MAD STARS, the international marketing and advertising festival held annually in Busan, South Korea, has opened the final call for entries for its 2026 awards, with June 15 as the firm closing date for submissions worldwide. Professional entrants can submit at regular entry rates until May 29, before final-period fees apply.
Now in its 19th edition, MAD STARS is one of Asia’s most established platforms for creative work that spans advertising, marketing, technology, and social impact, open to agencies, brands, production companies, media companies, startups, public institutions, nonprofits, independent creators, and the general public.
A Platform Shaped Around How Creative Work Is Made and Evaluated Today
For 2026, MAD STARS has reclassified its entry categories to make the awards more intuitive for entrants and to reflect how creative work is developed, executed, and evaluated across today’s marketing and communications landscape. The revised structure is built around two pillars: the SOLUTION Group and the POSITIVE IMPACT Group.
The SOLUTION Group brings together categories focused on campaigns that combine strategy and execution, evaluating how effectively creative ideas address real business and communications challenges.
The POSITIVE IMPACT Group recognizes creative work that generates positive change across society, with entries evaluated based on values such as sustainability, diversity, health, public relevance, and responsibility. Health Stars has been newly established within the POSITIVE IMPACT Group, reflecting the growing importance of health-related products, services, and communication.
AI-Enabled Work: New Standards for Entry and Evaluation
As generative AI becomes an established part of the creative process, MAD STARS has updated its entry and judging framework to reflect that shift. A new Use of AI sub-category has been added to the Craft section, recognizing AI as a functional tool that can enhance the quality and craft of marketing and communication. All entrants are required to confirm whether AI was used in production and, where applicable, disclose the specific methods and scope of AI use. This disclosure framework is designed to ensure transparency and fairness in how AI-assisted work is assessed across categories.
Global Jury and Judging Process
MAD STARS 2026 will be judged by a global jury of more than 350 professionals from 83 locations, spanning marketing, advertising, digital content, media, PR, and related creative communications disciplines. All submissions first undergo online preliminary judging, with selected entries announced as Finalists before advancing to the First Final Judging Round, conducted online. The Second and Last Rounds of Final Judging are then held in person in Busan, where winners are determined through discussion and voting by the Executive Jury and Final Jury.
Entry Schedule and Fees
Key deadlines for MAD STARS 2026 are as follows. All dates are based on Korea Standard Time.
- 2nd Deadline (Regular): May 29
- Final Deadline: June 15
Professional entry fees are tiered by submission period, category, and entry type. Regular entry fees range from USD 350 to USD 500, while final-period entry fees range from USD 400 to USD 550. Entries to the General Public division remain free and open to anyone worldwide until June 15.
Entries can be submitted at madstars.org.
MAD STARS 2026 will take place from August 26 to 28, 2026, at SIGNIEL BUSAN and across the Haeundae area in Busan, South Korea, under the theme “AMPLIFY.”
adobo Magazine is an official media partner of MAD STARS 2026.
