Rules of entry.
ACT Responsible curates creative work from agencies, brands, NGOs and institutions worldwide. Each year, selected campaigns, ads and creative work submitted during the ACT Call for Work may become part of the ACT Programme.
The ACT Program includes the following :.
The ACT Program includes the following :
The ACT Good Ads database is a searchable, open-access database of purpose-driven campaigns, ads and creative work addressing social and environmental issues. The Gallery is continuously enriched throughout the year through editorial selection by ACT Responsible, as well as through work submitted via the ACT Call for Work, which is automatically included once validated. ACT Good Ads database is developed in partnership with AdForum, which supports, hosts and distributes the Gallery across professional platforms and partner websites.
ACT Responsible organises exhibitions to showcase selected campaigns, ads and creative work. ACT annual exhibition is premiered each June at Cannes Lions, within the Lions Impact Hub. Since 2020, the exhibition has also been accessible online via actincannes.org.
More in Annex A below.
The ACT Good Report is an annual ranking developed by ACT Responsible in collaboration with WARC Rankings. The ranking is based on a broad editorial corpus of purpose-driven campaigns, ads and creative work identified by ACT Responsible throughout the year. From this corpus, selected work is assessed based on its visibility and performance across ACT initiatives and international creative benchmarks, to highlight outstanding creative excellence addressing social and environmental issues.
NB: SUBMITTING TO ACT RESPONSIBLE DOES NOT COUNT INTO THE WARC RANKINGS. IT DOES COUNT FOR THE GOOD REPORT DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WARC RANKINGS.
More in Annex B below.
This award aims to recognise excellence in social marketing. It highlights the advertising industry’s specific contribution to society by selecting and celebrating the most successful creative social marketing campaigns. The awards cover subjects such as public health, the environment, sustainable consumption, public safety, disability, human rights, domestic violence, child abuse, homelessness, education and other similar topical public issues.
More in Annex C below.
Submission
All entries must be submitted through the online submission platform powered by Adforum, link available on our submission page. Simply create a free account to access it. If you have any questions, please contact submit@act-responsible.org.
Yearly Submission Period runs from February to April. Outside the this period, agencies, brands and organisations may still contact ACT Responsible to propose work for editorial inclusion in the ACT Good Ads database. Such inclusions are reviewed and curated by ACT Responsible and do not constitute entry into the ACT Programme, Awards or rankings. Any questions contact submit@act-responsible.org.
To be eligible for the ACT Programme, submitted work must have been first published, aired, released, or made publicly available between January 1 of the previous year and June of the current year.
Work that started before January 1 of the previous year is only eligible if it remained active or publicly visible during the qualifying period.
The organisers cannot be held responsible for entries lost or delayed during upload. Entrants are advised to upload their material well before the closing date. Entries must be fully completed and submitted before the closing date of the annual ACT Call for Work.
Any organisation (agencies, brands, media, production companies, institutions, NGOs or corporations) from around the world that has a communication campaign on social responsibility is eligible to enter.
Work must have been created within the context of a normal client relationship (paying contract or pro bono) and must have been broadcasted, published or presented publicly. No scam or speculative work can be accepted.
Work must have been created within the context of a normal client relationship, either paid or pro bono, and must have been publicly broadcast, published or presented. Speculative or scam work is not accepted.
Entrants must ensure that the advertiser has granted prior permission for submission. Submitted work must comply with all applicable national laws and relevant voluntary or regulatory codes of practice.
Entrants certify that they hold all rights necessary for the permitted uses described in these Rules of Entry and agree to indemnify ACT Responsible against any claims arising from a breach of these warranties.
ACT Responsible reserves the right to remove any submission from its platforms, exhibitions or publications if third-party rights are infringed.
Completion of the entry form implies full acceptance of these Rules of Entry. Non-compliance may result in automatic refusal of the entry.
We cover the 17 Sustainable Development Goals developed by the UN (for details about the themes, click here!)
- No poverty (Goal 1)
- Zero hunger (Goal 2)
- Good health and well-being (Goal 3)
- Quality education for everyone (Goal 4)
- Gender Equality (Goal 5)
- Clean water and sanitation (Goal 6)
- Affordable energy (Goal 7)
- Decent work & economic growth (Goal 8)
- Industry, innovation and infrastructure (Sustainable economy, Goal 9)
- Reduced inequalities (Goal 10)
- Sustainable cities and communities (Goal 11)
- Responsible consumption and production (Goal 12)
- Climate action (Goal 13)
- Life below water (Goal 14)
- Life on land (Goal 15)
- Peace and Justice, strong institutions (Goal 16)
- Partnerships for the goal (Goal 17)
All media types are accepted, including TV, cinema, digital, print, outdoor, PR and media cases.
