• Broadcast Radio Campaign: Agency, Production Company or Advertiser (two prizes)
• Broadcast Radio Campaign: Radio Station or Group (two prizes)
• Broadcast Radio Single Spot: Agency, Production Company or Advertiser (two prizes)
• Broadcast Radio Single Spot: Radio Station or Group (two prizes)
• Local Market Broadcast Radio Single Spot: Agency, Production Company or Advertiser
• Local Market Broadcast Radio Single Spot: Radio Station or Group
• Broadcast Radio Single PSA: Agency, Production Company or Advertiser
• Broadcast Radio Single PSA: Radio Station or Group
• Broadcast Radio Single Spot for Good: Agency, Production Company or Advertiser
• Broadcast Radio Single Promotional Spot: Radio Station or Group
• Branded Podcast: Agency, Production Company, Advertiser, Radio Station or Group (Showcase Award)
• Multi-Platform Campaign with Broadcast Radio: Agency, Production Company, Advertiser, Radio Station or Group
• Short Broadcast Radio Single Spot (Under :15): Agency, Production Company, Advertiser, Radio Station or Group
• Use of Humor in a Single Broadcast Radio Spot: Agency, Production Company, Advertiser, Radio Station or Group
• Use of Songs/Music in a Single Broadcast Radio Spot: Agency, Production Company, Advertiser, Radio Station or Group
• Use of Sound Design in a Single Broadcast Radio Spot: Agency, Production Company, Radio Station or Group
• New: Spanish-Language Single Broadcast Radio Spot: Agency, Production Company or Advertiser, Radio Station or Group
• New: Use of Emerging Technology in Radio or Audio: Agency, Production Company, Advertiser, Radio Station or Group
• Student-Produced Radio Commercial (Showcase Award)

• Agency/Production Company/Advertiser:
• $175 for single/noncampaign entries.
• $350 for campaign entries.
• Radio Station or Group:
• $125 for single/noncampaign entries.
• $250 for campaign entries.
• Student: No charge.

Read through the categories and their individual guidelines to find the best matches for your work./p>

Have the following information ready before you begin the entry process. (Note: You can start your entry online and finish adding elements before the entry deadline.)

• Complete credits, including the people who produced the entry, e.g., writer(s), producer(s), talent and production company. We will use these credits if your entry becomes a finalist, so make sure the credits are complete and accurate before you finalize your entry.
• Important: In order to finalize your work and before the entry deadline, you will have to provide substantiation as follows:
  • Broadcast radio categories: You must provide proof that the work in your entry was broadcast, aired or ran on a U.S.-licensed broadcast radio station(s) or group and/or its digital radio station components during the entry eligibility period. This substantiation could be a Proof of Air/Traffic Log from a broadcast radio station, an invoice from a radio station or a written and scanned letter from the media-buying agency with dates. You must send this paperwork on or before our entry deadline to Madison Wright at mercury@rab.com.
  • Branded Podcast and Use of Emerging Technology in Radio or Audio categories: You must provide proof that a podcast or nonbroadcast audio work aired or ran during the entry eligibility period. This substantiation could be a Proof of Air/Traffic log or a written and scanned letter from the media-buying agency with dates. For podcast work, send in a screenshot of when the podcast aired. You must send this paperwork on or before our entry deadline to Madison Wright at mercury@rab.com.
• The actual audio/video file for your entry.
• A written description of the work and how you feel it successfully used radio and or audio to drive the main message. Note: Do not include your agency/company/station name or names of creative team in the description, as all work is judged anonymously.
• Payment information, e.g., credit card number.
• Please fill out the signed agreement form once you've finished your entry(ies) to mercury@rab.com.

