Entry Types

Multi-Modal Entry Architecture
A' Design Award and Competition has developed several “Entry Type” mechanism after an extensive study on the needs of different partakers of the competition such as enterprises, agencies, design professionals, non-profits, academia, young talents, start-ups, media and government representatives.

Based on this study, ten different entry-types were developed. These types are Professional Edition, Digital Edition, Platinum Edition, Red Entry, Golden Entry, Platinum Entry, Black Entry, Vision Entry and Classic Entry. Each of them are explained below. Please refer to the entry types below to understand which one would suit your needs best. The most common entry method is "Professional Edition" followed by "Digital Edition". The third popular entry method is Black Ticket i.e. "Professional Entry with Express Evaluation"

Professional Edition is usually preferred by pr agencies, media, brands, academics, established businesses as well as professionals while digital entry is more suited towards upcoming talents and start-up companies. A' Design Award Pro-Edition / Professional Entry, Digital-Edition / Digital Entry, and Vision-Edition / Smart Entry do not have winner fees however the Classic Edition / Industry Standard brings forward contractually obliged winner fees. Each option is designed to meet different strategic needs without imposing mandatory post-win costs. The Pro-Edition provides the most prestigious and comprehensive experience, complete with a wide array of services already included at no extra charge. The Digital-Edition prioritizes affordability while still delivering robust digital benefits, making it an excellent choice for emerging designers, startups, or anyone on a tighter budget. Finally, the Vision-Edition focuses on flexibility, allowing you to secure recognition first and then pick and choose additional services after you win, ensuring that you only invest in enhancements that align with your brand’s evolving objectives.

Pro Edition / Professional Entry / No Winner Fees
The professional edition (Professional Entry) is the most common way to take part in the A' Design Award and Competition, it is the original value proposition for any participant type to take part in a design accolades. The professional edition covers the full spectrum of A' Design Prize which includes the Trophy, Yearbook, Exhibition, Certificate, Logo Licensing, Gala-Night as well as PR Services such as Press Release, Design Interviews, International Translations, Media Pitching and more. To learn more about the Professional Edition, you can check out the A' Design Prize which gives a better understanding of the competition. The Professional Edition was designed based on surveys and research that indicated the needs of competition participants. The Professional Edition was designed to help promote the laureates internationally, to create business opportunities for award winners, to provide media placement and publicity possibilities for awarded designs as well as a way for designers to benchmark their work. Professional Edition Entry Fees are considered when comparing other entry types. The Professional Edition is most suited for Enterprises, Agencies, Professional, Media, Academic, Non-Profit and Government Account Types but can also be utilized by any other participant type without restrictions. Learn more about the Professional Edition by checking the A' Design Prize.

A' Design Award's Professional-Edition Entry Method is the premier pathway for brands and designers seeking the most comprehensive and prestigious participation experience that A' Design Award offers among all its entry methods. Professional-Edition Entry provides an all-inclusive package to its laureates, blending physical and digital rewards to maximize visibility and recognition. With benefits such as award trophies, framed certificates, yearbook inclusion, gala-night invitations, and media promotions, the Professional Edition exemplifies excellence and elevates winners to the highest ranks in the design community. What makes the Professional Edition special is its ability to create a lasting impact by providing laureates with tools that reinforce their reputation, attract top-tier clients, and showcase their achievements to a global audience. This entry method includes exclusive opportunities such as physical exhibitions and inclusion in hardcover yearbooks, making it the gold standard for participants aiming to leave a legacy of design leadership. Pro-Edition includes the complete A' Design Prize without any contractually obliged winner fees.

Digital Edition / Digital Entry / No Winner Fees
The digital edition (Digital Entry) was created especially with young and start-up account types in mind. In short, this is a digital version of the professional edition; this implies that the hardcopy deliverables in the winners’ kit such as the award trophy, the hardcover yearbook, the certificate in metal frame as well as some other benefits such as invitation to join the gala-night, physical exhibition are excluded in order to create a possibility for us to reduce the nomination fees significantly. Given this, the Digital Edition has the same evaluation methodology and the jury members do not differentiate nor know if they are voting a digital edition entry or professional edition entry. This ensures that both entry methods have the same scientific peer-review and anonymous voting evaluation criteria, while decreasing the cost of participation by reducing the deliverable items after the competition. The Digital Edition costs significantly less than the Professional Edition, and thus a great fit for young and start-up companies but also for small businesses, upcoming media publications, newly founded non-profits or any other organization or institution that has a limited budged. Like the professional edition, there are no further fees from the participants. For further information regarding the Digital Edition, please visit the Digital Edition page.

A' Design Award's Digital-Edition Entry Method is an innovative and cost-effective alternative that emphasizes digital recognition and global reach. Designed for cutting-edge brands and leading professionals seeking a streamlined, digital-first approach, Digital-Edition eliminates physical components while amplifying visibility through dynamic online platforms, multilingual translations, and global press coverage. A' Design Award's Digital Edition entry method stands out for its agility and accessibility, making it ideal for startups, independent designers, and brands focused on engaging with international audiences. Key benefits include participation in digital exhibitions, inclusion in the Digital Yearbook of Best Designs, and digital marketing assets such as award logos and designer profiles. The Digital Edition ensures winners can harness the power of the internet to connect with consumers, clients, and collaborators worldwide. Digital-Edition includes the digital components of A' Design Prize without any contractually obliged winner fees.

