Share2025 Categories
We updated the Adrian Awards categories for 2025 to reflect today’s marketing landscape. The updated categories for 2025 reflect the real-world strategies travel and hospitality brands are using today. From AI-powered video to channel-specific social media growth, we’ve evolved the Adrians to meet the moment and recognize excellence across today’s most impactful platforms. Click here for a downloadable pdf of these new categories.
A Best of Category Award will be given in each entry category for small, medium and large budget campaigns, as well as Gold, Silver and Bronze awards. Each Gold Award recipient will be considered for Platinum awards, and Platinums will be considered for Best of Show.
Budget Ranges: Paid Media, Owned Media, Earned Media
Small: $0 – $25,000
Medium: $26,000 – $500,000
Large: $501,000 – Above
Budget Ranges: Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing
Small: $0 – $100,000
Medium: $101,000 – $750,000
Large: $751,000 – Above
Entries will be accepted in these categories:
CATEGORY |
MEDIA CHANNELPaid Only, Earned Only, Owned Only, or Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing |
DESCRIPTION |
| Affiliate Marketing | Paid Media Only | Creative and effective marketing through paid digital affiliates—third parties who promote your business in exchange for compensation, driving transactions, leads, or other valuable actions |
| App | Owned Media Only | For an app fully owned and operated by the brand (hotel, hotel company, DMO, etc.); can showcase launch, activation, engagement, the user experience, etc. that excludes paid media support |
| App | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | For an app fully owned and operated by the brand (hotel, hotel company, DMO, etc.), this category recognizes integrated marketing efforts that showcase the app’s launch, user experience, engagement, or functionality. Entries should highlight how at least two media channels (owned, earned, and or paid) worked together to drive awareness, downloads, and usage. |
| Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Paid Media Only | An initiative that leverages artificial intelligence only through paid media channels. Focus is on how AI was used to improve engagement, personalization, and performance within paid platforms. Examples include chatbots, content generation, website builds, sentiment or data analysis, pricing, and forecasting tools. |
| Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Owned Media Only | An initiative that leverages artificial intelligence exclusively through owned media channels. Focus is on how AI was used to improve engagement, personalization, and performance within brand-owned platforms. |
| Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Earned Media Only | An initiative that leverages artificial intelligence, exclusively through earned media, to influence the customer journey. Examples include AI-driven storytelling, media coverage, or influencer engagement sparked by innovative AI use. Focus is on how AI contributed to increased visibility, engagement, or brand credibility without relying on paid or owned media channels. |
| Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | An initiative that leverages artificial intelligence across 2 or more media channels (paid, earned, and/or owned). Examples include chatbots, content generation, website builds, sentiment or data analysis, pricing, and forecasting tools. Entries may showcase a single concept or a full campaign, with AI as a core driver of paid performance. |
| Artificial Intelligence (AI) Video | Paid Media Only | This category recognizes creative applications of artificial intelligence in video content. The content highlights destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences through paid placements that demonstrate originality, audience engagement, and measurable impact. Excludes video for AI categories. |
| Artificial Intelligence (AI) Video | Owned Media Only | This category recognizes original, AI-powered video content, without paid placement, that showcases destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences through strategic storytelling, driving engagement, brand visibility, and measurable results. |
| Artificial Intelligence (AI) Video | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | This category recognizes television, cable, streaming television, or digital video ads strategically placed via paid media channels to highlight destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences, demonstrating creativity, audience targeting, and measurable impact. |
| Broadcast: Audio | Paid Media Only | Recognizes excellence in paid audio broadcasts that inspire travel. This category honors radio, podcasts, or streaming audio campaigns that effectively promote destinations, hospitality brands, or travel experiences, demonstrating creativity, strategic targeting, and measurable impact through paid media placement. |
| Broadcast: Audio | Owned Media Only | Recognizes outstanding owned audio broadcasts that promote travel. This category recognizes original radio shows, podcasts, or streaming audio produced without paid placement—highlighting destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences through compelling storytelling, audience engagement, and measurable impact. |