Technical specifications
For Print
Image size: minimum 7000 pixel
Resolution: 300 dpi
Colour mode: CMYK
Format: JPEG (.jpg)
Maximum file size: 50 MB
For Video
Resolution: minimum HD (1280 x 720 px), maximum 4K (3840 x 2160 px)
Format: MP4 (H.264 codec preferred)
Audio: stereo, 48kHz
Maximum file size: 1 GB
Orientation: landscape
An entry fee applies to each submission. The entry fee covers submission to the ACT Programme and contributes to the operational costs related to its initiatives.
1st campaign: 450€
2nd campaign: 425€
Any additional campaign: 400€ (je ne sais pas si il faut le mettre)
NB: the entry fees cover post production, mounting, layout, printing… etc. ACT Responsible entry fees are the only sources of financing the association has. The managing staff are volunteers but we must still cover our operating fixed costs and interns’ salaries. The entry fee does not include VAT (for entrants from Switzerland only) and bank charges.
Entries are considered complete only upon receipt and validation of payment.
Entry fees can be paid by bank transfer
Account Name: Association ACT Responsible
Bank Name: UBS
Bank address: rue Theodore Stephani 2, 3963 Crans-Montana, Switzerland
Account Number: 0268-516802.60M
IBAN: CH920026826851680260M
Swift/BIC: UBSWCHZH80A
(VAT applies to Swiss resident participants)
Or by credit car via Paypal
- Please email a copy of your bank transfer confirmation to submission@act-responsible.org
- For identification purposes, all payment should be indexed: Invoice Reference or Agency + Town + Country
- All participants will receive an invoice.
- Your entry will be completed only on reception of your payment.
Any decisions made by ACT Responsible in relation to the ACT Programme are final and binding.
These Rules of Entry are written in English. In the event of any discrepancy or interpretation issue, the English version shall prevail.
Annex
Overview
ACT Exhibitions showcase a curated selection of campaigns, ads and creative work addressing social and environmental issues. The exhibitions aim to highlight creative excellence, relevance and impact, and to foster dialogue around responsible communication.
The annual flagship exhibition is premiered each June at Cannes Lions, within the ACT Exhibition at the Cannes Lions Impact Hub. Selected work may also be presented through additional exhibitions, screenings or online formats organised by ACT Responsible.
Eligibility
ACT Exhibitions are open to work submitted through the ACT Call for Work. Inclusion in an exhibition is subject to editorial selection and does not require participation in the ACT Care Awards.
Submission to the ACT Programme does not guarantee exhibition selection.
Selection process
All submissions are reviewed by ACT Responsible’s editorial team. The editorial team reserves the right to refuse any work that may be considered offensive, misleading, controversial or inappropriate in relation to national laws, cultural sensitivities, public taste or the values of the ACT Programme.
Selection is based on the following criteria:
- Creative quality and originality
- Relevance of the issue addressed
- Clarity and integrity of the message
- Quality of execution and craft
- Contribution to public interest and societal relevance
Selection is made under the sole responsibility of ACT Responsible’s editorial team. Decisions are final and cannot be appealed.
Relationship with other festivals and awards
Campaigns selected for the ACT Exhibition are independent from other festivals or competitions. Selection for an ACT Exhibition does not constitute entry into, endorsement by, or participation in any other awards programme, including Cannes Lions.
Presentation formats
Selected work may be presented in various formats, including but not limited to:
- Physical exhibitions
- Digital exhibitions
- Screenings
- Print displays
- Online platforms and archives
The final presentation format is determined by ACT Responsible, depending on curatorial intent, space constraints and technical considerations.
Technical specifications
Entrants whose work is selected for exhibition will be contacted with detailed technical specifications adapted to the exhibition format. These may include requirements for print, video or digital display. Failure to provide suitable materials within the requested timeframe may result in withdrawal from the exhibition.
Use of exhibited work
By accepting exhibition selection, entrants confirm their agreement with the use of their work
in the context of ACT Exhibitions, in accordance with the Use of Submitted Work section of the Rules of Entry. Agencies and advertisers will always be credited where applicable.
Final provisions
ACT Exhibitions are governed by the Rules of Entry of the ACT Call for Work. In case of any discrepancy, the Rules of Entry prevail.
All editorial and curatorial decisions made by ACT Responsible in relation to ACT Exhibitions are final and binding.
Overview
The ACT Good Report is an annual ranking developed by ACT Responsible in collaboration with WARC Rankings. It highlights outstanding creative excellence addressing social and environmental issues by analysing the visibility and performance of purpose-driven campaigns, ads and creative work across a broad international landscape.
Scope
The ACT Good Report is based on an extensive editorial corpus of social and environmental campaigns identified by ACT Responsible throughout the year. This corpus includes work created for charities, NGOs, institutions and corporations worldwide.
Inclusion in the editorial corpus does not require formal submission to the ACT Programme and may result from ongoing editorial monitoring by ACT Responsible.
Relationship with submissions
Submitting work to ACT Responsible does not count towards the WARC Rankings.
Work submitted through the ACT Call for Work may contribute to the ACT Good Report, subject to editorial review and the application of the ranking methodology.