Vision Edition / Smart Entry / No Winner Fees
The Vision Edition, also referred to as the Smart Entry, is designed as a flexible, cost-efficient participation method that gives you a strategic advantage in managing your budget. Under the Vision Edition, entries are evaluated using the same rigorous, peer-reviewed, and anonymous judging process as any other edition. Should your design be selected as a winner, you gain official recognition and digital acknowledgments included at no extra cost—ensuring that even at the most accessible price point, you receive confirmation of your creative excellence. However, unlike the Professional or Digital Editions, the Vision Edition does not automatically grant the full suite of A' Design Prize services. Instead, you are able to selectively enhance your recognition and exposure through on-demand, add-on services that you purchase only if and when you desire them. Services such as Press Release Preparation, Press Release Distribution, Media Partner Outreach, Yearbook Inclusion, Gala-Night Invitations, or a Physical Trophy can all be ordered separately once you know your design’s fate. This approach ensures that you never pay for services you may not need. The Vision Edition is ideally suited for participants who want to keep their initial investment minimal, maintain full control over their costs, and prefer to scale up their publicity, media exposure, and tangible benefits after confirming that their work has garnered the award. It reduces upfront financial commitments without compromising the fairness or integrity of the judging process, making it an excellent choice for emerging professionals, cost-conscious entrepreneurs, or anyone who values flexibility and personalization in building their post-win promotional strategy.

A' Design Award's Vision-Edition Entry Method is a flexible and low-risk option for brands and designers seeking recognition without upfront commitment to extensive services. This edition provides core laureate benefits, including official winner recognition, digital certificates, and inclusion in global design rankings, while keeping additional services such as yearbook inclusion, trophies, logo license paperwork and PR campaigns optional. The Vision Edition is distinguished by its adaptability, allowing participants to "pay as they grow" by choosing only the services (provided as packages) that align with their strategic goals after achieving laureate status. Vision Edition - Smart Entry method is perfect for brands and designers who value control over their investments and seek to tailor their recognition journey based on their evolving needs and opportunities. Vision-Edition includes A' Design Recognition without any contractually obliged winner fees with opportunity to obtain parts of the A' Design Prize as add-on on-demand optional packages.

Classic Edition / Industry Standard Entry / Winner Fees
The Classic Edition, sometimes known as the Industry Standard entry method, mirrors the conventional competition model familiar to many designers worldwide. With a significantly lower initial cost to participate, the Classic Edition lowers the barriers of entry, allowing a broad range of creatives—solo designers, small studios, and industry newcomers alike—to confidently test their work against international benchmarks. While the Classic Edition’s entry fee may be the lowest, it’s important to understand that it introduces contractually-obliged winner fees, payable if your work earns recognition. Unlike the Professional or Digital Editions, where a comprehensive A' Design Prize package is automatically included, the Classic Edition requires winners to cover subsequent costs in order to finalize and fully benefit from their award. This means that items such as printed certificates, yearbook participation, press release services, physical trophies, gala invitations, or exhibition opportunities are not included upfront; instead, you have the option to purchase these components after your win is confirmed. The Classic Edition is best suited for participants who seek the prestige of the A' Design Award without making a larger upfront investment. It follows a pay-as-you-go model, where you pay minimal fees to enter and only incur additional costs if your design succeeds. This approach aligns closely with the “industry standard” practice observed in many other international competitions, giving you a familiar, incremental pathway to recognition. By choosing the Classic Edition, you maintain the freedom to invest more heavily in promotional services and tangible rewards only after you’ve secured a winning position—ensuring you direct your resources towards the designs and achievements that truly merit them.

A' Design Award's Classic-Edition Entry Method is the industry-standard participation model, offering a low initial entry fee with conditional winner fees upon success. This edition mirrors traditional competition structures, making it a familiar and accessible choice for brands and designers testing new ideas or entering competitive markets. What makes the Classic Edition unique is its ability to minimize financial risk while still providing access to the A' Design Award's prestigious benefits. Upon winning, participants are required to pay winner fees after which they unlock a comprehensive suite of laureate services, including yearbook inclusion, media promotion, and gala-night invitations. This entry method is ideal for emerging brands and designers looking to establish credibility and build a strong foundation for future growth who wish to keep their initial investment for nomination minimal and invest only after winning the A' Design Award. Classic-Edition requires winner fees but includes the either the complete A' Design Prize or the digital components of the A' Design Prize at your sole discretion. Classic-Edition includes the A' Design Recognition, i.e. we respect your winner status.