| Broadcast: Audio | Earned Media Only | Highlighting outstanding earned audio broadcasts that showcase travel. This category honors radio segments, podcasts, or streaming audio features secured through public relations efforts, highlighting destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences with impactful storytelling and audience engagement—achieved without paid placement. |
| Broadcast Television: Traditional TV, Cable or Streaming | Paid Media Only | This category recognizes traditional television, cable or streaming strategically placed to highlight destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences, demonstrating creativity, audience targeting, and measurable impact through paid media channels. Can include paid ad spots or longer-length paid productions. |
| Broadcast Television: Traditional TV, Cable or Streaming | Earned Media Only | This category recognizes interviews, segments, features, or programs secured through public relations efforts (without paid placement) showcasing destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences with compelling storytelling and broad audience reach. |
| Broadcast Television: Traditional TV, Cable or Streaming | Owned Media Only | Recognizes exceptional owned television, cable or streaming broadcasts (fully owned and operated by the brand (hotel, hotel company, DMO, etc.),that promote travel. This category recognizes original video content—produced without paid placement—that showcases destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences through creative storytelling, audience engagement, and measurable impact across linear or streaming platforms. |
| Broadcast Integration | Earned Media Only | Single or multiple earned integrations with film, TV, cable, or streaming programs, including in-studio or on-location filming. Integrations must be fully earned, involve trade (e.g., travel/accommodations), or include a minimal production fee. Focus is on exposure, storytelling, and brand alignment. |
| Broadcast Integration | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | Single or multiple integrations with film, TV network, cable or streaming programs that can include in-studio or on-location filming. Integrations must be a combination of at least two media channels (paid, earned, and/or owned). Focus is on exposure, storytelling, and brand alignment. |
| Business-to-Business/Trade Campaign | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | Honoring outstanding multi-channel campaigns that drive business-to-business/trade initiatives. This category recognizes integrated marketing efforts—across digital, print, events, and more—that strategically promote destinations, hospitality brands, or services to industry professionals with cohesive messaging, creative execution, and measurable business impact. |
| Business-to-Business/Trade Campaign | Earned Media Only | Honoring impactful earned media campaigns that drive business-to-business/trade results. This category recognizes PR-driven efforts—without paid placement—that promote destinations, hospitality brands, or services to industry professionals through compelling storytelling, strategic placements, and measurable business results. |
| Business-to-Business/Trade Campaign | Paid Media Only | Recognizes campaigns that feature strategically placed ads or sponsored content promoting destinations, hospitality brands, or services to industry professionals—demonstrating creative execution, targeted engagement, and measurable business impact through paid placements. |
| Consumer Brand Campaign | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | This category recognizes integrated marketing effort across two or more media channels (paid, earned and/or owned) —that creatively promote destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences to consumers through cohesive messaging, engaging content, events and measurable impact. |
| Consumer Brand Campaign | Earned Media Only | This category recognizes PR-driven efforts—without paid placement—that promote destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences to consumers through compelling storytelling, strategic media placements, events/experiences and measurable results. |
| Consumer Brand Campaign | Paid Media Only | This category recognizes exceptional paid media campaigns featuring strategically placed ads, sponsored content, events/experiences promoting destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences to consumers—demonstrating creative execution, targeted engagement, and measurable impact through paid placements. |
| Community & Culture Impact | Paid Media Only | Paid media efforts that promote inclusive marketing and reflect diversity in all forms—including LGBTQIA+, accessibility, and more. Entries should demonstrate a clear commitment to advancing inclusivity and social impact through paid tactics that authentically represent and engage diverse audiences. |
| Community & Culture Impact | Earned Media Only | Earned media efforts that promote inclusive marketing and reflect diversity in all forms—including LGBTQIA+, accessibility, and more. Entries should demonstrate a clear commitment to advancing inclusivity and social impact through earned tactics that authentically represent and engage diverse audiences. |