• You can submit entries in any language.
• You can enter non-English language work in any category.
• Non-English language entries should be originally produced in that language, and the final produced work should be predominantly in that language.
• You will need to submit a side-by-side translation of the work included in the entry, and for any printed or visual copy that is in not in English.
• Definition of broadcast and nonbroadcast entries:
• Broadcast: For the purposes of the Radio Mercury Awards, “broadcast radio” means U.S.-licensed AM and FM radio stations owned and operated by U.S. radio stations and groups, along with any digital radio stations owned and operated by the stations and groups. The work ran on-air on a U.S.-licensed radio station(s). The work can also have run entirely digitally on a U.S.-licensed radio station or be a combination of on-air and digital on a U.S.-licensed radio station(s).
• Nonbroadcast: For the purposes of the Radio Mercury Awards, “Nonbroadcast” audio means digital-only streaming services, e.g., Spotify and Pandora; satellite-only services, e.g., Sirius XM; CB, Ham and amateur radio stations.
• Some categories are open to nonbroadcast audio entries, e.g., Branded Podcast and Multi-Platform Campaign with Broadcast Audio.
• Note: If you produced a commercial or campaign that ran both on broadcast radio and  nonbroadcast channels, you can enter the work in an eligible commercial or campaign category as long as the work ran on a broadcast radio station(s) in conjunction with the nonbroadcast channels. At the time of entry, you will be required to submit appropriate paperwork attesting that the work ran on a broadcast radio station(s), as defined above.
• Definition of who can enter:
• Agency, advertiser, or production company submissions: Work that was produced by an agency, advertiser or production company.
• Radio station or group submissions: Work that was produced by a radio station, group, or a radio station or group’s production/creative services department.
• Student submissions: Work that was created by a student or group of students at a U.S. accredited college, university, college-level radio station or trade/specialty school.
• Entries that do not comply will be returned, and you will be asked to resubmit them in the correct format and/or length.
• Entry fees are nonrefundable.

Eligibility period:

• Broadcast entries that aired on a commercial radio station or the station's/group's website/digital stream between January 1, 2023, and April 22, 2024, initially and primarily in the U.S. and its territories.
• Nonbroadcast entries that aired digitally, were released or transmitted between January 1, 2023, and April 22, 2024, initially and primarily in the U.S. and its territories.

Entry version to submit:

• Submit entries in their original release version, with this exception: For certain categories, we may request that you submit an excerpt. We may return an entry and ask you to resubmit it if it exceeds the guidelines noted in a category.
• Audio entries: MP3 or WAV format - 256 kbps minimum 44100 hz stereo - no slate. Nonaudio Entries: One .mov or .mp4 file, 1280 x 720 resolution, H.264 video codec.
  • Should you be entering a campaign category (I.e. Broadcast Radio Campaign) please put two to three audio clips together in one audio file.
• Video case studies: If you submit a video case study, you must include two or three broadcast radio commercials from the campaign and place them at the beginning of your entry. Case studies that do not meet these criteria will be returned, and you will be asked to resubmit your case study to comply with our guidelines.
• If your entry does not comply with our guidelines, we will return the entry, and we will ask you to resubmit it to conform with our guidelines.

Judges will evaluate a single broadcast commercial/spot on its overall creative excellence in delivering the main message.

• Judges will evaluate a broadcast radio campaign on the overall creative excellence of all the spots in delivering the main message.
• Judges will evaluate nonbroadcast audio, podcasts, use of humor, innovative use of broadcast radio, use of sound design and use of songs/music on the overall creative excellence of the work in delivering the main message.
• Judges will evaluate multi-platform campaigns on the overall creative excellence of the work in delivering the main message, along with the integration of broadcast radio as an essential component of the campaign.
• Please refer to individual categories for specific judging guidelines.
• Awards and Best of Show:
  • The final round jury have the discretion to award a Best of Show, along with a trophy and $10,000 prize. All other winners will receive a trophy and a $1,000 prize.
  • In accordance with the original mission of the Radio Mercury Awards to encourage and reward the development of effective and creative broadcast radio commercials, only entries that include broadcast radio as an integral component of the work are eligible to compete for the Best of Show award.
  • Entries that include other elements, e.g., podcasts, TV and/or digital, are eligible to compete for the Best of Show award, as long as broadcast radio is an integral part of the overall submitted work.
  • The Showcase categories Branded Podcast and Student-Produced Radio Commercial categories are not eligible to compete for the Best of Show. The winners in these two categories will receive a Radio Mercury Awards trophy and prize monies.
  • Final round judges have the discretion to split an award between two winners.
  • Entrants will have the opportunity to win awards in multiple categories. However, a winner can only win one award in a multi-award category, e.g., one broadcast radio campaign award, one broadcast radio commercial award.

