Ad Stars received 18,000 entries to this year’s awards, which confirms its position as Asia’s biggest advertising awards program.

More than 14,200 were entered by professionals working in the advertising, design, digital and production industries.

Around 3,800 entries were received from non-professionals, including students and people with an interest in advertising, who don’t work in the industry.

Growth of Ad Stars entries 2008 – 2016

The most popular categories entered were:

• Print (3,000+ entries)
• Outdoor (2,900+ entries)
• Design (1,300+ entries)
• Promotion (1,100+ entries)
• Interactive (1,100+ entries)
• Media and Public Service Advertising (each 1,000+ entries).

“From its local origins in South Korea, Ad Stars has grown into a global event with a unique point of difference in just eight years. We are pleased to have attracted so many entries again this year, and we’d like to thank everyone who took the time to enter,” stated Eui Ja Lee, co-chairperson of the Ad Stars Executive Committee.

Ad Stars offers a level playing field for agencies and production companies because almost all of its 18 categories are free to enter. Only the Integrated category has an entry fee attached to it, so the festival is uniquely accessible to agencies regardless of size or location.

Ad Stars is also the only global advertising festival to reward two US$10,000 cash prizes to its Grand Prix of the Year winners to nurture and support creative talent.

The entries are now being judged to determine this year’s finalists. The Executive Jury will decide this year’s Grand Prix, Gold, Silver and Bronze winners in August.

Winners will be revealed at the 9th Ad Stars festival, August 25 -27 2016 in Busan, South Korea.