| Community & Culture Impact | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | Recognizes integrated marketing efforts that champion inclusivity and reflect diversity across two or more channels (owned, earned, and/or paid media). Entries should show how your campaign authentically represented diverse communities—LGBTQIA+, accessibility, and more—and demonstrated a strong organizational commitment to social impact through cohesive, multi-channel strategies. |
| Content Marketing | Owned Media Only | Content marketing that uses only owned media to engage travel audiences. Entries may include editorial campaigns, white papers, or thought leadership pieces. Focus is on strategy, originality, and effectiveness in building brand authority, driving engagement, or influencing decision-making—without relying on paid promotion. Content must be fully owned by the brand. |
| Content Marketing | Earned Media Only | Recognizing outstanding earned content marketing within the travel space. This category recognizes PR-driven storytelling—without paid placement—that highlights destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences through articles, features, or multimedia content, delivering authentic audience engagement and measurable impact. |
| Content Marketing | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | Content marketing executed across two or more media channels (paid, earned and/or owned) to engage and influence audiences. Entries may include editorial campaigns, white papers, or thought leadership. Focus is on strategy, consistency, and effectiveness in delivering cohesive messaging and measurable results through a mix of owned, earned, and/or paid media channels. |
| Contest/Sweepstakes | Paid Media Only | Recognizes exceptional paid media campaigns featuring contests or sweepstakes. This category recognizes strategically promoted initiatives designed to engage audiences, highlight destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences, and deliver measurable results through creative execution and targeted paid placements. |
| Contest/Sweepstakes | Earned Media Only | Honoring impactful contests or sweepstakes promoted exclusively through earned media. This category recognizes PR-driven initiatives—without paid placement—that engage audiences, showcase destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences, and achieve measurable results through strategic media coverage and organic promotion. |
| Contest/Sweepstakes | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | Recognizing outstanding multi-channel campaigns featuring contests or sweepstakes . This category recognizes integrated marketing efforts (2 or more media channels – paid, earned and/or owned) that engage audiences, highlight destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences, and deliver measurable impact through cohesive strategy and creative execution. |
| Experiential Marketing | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | Recognizes campaigns that engaged customers through live, in-person experiences such as events, stunts, pop-ups, or sampling—whether for a launch or existing brand. Entries must incorporate two or more media channels (owned, earned, and/or paid) and demonstrate how integrated tactics amplified the experience, drove engagement, and delivered measurable impact across platforms. |
| Feature Placement Trade Media: Online or Print | Earned Media Only | Recognizes an earned media feature in a trade-focused publication in print or online, that elevated industry visibility for a travel brand. Entries should showcase strategic outreach, relevance to the trade audience, and how the placement supported business goals through increased credibility, thought leadership, or industry engagement. |
| Feature Placement Consumer Media (magazine or newspaper): Online or Print | Earned Media Only | Recognizes an earned media feature in a consumer-focused online or print publication that successfully elevated a travel brand. Entries should highlight compelling storytelling, strategic media outreach, and the impact of the placement in driving awareness, credibility, and interest, without the use of paid advertising. |
| Influencer/Content Creation | Paid Media Only | Recognizes strategic use of paid influencer collaborations or content creation that promotes destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences. Entries may include FAM tours, product launches, events or on-location shoots – as examples. Focus is on creative execution, audience targeting, and measurable impact achieved through sponsored content and paid partnerships. |
| Influencer/Content Creation | Owned Media Only | Recognizes outstanding influencer or content creation initiatives through owned media. This category recognizes original content—produced without paid placement—that promotes destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences via blogs, videos, or social posts, driving engagement, brand visibility, and measurable impact across owned platforms. |
| Influencer/Content Creation | Earned Media Only | Recognizes effective use of unpaid influencer collaborations for promotions for destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences through earned media. Entries may include for example FAM tours, product launches, events or on-location shoots. Focus is on authentic partnerships, organic social media reach, and the ability to drive awareness and engagement without paid promotion. |