BROADCAST RADIO CAMPAIGN
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY OR ADVERTISER
Broadcast radio campaign that creatively communicates an advertiser's services and value. Submit two or three commercials within one audio file from the campaign, without slates and with no more than two seconds between spots.

BROADCAST RADIO SINGLE SPOT
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY OR ADVERTISER
Single broadcast radio commercial that creatively communicates an advertiser's services and value.

LOCAL MARKET BROADCAST RADIO SINGLE SPOT
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY OR ADVERTISER
Single broadcast radio commercial created and produced by a local advertising agency or local in-house advertiser team for a local advertiser that creatively communicates the advertiser's services and value.

BROADCAST RADIO SINGLE PSA
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY OR ADVERTISER
Single broadcast radio PSA for an organization or cause-related effort with a clear call to action message that engages an audience through education, factual information and/or guidance on relevant public and social interest issues.

BROADCAST RADIO SINGLE SPOT FOR GOOD
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY OR ADVERTISER
Single broadcast radio commercial created for an advertiser or organization that brings awareness of relevant social issues, e.g., poverty, justice, gender equality, health and well-being, the environment. (Note: The U.N. (United Nations) 17 Sustainable Development Goals offer an overview of relevant issues: https://sdgs.un.org/goals#goals for specific examples.)

BRANDED PODCAST
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY OR ADVERTISER
A branded podcast episode or series created by an agency, production company, radio station or group and produced for, or in partnership with, an advertiser or nonprofit organization. The entry should demonstrate how the podcast episode or series used audio to drive brand awareness and recall through creative ideation, craft and execution.

• Each entry must include the following:
• An excerpt of the podcast series or highlights of the episode, at a maximum of two minutes.
• A link to a full podcast episode of the work.
• An audio case study detailing how the advertiser's or organization's message was integrated into the podcast episode or series.

MULTI-PLATFORM CAMPAIGN WITH BROADCAST RADIO
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY OR ADVERTISER
Multi-platform campaign, in which broadcast radio is an essential and driving media of the campaign, that creatively communicates an advertiser's services and value. Additional media channels can include nonbroadcast audio, TV, social media, podcasts, branded content and experiential display. The campaign should deliver a consistent brand message across all the channels. The broadcast radio component should be able to stand on its own as a campaign.

Entry requirements:

Include two or three broadcast radio commercials from the campaign within one file and position the broadcast radio commercials at the beginning of your entry.

• Submit the commercials, without slates and with no more than two seconds between spots.
• You can include a link to additional media used within the campaign in the section where you submit a description of the work.
• Case studies: If you submit a video case study, you must include two or three broadcast radio commercials from the campaign and place them at the beginning of your entry. Case studies that do not meet these criteria will be returned, and you will be asked to resubmit your case study to comply with our guidelines.

SHORT BROADCAST RADIO SINGLE SPOT (UNDER :15)
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY OR ADVERTISER
Single broadcast radio commercial that runs under 15 seconds, including disclaimers, that creatively communicates an advertiser's services and value.

USE OF HUMOR IN A SINGLE BROADCAST RADIO SPOT
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY OR ADVERTISER
Single broadcast radio commercial or PSA that utilizes humor as a featured element to creatively communicate an advertiser's or organization's main message. Humor can be featured in one or more elements of the spot, e.g., the script, voice talent, sound effects or music.

