awards Categories
The Rukus Awards recognize marketing, design, and advertising work across four core groups (50+ categories): Campaigns That Made Noise, Craft That Slapped, Culture Crashers, and Specialty Awards. Each group is designed to highlight bold ideas, fearless execution, and creative disruption—whether it was a scrappy launch, a culture-shifting stunt, or design that refused to play it safe.
Campaigns That Made Noise
For the big ideas, the big risks, and the big reactions.
(The Loudest Launch • Most Unskippable Campaign • WTF Moment • Rukus of the Year)
Craft That Slapped
For creative work that went way beyond “good enough.”
(Copy That Cut Deep • Design That Didn’t Flinch • Video That Shook Us • Social That Set It Off)
Culture Crashers
For work that lived in the real world and made real noise.
(Biggest Brand Move • Bravest Use of a Platform • The “Did They Just?” Moment • Real-World Rukus)
Specialty Awards
For the outliers, the scrappy, and the future voices.
(Small Budget, Big Disruption • Creative That Changed the Conversation • Team That Went Too Hard • Wildcard Entry • Student Rukus)
Fair. Accessible. No Nonsense.
YOU MAY NEED TO KNOW
Frequently Asked Questions
When do entries open?
Submissions open Winter 2025/26. Join the waitlist and you’ll be first to know (and first to enter).
How much does it cost to enter?
We’re keeping it lean. Expect affordable rates for pros and discounted student pricing. No inflated entry fees here. Pricing will be revealed when entries are accepted.
Who can enter?
The Rukus Awards are open to agencies, in-house teams, brands, freelancers, students, influencers, and independents working in marketing, design, and advertising. Big budgets aren’t required—only bold ideas. If your work made noise, there’s a place for it here.
Can students enter?
Yes. Students get their own discounted entry tier plus the chance to compete in Student Rukus and Wildcard categories. We know ramen budgets are real—so cost won’t keep you out. Plus, students can also apply to our Student Judge Program for résumé-worthy experience and a front-row seat to bold industry work. Join the waitlist to get the discount.
Do you accept international entries?
Yes. The Rukus Awards are open to entries worldwide. All work is judged on boldness, craft, impact, and aesthetics. Please note: if your submission relies heavily on language that is not in English, there may be limitations in judging. In those cases, judges will focus on the overall design, execution, and creative impact.
How often do the Rukus Awards run?
The Rukus Awards run in “seasons.” Our first season launches Winter 2025/26. We may host multiple seasons in a year, depending on demand and participation. Stay on the waitlist for updates.
Who can be a judge?
Designers, marketers, strategists, students, and anyone who can spot work that shook things up. If you’ve ever said “damn, I wish I made that,” you belong on the panel. Sign up to be a judge.
How does judging work?
Entries are scored by a diverse mix of pros and students using clear rubrics. Judges focus on boldness, craft, and impact—not politics or pay-to-win nonsense. If there’s a conflict of interest, judges can skip an entry. The goal: honest takes on bold ideas. Sign up to be a judge for an upcoming season of the Rukus Awards.
What are the rules?
We don't want to have to have rules, but sometimes it's needed.
- Original Work Only – You (or your team/brand/client) must have created the work you’re submitting. Entrants must own the work or have permission to submit.
- Eligible Dates – Work must have launched within the past 24 months (but we're being extra flexible for season 1).
- Entry Requirements - Each entry requires its own form + fee. The same work may be entered in multiple categories (separate fee each). All entries must be submitted digitally (PDF or active link).
- Entry Fees – Fees are non-refundable once submitted. No exceptions.
- Student Submissions – Must be enrolled in a marketing, design, advertising, or related program. Students must have a verified .edu email address.
- No Confidential Client Work – If you can’t show it publicly, you can’t enter it here. You must have permission to submit.
- Judging - Judging is based on boldness, craft, impact, and cultural resonance. Scores are final; no appeals process.
- Recognition - Winners may be announced online, across social, and in press. The Rukus Awards reserve the right to showcase winning and nominated entries. Not all categories may have a winner.
- Conduct & Content Standards - No illegal, offensive, discriminatory, or harmful/hateful content. Submissions violating this will be disqualified without refund.
- Discretion - The Rukus Awards reserve the right to modify categories, judging processes, or recognition formats at their sole discretion.
See the terms of use here..
What do winners receive?
- Live Announcements - Winners will be announced live across our social channels. All entrants will be notified of the schedule by email so you can tune in (or celebrate early).
Official Winner Logo - Winners receive the official Rukus Awards logo in multiple formats to use on websites, social, press releases, and portfolios. - Digital Certificate - Every winner gets an official Rukus Awards certificate to highlight your entry.
- Winners Showcase - Winning entries will be featured in our online showcase and shared across Rukus Awards channels.
- Archive Access - Winners gain ongoing access to the Rukus archive of winning work—a growing record of bold marketing, design, and advertising that made noise.