| Influencer/Content Creation | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | Recognizes exceptional influencer or content creation campaigns through multi-channel marketing. This category recognizes integrated efforts (must include 2 or more media channels – paid, earned and/or owned) that showcase destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences through original content and influencer partnerships, driving engagement, brand visibility, and measurable impact. |
| Innovation | Paid Media Only | This category honors breakthrough strategies, formats, or technologies that creatively promote destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences through paid channels—demonstrating originality, effective audience engagement, and measurable impact in the travel industry. |
| Innovation | Earned Media Only | This category recognizes unique PR efforts, without paid placement, that showcase destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences through inventive storytelling, formats, or strategies, delivering impactful exposure and measurable results. |
| Innovation | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | This category honors integrated efforts across platforms, digital, print, broadcast, and events, that creatively promote destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences through original strategies, cohesive storytelling, and measurable impact in the travel industry. Must include at least 2 media channels – paid, earned and/or owned. |
| New Opening/Launch | Paid Media Only | Recognizes the launch of a new travel product, service, or property supported exclusively by paid media. Entries should highlight how tactics such as experiential activations/events, digital ads, paid social, print placements, or out-of-home media were used to build awareness, generate excitement, and drive measurable results for a successful new opening or launch. |
| New Opening/Launch | Earned Media Only | Recognizes the launch of a new travel product, service, or property driven by earned media efforts. Entries should showcase how public relations, experiential activations/events, influencer outreach, organic social, or media coverage generated buzz, built awareness, and delivered results—without relying on paid media—to support a successful new opening or launch. |
| New Opening/Launch | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | Recognizes the launch of a new travel product, service, or property supported by a coordinated multi-channel marketing strategy. Entries should highlight how at least 2 media channels (paid, earned, and/or owned media) worked together to generate buzz, drive awareness, and deliver measurable results through compelling storytelling, experiential activations/events and integrated campaign execution. |
| Print Collateral | Owned Media Only | Print collateral entries may include brochures, direct mail, or other high-impact printed pieces. Focus is on creativity, execution, and measurable results achieved through owned media channels. |
| Purpose-Driven Campaigns | Paid Media Only | A paid media initiative that showcases corporate citizenship through community involvement, environmental stewardship, or socially responsible practices. Entries should highlight efforts like sustainability, regenerative travel, workforce development, wildlife preservation, or beautification—demonstrating how paid tactics promoted meaningful impact while preserving local culture and natural resources. |
| Purpose-Driven Campaigns | Earned Media Only | An earned media initiative that showcases corporate citizenship through community involvement, environmental stewardship, or socially responsible practices. Entries should highlight efforts like sustainability, regenerative travel, workforce development, wildlife preservation, or beautification—demonstrating how earned media tactics promoted meaningful impact while preserving local culture and natural resources. |
| Purpose-Driven Campaigns | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | A multi-channel campaign (2 or more media channels – paid, earned and/or owned) that promotes corporate citizenship through community, environmental, or social impact efforts. Entries should highlight how integrated strategies advanced sustainability, regenerative travel, workforce development, wildlife preservation, or community building—preserving local culture and resources while delivering meaningful results across paid, owned, and earned media channels. |
| Relaunch of Existing Property or Product | Paid Media Only | Recognizes the relaunch of an existing travel product, service, or property using only paid media strategies. Entries should highlight how tactics such as digital advertising, sponsored content, experiential activations/events or paid social were used to reignite interest, refresh brand perception, and drive measurable results like increased awareness, engagement, or bookings. |