USE OF SONGS/MUSIC IN A SINGLE BROADCAST RADIO SPOT
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY OR ADVERTISER
Single broadcast radio commercial or PSA where song(s) or musical compositions are a featured element, that creatively communicates an advertiser's or organization's main message. Eligible entry examples include jingles, sonic branding, a song or a musical composition with or without lyrics. Songs or musical compositions can be original works, or they can be repurposed or rearranged through new lyrics and/or performances including vocals or style, e.g., a classical composition arranged in electronic dance style.

USE OF SOUND DESIGN IN A SINGLE BROADCAST RADIO SPOT
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY OR ADVERTISER
Single broadcast radio commercial or PSA where sound design is a featured element, that creatively communicates an advertiser's or organization's main message. Eligible entry examples include the use of sound effects, foley, live performances or remote recording, sonic branding, soundscapes and editing of previously composed or recorded audio.

NEW: SPANISH-LANGUAGE SINGLE BROADCAST RADIO SPOT
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY OR ADVERTISER
Single broadcast radio commercial, in Spanish, that creatively communicates an advertiser's services and value. Work should be primarily in Spanish, originally produced in Spanish and not a translation of an original English language spot or campaign. You must include a written or side-by-side English translation with the entry.

NEW: USE OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGY IN RADIO OR AUDIO
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY OR ADVERTISER
Broadcast radio or nonbroadcast audio work that uses emerging technology to creatively communicate the advertiser's or organization's services and value. Eligible examples of emerging technology include sonic branding, use of AI (Artificial Intelligence), 3D audio production, broadcast radio with visual and/or digital components, or use of sound effects and soundscapes.

Note: This category is not eligible to compete for the Best of Show unless broadcast radio is an integral component of the work.

BROADCAST RADIO CAMPAIGN
RADIO STATION OR GROUP
Radio campaign, created and produced by an in-house team or a station or group's production/creative services department, for an advertiser that creatively communicates the advertiser's services and value. Submit two or three commercials from the campaign within one audio file, without slates, and with no more than two seconds between spots.

BROADCAST RADIO SINGLE SPOT
RADIO STATION OR GROUP
Broadcast radio commercial, created and produced by an in-house team or a station or group's production/creative services department, for an advertiser that creatively communicates the advertiser's services and value.

LOCAL MARKET BROADCAST RADIO SINGLE SPOT
RADIO STATION OR GROUP
Broadcast radio commercial created and produced by a local, in-house station team for a local advertiser that creatively communicates the advertiser's services and values.

BROADCAST RADIO SINGLE PROMOTIONAL SPOT
RADIO STATION OR GROUP
Broadcast radio spot that promotes a station or group's programming, talent, special events, anniversary or historical moments, promotional drives or contests. Work can be recorded or it can be a live read. The work can be for the station or group or in partnership with an advertiser or organization. Note: The original broadcast spot should not be more than two minutes in length.

BROADCAST RADIO SINGLE PSA
RADIO STATION OR GROUP
Broadcast radio PSA for a nonprofit organization or cause-related effort with a clear Call to Action message that engages an audience through education, factual information and/or guidance on relevant public and social interest issues. The PSA can be created by the station or group on its own, or on behalf of or in partnership with a nonprofit organization.

BRANDED PODCAST
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY, ADVERTISER, RADIO STATION OR GROUP
A branded podcast episode or series created by an agency, production company, radio station or group and produced for, or in partnership with, an advertiser or nonprofit organization. The entry should demonstrate how the podcast episode or series used audio to drive brand awareness and recall through creative ideation, craft and execution.

• Each entry must include the following:
• An excerpt of the podcast series or highlights of the episode, at a maximum of two minutes.
• A link to a full podcast episode of the work.
• An audio case study detailing how the advertiser's or organization's message was integrated into the podcast episode or series.

Note: This category is not eligible to compete for the Best of Show.

