The Shorty Awards

Annual global awards honoring outstanding work in social and digital media across brands, agencies, and creators.

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shortyawards.com

Themes

Social Media Campaigns Content Strategy Cause Marketing Creator Work

Audience

Brands Agencies Creators Non‑profits

Frequently Asked Questions

The Shorty Awards honor excellence in short-form content and social media campaigns, judged by creativity, strategy and engagement.

Scope and founding: Established in 2008 (first formal ceremony in February 2009) as the first awards to recognize social media excellence across platforms; now an annual global program targeting brands, creators and agencies. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Judging structure: Entries are evaluated by the Real Time Academy—industry professionals selected for their reputations and previous achievements—based on creativity, strategy, and engagement, with an additional public Audience Honor voting component. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Categories: Includes Campaign, Content & Design, Cause, Industry, Partnerships, Platforms & Technology, Strategy & Engagement, Special Projects, plus creator-focused subcategories. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
Entry details: Entries open annually (e.g. October 28, 2025 for the 18th Awards); public timeline includes early, regular, and late deadlines; verified nonprofits receive a US $100 discount per entry. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
Eligibility window: Work must have been live within a defined eligibility period (e.g. January 1, 2025 to February 19, 2026 for the 18th Awards); spec or incomplete work is not eligible. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
Recognition and honors: Awards include Finalists, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Audience Honor distinctions; special “Of The Year” honors awarded to top performing brand, agency, or nonprofit by size category. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
Impact Awards variant: The Shorty Impact Awards is a separate annual competition dedicated to campaigns and initiatives with measurable social purpose and cause-driven impact, judged by the same Academy. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
Jury composition: Jury members are senior marketers, creatives, strategists, activists and industry leaders from organizations like Diageo, LEGO, Ben & Jerry’s, TikTok, Deloitte Digital, and Microsoft for Startups. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}

Overall, the Shorty Awards and its Impact Awards variant provide a structured, peer-reviewed platform with transparent criteria, public voting and size‑based recognitions, spotlighting digital creativity and purpose-driven campaigns worldwide.