| Relaunch of Existing Property or Product | Earned Media Only | Recognizes the strategic relaunch of an existing travel product, service, or property using only earned media channels. Entries should showcase how tactics such as PR, influencer outreach, experiential activations/events and organic social were used to refresh brand perception, generate buzz, and drive measurable results without the use of paid media. |
| Relaunch of Existing Property or Product | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | Recognizes the strategic relaunch of an existing travel product, service, or property using two or more media channels (paid, earned and/or owned). Entries should highlight how integrated tactics revitalized audience interest, refreshed brand perception, and drove measurable results such as increased bookings, awareness, or engagement. |
| Reputation Management | Paid Media Only | Campaigns that use paid media to proactively protect, rebuild, or manage brand reputation or crisis. Entries should highlight how paid tactics—such as sponsored content, display ads, or social advertising—were strategically used to address challenges, shape perception, and strengthen trust with key audiences. |
| Reputation Management | Earned Media Only | Campaigns that proactively protect, rebuild, or manage brand reputation or crisis using earned media channels such as PR, influencer outreach, or organic social. Entries should showcase a cohesive strategy that addressed challenges, shaped public perception, and strengthened trust with key audiences—without relying on paid media. |
| Reputation Management | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | Campaigns that proactively protect, rebuild, or manage brand reputation or crisis through two or more media channels (paid, earned, and/or owned). Entries should highlight a cohesive strategy to address challenges, shape perception, and restore or strengthen trust with key audiences. |
| Search Marketing | Paid Media Only | Recognizes paid search campaigns that delivered measurable performance improvements through strategy, optimization, and data-driven enhancements. Entries should highlight how paid search tactics, such as keyword targeting, bidding strategies, and ad creative, resulted in increased traffic, conversions, or ROI, demonstrating effective use of search to support overall marketing goals. |
| Search Marketing | Owned Media Only | Celebrates outstanding use of owned media to drive search performance through strategic content creation, website optimization, and data-informed enhancements. Entries should demonstrate how owned assets, such as brand websites, blogs, landing pages, and other proprietary digital content, were optimized to improve search visibility, engagement, and conversions. Submissions must highlight how these efforts supported overall marketing objectives through effective, measurable search strategies rooted in owned media channels. |
| Search Marketing | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | Honors search marketing initiatives that were seamlessly integrated into broader multi-channel campaigns to drive measurable results. Entries should highlight how search strategies, across organic, paid, or a combination, worked in concert with other marketing channels such as email, social, display, content marketing, or offline efforts. Submissions must demonstrate how search played a strategic role within the integrated mix to amplify reach, enhance engagement, and achieve business goals. |
| Social Media | Paid Media Only | Recognizes creative and effective use of paid advertising on social media, either as part of a broader campaign or a standalone effort. Entries should showcase how paid tactics across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn drove engagement, reach, or conversions through compelling content, targeting, and measurable results. |
| Social Media | Owned Media Only | This category recognizes creative content, community engagement, and strategic use of social platforms, without paid placement, to showcase destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences, driving engagement, brand awareness, and measurable results. |
| Social Media | Earned Media Only | This category recognizes influencer partnerships, organic shares, and user-generated content, secured without paid placement, that highlight destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences, driving authentic engagement, brand visibility, and measurable impact across platforms. |
| Social Media | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | This category recognizes multi-channel social media efforts (2 or more media channels – paid, earned and/or owned) to showcase destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences, using cohesive messaging, creative content, and strategic engagement to drive measurable results. It can either be as part of a broader campaign or a standalone effort. Entries should showcase how tactics across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn drove engagement, reach, or conversions. |
| Social Media Channel Growth | Owned Media Only | This category recognizes content and engagement efforts — without paid placement — that promote destinations, hospitality brands, or experiences, driving follower growth, increasing engagement, and delivering measurable impact across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and others. |