Methodology principles
The ACT Good Report combines qualitative editorial curation with quantitative performance indicators. The ranking is established by analysing a campaign’s presence and performance across:
- ACT Responsible initiatives, which may include exhibitions, awards, public votes, editorial platforms and the ACT Good Ads Database
- International creative benchmarks and rankings compiled by WARC Rankings
The weighting, scoring logic and detailed methodology are defined jointly by ACT Responsible and WARC Rankings and may evolve from one edition to the next to reflect changes in the creative landscape.
Editorial independence
ACT Responsible retains full editorial independence in defining the scope of the corpus, selecting the work considered and interpreting the results of the analysis.
Inclusion in the ACT Good Report does not imply endorsement of a brand, organisation or cause beyond the creative work assessed.
Publication
The ACT Good Report is published annually and made available through ACT Responsible’s platforms and partner channels.
ACT Responsible reserves the right to determine the format, timing and editorial framing of the publication.
Final provisions
The ACT Good Report is governed by the Rules of Entry of the ACT Call for Work. In case of any discrepancy, the Rules of Entry prevail.
All editorial decisions related to the ACT Good Report are final and binding.
Overview
The ACT Care Awards recognise creative excellence in responsible communication. They celebrate campaigns, ads and creative work that demonstrate meaningful social or environmental impact, integrity of message and creative effectiveness.
Eligibility
The ACT Care Awards are open to campaigns submitted through the ACT Call for Work. It is also possible to enter the ACT Care Awards only, without submitting to other ACT Programme initiatives. In this case, entrants must contact submission@act-responsible.org prior to submission.
There is no limit to the number of campaigns that may be entered.
Entry formats
Accepted formats for the ACT Care Awards are:
- Print: JPEG
- Video: MOV or MP4
Client approval
All entries must have received prior written approval from the advertiser for submission and for all materials provided.
Language
Entries must be submitted in English. Creative work may be in any language, but non-English campaigns must be accompanied by a complete English translation. All audiovisual material must include English subtitles to allow judging.
Confidentiality
Information submitted as part of the ACT Care Awards entry will remain confidential until the end of the judging process.
Before any information is made public, ACT Responsible seeks approval from both the agency and the client.
Each winning entry receives one ACT Care Award trophy, included in the entry fee, and presented to the winning agency at the ACT Care Awards Ceremony.
Categories
The ACT Care Awards are organised by advertiser type, with media sub-categories
- Companies & Businesses: Corporate governance (CSR) campaigns promoting care for safety, youth, communities and the environment.
- NGOs & Foundations : Non-profit organisations and non-governmental bodies created for educational or charitable purposes, with no financial benefit to shareholders or trustees.
- Governments & Institutions: Government bodies and related organisations exercising public authority at local, national or international level.
Each advertiser category includes the following media sub-categories:
- Film
- Case Study
If a campaign is developed across multiple media types, it must be entered separately in each relevant sub-category.
If entrants are unsure which category to select, they may contact submission@act-responsible.org with a brief campaign description.
Reasons for disqualification
An entry may be disqualified if:
- Data, results or claims are not properly sourced, where applicable
- The entry is incomplete or submitted with inaccurate information
- Client approval has not been obtained for all submitted materials
- Creative material is not translated into English when required
Judging procedure
ACT Care Awards judging takes place in two rounds.
Round 1 – Creative Jury: A pre-selection round conducted online. A selection committee formed by ACT Responsible of Creatives worldwide.
- Idea and execution
- Impact on society and beneficiaries
- Trustworthiness of the message and advertiser
Each criterion is scored on a scale of 1 to 10.
Round 2 – Expert Jury: The final judging round is conducted by a jury composed of MEPs, NGO communication directors, Institution experts, agency creatives and advertisers, Jurors are assigned entries in a manner that avoids conflicts of interest. Jury discussions remain confidential, and voting is anonymous.
Not all categories necessarily produce a winner. Being shortlisted does not guarantee an award.
What the jury looks for? The jury assesses entries based on the following criteria:
- Quality of the core message : Relevance and clarity of the underlying message in relation to the intended audiences and the stated objectives of the campaign.
- Quality and relevance of the execution: Appropriateness of formats and channels in relation to the uses and behaviours of the target audiences; accuracy of tone; creativity and originality of the execution; and the campaign’s distinctive elements, including media choices, techniques or innovative approaches.
- Achievement of objectives and contribution to the public interest: Effectiveness in achieving the stated objectives and the campaign’s genuine contribution to the general interest, including its alignment with citizens’ concerns and societal priorities.
Submission guidelines
Entrants are encouraged to present their case clearly and concisely. Quality, relevance and clarity are valued over volume. All materials should be carefully proofread prior to submission.
Final provisions
The ACT Care Awards are governed by the Rules of Entry of the ACT Call for Work. In case of any discrepancy, the Rules of Entry prevail. All decisions made by ACT Responsible and the ACT Care Awards juries are final and binding.
Sophie Guérinet
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