NOVA Awards

Roll out the red carpet and cue the spotlight as AMA Iowa proudly presents the 21st Annual NOVA Marketing Awards! We look forward to an evening dedicated to recognizing the show-stopping ideas, standout storytellers, and award-worthy campaigns that captured attention, inspired audiences, and delivered box-office results. From bold concepts to polished executions, your submissions represent the very best of marketing across Iowa. Stroll down the red carpet, enjoy the glamour, and join us as we reveal the campaigns and creators who truly deserved their moment in the spotlight!

Awards Celebration

Thursday, May 7, 2026
The District Venue, 1350 SW Vintage Pkwy, Ankeny, IA 50023

Submit your entries by March 13th to take advantage of early-bird entry submission and receive VIP reserved seating.

All entries need to be submitted by March 27th!

NOVA Awards is open to all. You do not need to be an AMA member to submit or to attend.

Submission Form

Over the last twelve months, you’ve turned big ideas into unforgettable marketing moments - earning applause, attention, and results. Now, it’s your moment to shine at the NOVA Awards.

Project Awards

Marketing Achievement Awards

Awards Application Guide

Past NOVA Award Results

**Please note: Marketing is about embracing change, and the NOVA Awards is no exception! Based on feedback there are new and revised categories, submission guidelines and updated deadlines. Please review the award application site for details.

Project Award Entries

Award Categories Entry Fees How to Enter Requirements Judging Criteria Finalist Notification

Ready for your moment in the spotlight? Submit your marketing work from the past year for the NOVA Awards.

NOVA Project Award Categories

Branding
Recognizes clear implementation of a client’s voice in logo development, brand guidelines, messaging, persona development — even audio branding! If you were bold with branding last year, we want to see it.

Data Analytics
Recognizes exceptional transformation of data into actionable insights that drive leads and produce measurable results. Entries should demonstrate how data collection, analysis, and application have informed decision-making, optimized marketing performance, and contributed to business growth. Submissions may include data-drive campaigns, predictive modeling, automation strategies, performance tracking, and other analytical approaches to enhance marketing effectiveness.

Market Research
Recognizes qualitative and/or quantitative research studies that have provided valuable insights to shape marketing strategies and achieve business objectives. Entries should showcase the planning, execution, and results of research initiatives. Submissions may include competitive analysis, focus groups, surveys, ethnographic studies, and other research methodologies used to better understand internal or external audiences and meet research objectives.

Digital Marketing
Recognizes effective use of digital technologies and social platforms to reach audiences and influence and drive action. Entries can include email, ads, social platforms, blogs, podcasts and more.

Direct Marketing
Recognizes marketing communications sent directly to prospects focused on driving a specific call-to-action. Entries can be campaigns or single initiatives. This category includes both B2B and B2C direct marketing.

Events Marketing
Recognizes the role of events (conference, trade show, workshop, customer program or member program) in meeting marketing goals.

Integrated Marketing Campaign
Recognizes a continuum in a marketing campaign. Entries should include a complete strategy utilizing at least three motifs in a marketing tactic.

Marketing Communications
Recognizes communications developed to support sales and/or increase awareness of a product, service or idea. Entries can include white papers, presentations, annual reports, brochures, magazines, newsletters, videos, podcasts and more.

Non-Profit Marketing
Recognizes exemplary marketing programs intended to change behavior, grow membership, increase awareness, raise funds or generate support. Eligible entries include individual components or comprehensive programs which benefit 501(c)3 organizations.

Social Media
Recognizes the role social media plays in all marketing efforts, this includes research, strategy, target audience and specific tactics (think influencer or boosts). How did this move the needle on your marketing efforts?

Video
Recognizes cutting-edge videos that make use of eye-catching visuals, testimonials, compelling voiceover, you name it! Entries may include product videos, tutorials, case studies, commercials, 360° video and more.

Website
Recognizes innovative use of the web, including website development and design, app development, landing pages, killer SEO, etc. — from strategy to execution.

DEI
Recognizes outstanding achievements in the realm of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within marketing campaigns. Whether through innovative messaging, inclusive representation, or impactful community engagement, this category is for marketing initiatives that created a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive marketing landscape.

Collegiate
Recognizes submissions submitted by college students or collegiate groups. Submissions may include class projects, internship initiative, or student-led campaign. This categories celebrates the creativity, strategy, implementation, and innovation of the next generation of marketing professionals. NOTE: This category is the only one not to place higher emphasis on results. All submission categories are weighted evenly.

Small Business *NEW FOR 2026*
Recognizing marketing efforts by those doing it all or with a very small team that creates marketing ideas that drive awareness, engagement, and/or growth. Entries may include any type of marketing format (branding, digital, social, etc.) but the business must have less than 75 employees total. Marketing agencies are not eligible to submit in this category.

Submission Form

Entry Fees

Entry fees must be paid in full using a credit card. Each Entry will need to be submitted separately. All submissions are due Friday, March 27th. Any entries received by Friday, March 13th will received VIP reserved premium seating.

Collegiate: $20
Member: $45
Non-Member: $65

How to Enter

Entry submission is now OPEN!

Submission Form

Event registration is open to attend May 7th and hear who will be called when the envelope is opened! Event registration will close on April 30th.