| Social Media Channel Growth | Paid Media Only | Recognizes the use of paid media to drive measurable growth on social media channels. Entries should demonstrate how paid strategies — such as sponsored posts, influencer partnerships, or social ads — were used to increase followers, engagement, or reach, while supporting broader brand objectives and delivering clear ROI through platform-specific growth. |
| Special Event | Paid Media Only | Recognizes paid media campaign that supported a special event — excluding openings or launches — such as anniversaries, milestones, or cultural celebrations. Entries should highlight how paid tactics across digital, print, out-of-home, or social channels were strategically used to drive awareness, engagement, and attendance, while delivering measurable impact aligned with brand goals. |
| Special Event | Earned Media Only | Recognizes special event campaigns — excluding openings or launches — driven only by earned media efforts such as public relations, influencer outreach, and organic social coverage. Entries should highlight how storytelling, media relationships, and strategic engagement elevated awareness, attendance, or brand perception for events like anniversaries, milestones, or cultural celebrations. |
| Special Event | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | Recognizes integrated marketing efforts supporting a special event — excluding openings or launches — such as anniversaries, milestones, or celebrations. Entries should showcase a multi-channel strategy (2 or more media channels – paid, owned, and/or earned) to drive awareness, engagement, and attendance, while aligning with brand goals and delivering measurable results across platforms. |
| Technology | Owned Media Only | Recognizes the use of technology, such as automation, QR codes, and applied data, to solve challenges in commercial operations (sales, marketing, revenue optimization, and/or distribution), guest satisfaction, and other areas. Entries should highlight how the technology improved usability, reduced labor, streamlined processes, supported business recovery, etc. |
| Video | Paid Media Only | Recognizes video content in paid media campaigns to engage, inform, or inspire travel audiences. Entries should showcase strong storytelling, creative execution, and measurable impact—whether through social media ads, pre-roll, sponsored content, in-room TV programming or other paid placements. Focus is on performance, innovation, and alignment with brand goals. |
| Video | Owned Media Only | Recognizes video content in owned media campaigns to engage, inform, or inspire travel audiences. Entries should showcase strong storytelling, creative execution, and measurable impact—whether through social media ads, pre-roll, in-room TV programming or other owned placements. Focus is on performance, innovation, and alignment with brand goals. |
| Video | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | Recognizes video content in multi-channel/integrated marketing campaigns (2 or more media channels – paid, earned and/or owned) to engage, inform, or inspire travel audiences. Entries should showcase strong storytelling, creative execution, and measurable impact—whether through social media ads, pre-roll, sponsored content, in-room TV programming or other placements. Focus is on performance, innovation, and alignment with brand goals. |
| Virtual Reality, Metaverse, Gaming, NFT | Paid Media Only | Recognizes the use of paid media to activate campaigns within virtual reality, the metaverse, gaming, or NFT environments. Entries should showcase how immersive platforms were used to engage audiences, drive brand awareness, or generate measurable results through innovative, paid strategies in emerging digital spaces. |
| Virtual Reality, Metaverse, Gaming, NFT | Owned Media Only | Recognizes the use of owned media to activate campaigns within virtual reality, the metaverse, gaming, or NFT environments. Entries should showcase how immersive platforms were used to engage audiences, drive brand awareness, or generate measurable results through innovative, owned strategies in emerging digital spaces. |
| Virtual Reality, Metaverse, Gaming, NFT | Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing | Recognizes the use of multi-channel campaigns (2 or more media channels – paid, earned and/or owned) within virtual reality, the metaverse, gaming, or NFT environments. Entries should showcase how immersive platforms were used to engage audiences, drive brand awareness, or generate measurable results through innovative strategies in emerging digital spaces. |
| Website | Owned Media Only | Recognizes the launch or relaunch of a website fully owned by the brand, showcasing innovation in design, technology, and user experience. Entries should highlight dynamic enhancements, increased engagement or traffic, and measurable ROI. Focus on how the website supports brand goals through improved functionality, content strategy, and performance. |
Note: Work completed after January 1, 2024 through the date of entry, September 9,2025 is eligible for entry. Entries submitted in prior years may be resubmitted if the results of the campaign have changed significantly, or if additional elements have been added to the piece or program after January 1, 2024.