MULTI-PLATFORM CAMPAIGN WITH BROADCAST RADIO
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY, ADVERTISER, RADIO STATION OR GROUP
Multi-platform campaign, in which broadcast radio is an essential and driving media of the campaign, that creatively communicates an advertiser's services and value. Additional media channels can include nonbroadcast audio, TV, social media, podcasts, branded content and experiential display. The campaign should deliver a consistent brand message across all the channels. The broadcast radio component should be able to stand on its own as a campaign.

Entry requirements:

• Include two or three broadcast radio commercials from the campaign within one file and position the broadcast radio commercials at the beginning of your entry.
• Submit the commercials, without slates and with no more than two seconds between spots.
• You can include a link to additional media used within the campaign in the section where you submit a description of the work.
• Case studies: If you submit a video case study, you must include two or three broadcast radio commercials from the campaign and place them at the beginning of your entry. Case studies that do not meet these criteria will be returned, and you will be asked to resubmit your case study to comply with our guidelines.

SHORT BROADCAST RADIO SINGLE SPOT (UNDER :15)
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY, ADVERTISER, RADIO STATION OR GROUP
Single broadcast radio commercial that runs under 15 seconds, including disclaimers, that creatively communicates an advertiser's services and value.

USE OF HUMOR IN A SINGLE BROADCAST RADIO SPOT
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY, ADVERTISER, RADIO STATION OR GROUP
Single broadcast radio commercial or PSA that utilizes humor as a featured element to creatively communicate an advertiser's or organization's main message. Humor can be featured in one or more elements of the spot, e.g., the script, voice talent, sound effects or music.

USE OF SONGS/MUSIC IN A SINGLE BROADCAST RADIO SPOT
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY, ADVERTISER, RADIO STATION OR GROUP
Single broadcast radio commercial or PSA where song(s) or musical compositions are a featured element, that creatively communicates an advertiser's or organization's main message. Eligible entry examples include jingles, sonic branding, a song or a musical composition with or without lyrics. Songs or musical compositions can be original works, or they can be repurposed or rearranged through new lyrics and/or performances including vocals or style, e.g., a classical composition arranged in electronic dance style.

USE OF SOUND DESIGN IN A SINGLE BROADCAST RADIO SPOT
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY, ADVERTISER, RADIO STATION OR GROUP
Single broadcast radio commercial or PSA where sound design is a featured element, that creatively communicates an advertiser's or organization's main message. Eligible entry examples include the use of sound effects, foley, live performances or remote recording, sonic branding, soundscapes and editing of previously composed or recorded audio.

NEW: SPANISH-LANGUAGE SINGLE BROADCAST RADIO SPOT
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY, ADVERTISER, RADIO STATION OR GROUP
Single broadcast radio commercial, in Spanish, that creatively communicates an advertiser's services and value. Work should be primarily in Spanish, originally produced in Spanish and not a translation of an original English language spot or campaign.

You must include a written or side-by-side English translation with the entry.

NEW: USE OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGY IN RADIO OR AUDIO
AGENCY, PRODUCTION COMPANY, ADVERTISER, RADIO STATION OR GROUP
Broadcast radio or nonbroadcast audio work that uses emerging technology to creatively communicate the advertiser's or organization's services and value. Eligible examples of emerging technology include sonic branding, use of AI (Artificial Intelligence), 3D audio production, broadcast radio with visual and/or digital components, or use of sound effects and soundscapes.

Note: This category is not eligible to compete for the Best of Show unless broadcast radio is an integral component of the work.

STUDENT-PRODUCED RADIO COMMERCIAL

Radio advertising commercial created by an individual student or team of students from a qualified educational institution, e.g., U.S.-chartered school or university or a U.S. professional, technical or "proprietary" school offering education and training in advertising, art and design or broadcasting.

Work will be judged on the overall success of the commercial in conveying the brand, product or service through the creative tools of radio.

Note: This category is not eligible to compete for Best of Show.