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AWARDS
ENTRIES OPEN
The Ad Age 40 Under 40 recognizes leaders shaping the future of marketing, advertising, media and technology. Each year, the program highlights individuals whose work has driven meaningful results for a business, brand or audience over the past 12 months.
Spanning roles from creative and strategy to data, social, media and entrepreneurship, the list reflects the breadth of talent influencing how the industry operates today. Honorees include leaders behind standout campaigns, emerging business opportunities and new approaches to navigating a rapidly changing market.
Key dates
Entries open: May 18, 2026
Final deadline: Thursday, July 23, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET
Honorees announced: Oct. 19, 2026
WHY ENTER
Being named to the 40 Under 40 list places honorees among a group of leaders shaping the future of marketing, advertising, media and technology.
Honorees receive:
- A feature profile published on AdAge.com
- Membership in The List by Ad Age, a year-round leadership community for honorees across select Ad Age programs
- The option to participate in the Ad Age mentorship program, connecting students and rising leaders across the industry
- Opportunities to contribute to Ad Age editorial coverage exploring leadership, innovation and industry change
- Recognition across Ad Age editorial and event platforms, reaching leaders across brands, agencies, media companies and technology companies
All honorees are handpicked by the editorial staff at Ad Age.
DETAILS
Ad Age’s 40 Under 40 recognizes talented individuals in the world of media and marketing. A successful candidate is one that is personally responsible for helping to advance the business or the brand in some demonstrable way in the last 12 months. Honorees will be notified in September and profiled in a feature honoring the 2026 class to be published Oct. 19, 2026.
What judges look for
Judges evaluate entries based on:
- leadership and decision-making
- measurable impact and outcomes
- innovation or strategic thinking
- influence within an organization or industry
- clarity and specificity of the submission
Strong entries clearly explain what the nominee contributed, why it mattered and what changed as a result.
Who should be nominated
Professionals age 39 and under who have driven measurable impact across advertising, marketing, media or technology within the last 12 months. Nominees may work in creative, strategy, social, media, data, entrepreneurship or other disciplines, and are helping shape how brands, agencies and platforms operate today.
Submissions should highlight career accomplishments, leadership impact and meaningful contributions between July 1, 2025 and July 23, 2026.
Nominees can reside and work anywhere in the world, but entries must be made in English.
Please note: Past Ad Age 40 Under 40 honorees, regardless of title or company, are not eligible for entry.
Pricing & Deadline
There is a tiered entry fee structure for the program.
Regular pricing:
$375 per entry. Ends Monday, June 22, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET
Final deadline pricing:
$425 per entry. Deadline Thursday, July 23, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET
Please pay strict attention to all the entry requirements as fees are non-refundable once entries are submitted.
Questions?
Visit our FAQs and important information sections. If your question isn't answered, please contact awards@adage.com.
WHAT THE ENTRY FORM REQUIRES
The entry form asks for details about the nominee’s role, work and measurable impact within the eligibility period.
- Current role and scope of responsibility: What the nominee does today and what they are responsible for (such as teams, products, platforms, campaigns, clients, regions or functional areas), including length of time in the role
- Key work, initiatives or contributions: The most significant work, campaigns, projects or initiatives the nominee led or played a major role in during the eligibility period
- Evidence of impact or outcomes: Up to three results or indicators of impact from this work. Quantitative metrics are preferred where available and may include performance or growth indicators, reach and engagement, business outcomes or notable milestones
- Career context: A brief, factual summary of the nominee’s career path, including prior roles or companies as relevant
- Supporting materials (optional): Additional materials such as case studies, creative examples or links to live work that help illustrate the nominee’s contributions.
FAQs
Nominees may work across creative, strategy, media, social, data, technology, entrepreneurship or other disciplines, and should demonstrate leadership, innovation or measurable contributions within their organization or the broader industry.
This is not a lifetime achievement award. Judges are primarily evaluating recent accomplishments and impact during the eligibility period.
International entrants are welcome; all entries must be submitted in English. Team entries are not accepted, and each nominee must be submitted separately.
- Current role and scope of responsibility
- Key work, initiatives or contributions
- Evidence of impact or outcomes
- Career context
- Supporting materials
Strong submissions include specific examples and measurable outcomes related to business performance, innovation, creativity, audience growth, organizational change or industry influence.
Nominees do not need to come from large or established organizations. Past honorees have included leaders from startups, independent agencies, nonprofits and emerging companies, as well as global brands and legacy organizations.
Please contact awards@adage.com if you experience any issues submitting payment.
If there is a factual error, please contact the awards team to request a correction. Changes cannot be made once the final deadline has passed and judging has begun.
Requests to remove or alter submitted information may result in disqualification.
MENTOR PROGRAM
Ad Age’s mentorship program, created in partnership with Columbia University School of Professional Studies, is designed to help address industry challenges around recruitment, retention and career development while fostering meaningful connections between students and industry leaders.
Honorees from both 40 Under 40 and Leading Women are invited to participate in the program through mentorship, career conversations and industry guidance. Entrants may opt into the program through the entry form. For additional information, please email awards@adage.com.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Entry accuracy and publication
All information submitted must be accurate and publishable by the time the honorees are announced.
Anything included in an entry—including results, descriptions of work or supporting details—may be published by Ad Age. Do not submit information you do not have permission to share publicly.
Entries that contain fabricated work, ghost campaigns, inflated or misleading metrics, inaccurate financials or other misleading information may be subject to disqualification. Ad Age reserves the right to request verification of submitted information at any point in the review process.
Ad Age reserves the right to verify submitted information and to withdraw or revoke recognition if an entry is later found to contain inaccurate or misleading information.
Entry requirements
Please review all entry requirements carefully before submitting. All entry fees are non-refundable once entries are submitted.
We encourage entrants to thoughtfully consider team members from diverse backgrounds and the contributions they have made when preparing nominations.
AI disclosure
Entrants are required to disclose whether artificial intelligence (AI) was used to help prepare the submission materials, including writing, editing or generating any part of the written entry or supporting materials.
This disclosure applies only to the submission materials, not to AI used in the nominee’s work or in work submitted as part of the nomination.