Requirements

Each entry must be presented as it was originally created and must have been produced, implemented or executed between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025 by a firm or individual located in Iowa in order to be eligible. Only Collegiate category submissions may be submitted for the current school year from June 2025 to May 2026.
If the entry was directed by a company or a branch office of a company and produced by another entity (agency, production firm, etc.), at least one entity must be located in Iowa.
Work is acceptable if it was created for another geographic market, as long as the entrant clarifies that an Iowa location was involved in its direction or production.
The firm or individual submitting the entry must have been involved in the direction, development, production, and/or implementation of the submitted entry.
You may enter under multiple categories, but you must submit a separate entry form and entry fee for each entry.
There is no limit on number of entries per category per organization. However, only the highest scored entries will be awarded in the case of multiple organization submissions. In short, this rule eliminates the "clean sweep" of any category winnings and creates a greater opportunity to showcase other award winning entries from other organizations.
Any entry that fails to follow these guidelines and the digital requirements is subject to disqualification.

Questions? Email [email protected].

NOVA Award Judging Criteria

The 2026 NOVA Awards committee sets all judging criteria and validates the finalists and winners selected by the award judges. A panel of marketing professionals from an AMA chapter outside of Iowa will serve as the judges. The judges make all decisions regarding eligibility, finalists, and winners.

Judges score Objectives, Strategy, Tactics and Results on a 1-10 scale, with results weighted the most. Each of the four sections will have a word limit of 2,000. Entries exceeding this word count may receive a lower score from the judges. The entry with the highest number of points is the winner in that category. The judging committee may move an entry to a different category and/or divide or merge categories as it deems appropriate. Only Collegiate categories submissions will score each area evenly.

Entries become the property of AMA Iowa and will not be returned. No entry fee will be refunded due to an entry’s disqualification nor after the entries are judged.

Finalist Notification

Up to three award winners will be chosen in each of the categories at the discretion of the award judges. The decisions of the judges are final.

Finalists will be notified prior to the NOVA Awards event. Winners from each category will be announced during the event!

Questions? Email [email protected].

Marketing Achievement Award Entries

Award Categories Entry Fees How to Enter Requirements Judging Criteria Finalist Notification

The marketers and agencies recognized in these categories inspire, lead, and transform the community through their excellence.

Achievement Award Submission

NOVA Marketing Achievement Award Categories

Marketing Executive of the Year
Do you want to recognize a mentor, or showcase the work of an amazing manager? The Marketing Executive of the Year should be someone who inspires, leads and achieves excellence in the field of marketing and has helped to build and transform their marketing community.

Nominees should be in a director level position or above.

Marketer of the Year
Which of your marketing cohorts made their mark on the marketing scene last year? Whether they pulled off an outlandish pitch to leadership, went above and beyond on volunteering in the marketing field or traveled last-minute across the state for a client, we want to hear about it! Marketer of the Year recognizes those who do the most every single day to meet goals and make waves in the industry.

Nominees should be non-executive level marketers.

Agency of the Year
What makes your agency the apple of your eye? Is it the kick-butt culture? The super talented staff? The award-winning work? Psh, all of the above! Nominate your agency for Agency of the Year and celebrate what makes your team the top. Open to all marketing, advertising, digital and PR agencies in Iowa. Freelancers, too!

Marketing Department of the Year
Do you work in the best corporate marketing department in the state? From crafty campaigns to killer customer communications, how did your team leverage your brand this year? Tell us all about it! Open to all in-house marketing departments in Iowa.

Entry Fees

There is no entry fee for the Marketing Achievement Awards.

How to Enter

Entry submission is now OPEN!

Achievement Award Submission

REQUIREMENTS

Marketing Executive of the Year/Marketer of the Year
Nominees must live in Iowa or be employed by a company located in Iowa. It is not required to be an AMA Iowa member to be nominated.

Include the following with your nomination:

Letter of support (maximum 650 words) describing how the nominee has gone above and beyond in his or her career, stood out in the marketing field and why this person should be chosen over other qualified candidates. If applicable, include any past awards, recognitions and milestones.
- Marketing Executive of the Year only: Highlight contributions the nominee has made to his or her company, how the nominee has achieved career success in marketing and include any contributions he or she has made to increase the stature of the profession.
Up to 3 work samples that showcase the talent and impact of the nominee’s work
Resume
Up to 2 reference letters
Company logo

Agency of the Year/Marketing Department of the Year
Companies must be located in Iowa. It is not required to have AMA Iowa members employed at your company to be nominated.

Include the following with your nomination:

Letter of support (maximum 650 words) describing how the agency or marketing department has achieved amazing marketing results, worked together as a team and met client/internal goals. If applicable, include any past awards, recognitions and milestones.
Up to 3 work samples that showcase the agency’s or marketing department’s best work
Company logo

Any entry that fails to follow these guidelines and the digital requirements is subject to disqualification.

Questions? Email [email protected].

NOVA Award Judging Criteria

The 2026 NOVA Awards committee sets all judging criteria and verifies the winners selected by the award judges. A panel of marketing professionals from an AMA chapter outside of Iowa will serve as the judges. The judges make all decisions regarding eligibility, finalists and winners.

Entries become the property of AMA Iowa and will not be returned. No entry fee will be refunded due to an entry’s disqualification nor after the entries are judged.

Finalist Notification

One award winner will be chosen in each of the categories, at the discretion of the award judges. The decisions of the judges are final.

All individuals and companies nominated will be notified prior to the NOVA Awards event as well as the winning individuals and companies. Winner of each category will be announced and recognized during the event!

Questions? Email [email protected].

You can also download the AMA’s W-9 Form here.