Red Edition / Professional Entry / No Winner Fees
The Red Edition (Nomination Ticket) is almost same as Professional Edition. The only difference is the time interdependency; the nomination fees for Professional Edition is effected by the entry period; i.e. if you join earlier you pay less, and if you join last minute, the nomination fee is slightly higher. However using the “Red” Nomination Ticket, for example at “Early-Entry Period”, you can lock the nomination fee, thus you can later, at the “Late-Entry Period” upload and nominate your design. Thus the Red Nomination Tickets are great for any enterprise, agency or professionals who wish to take part in the Professional Edition by investing less resources. When Entry Fees are concerned, the Red edition costs less when bought in advance or as part of nomination packages. Red Edition fees can be significantly cheaper if the Red Nomination Tickets are bought in bulk; A' Design Award & Competition offers discounted entry possibilities when a prospective entrant decides to make multiple nominations. These are explained in the “Nomination Packages” pages. To learn more about the Red Nomination Tickets, visit the nomination packages and nomination tickets pages.

Black Edition / Professional Entry with Extra Benefit / No Winner Fees
The Black Edition (Black Nomination Ticket, Professional Entry with Express Evaluation) is almost same as Professional Edition with the exception that it also includes the Express Evaluation and Judging service which is usually sought after PR agencies and companies who need to know the results of the evaluation of their works faster than others. When Express Evaluation and Judging Service is ordered, if the presentation score of the entry is high-enough, it will be send to several judges to be evaluated within several days. Given this requirement, the Black Edition costs more than the Professional Edition since jury members shall be contacted and required to vote earlier. If entry fees are considered, the Black Nomination Tickets cost always higher. Professional Edition participants could also order the Express Evaluation Service in case after nomination they would feel the need to learn the results of the evaluation of their entries significantly faster and sooner. Like the Professional Edition, the Black Edition covers the whole A' Design Prize and winners are given every item and provided each and every service included in the A' Design Prize. To learn more about the Black Edition you could check the nomination tickets page or you could check the Express Evaluation and Judging Service.

Gold Edition/ Professional Entry with Extra Benefit / No Winner Fees
The Gold Edition (Golden Nomination Ticket) is also very similar to Professional Edition participation, but with the difference that it includes eventual shipment of the winners’ kit. To remind you once again, A' Design Award & Competitions’ Winners’ Kits which contains the 3D printed metal award trophy, hardcover yearbook and the certificate in metal frame are distributed free of charge during gala-night and exhibition which winners are given a complimentary invitation. However, in some cases, participants would not be able to come to our gala-night or exhibition and ask for delivery of their kits to their homes, offices and work. In this case, A' Design Award & Competition charges a shipment fee plus an administrative fee which is called the “Delivery of Physical Components of the Winners’ Kit”.  The Gold Edition includes this delivery fee prepaid, yet of course participants can still come and join the gala-night or exhibition if they decide so. Since Gold Edition includes the eventual shipment fees, it costs more than the Professional Edition. It is generally preferred by entrants who know they would not be able to join the gala-night in advance and the Gold Edition is especially sought after entrants who get their nomination fees covered by a company or institution, including academic entries. Learn more about the Gold Edition.

Platinum Edition / Professional Entry with Special Rules / No Winner Fees
The Platinum Edition (Professional Entry via Platinum Edition) is a very innovative nomination method by the A' Design Award & Competition; different from the Professional Edition. It was created as surveys filled by multinational companies, proud designers, high-brand value enterprises, creative agencies indicated a need for the "Silver Risk". It was created for everyone who couldn’t accept any other award status other then Platinum or Gold. The evaluation methodology is the same; the jury members do not know whether you join Professional Edition or Platinum Edition. After criteria based peer-review and anonymous voting, if your entry gets Platinum or Gold result, it would be announced. If your work would get a Silver, Bronze or Iron award, we do not announce your results and void your entry. This especially benefits large corporations who wants to ensure their reputation as the very best in design remains unscratched, but also used a lot by PR agents who do not want to take risks for their clients. The entry fees are relatively expensive for most account types, and costs more for Non-Profits, Academics, Governments, Design Associations, Media, Agencies, and Enterprises. However it costs less for Professionals, Young Entrants and Start-Ups. Learn more about the Platinum Edition.

Digital Gift Card / Digital Entry / No Winner Fees
Digital Gift Card Entry method is based on the “Digital Edition” entry type as explained earlier, but in addition it includes the Express Evaluation and Judging Service which allows participants to learn their results significantly faster. This entry method is possible only after the purchase of a “Digital Gift Card” which includes a special nomination ticket that provides Express Evaluation and Judging Service to the Digital Edition of the A' Design Award & Competition, the “Digital Gift Cards” are usually bought by family or friends who wish to provide a unique gift of “Presenting an Opportunity” for their designer friends. The Digital Edition imposes a reduced design prize where physical items such as trophy, hardcover yearbook, certificate with metal frame would be excluded in favor for decreased nomination fees. Upgrade to Professional edition is possible if you joined the competition with a design that was nominated using a digital gift card however it has a significant cost. Digital Gift Card entry is possible for Professionals, Young Designers, Media Members, Academics and Design Association members but not for Agencies, Governments, Non-Profits or Enterprises. Learn more about Digital Gift Cards.

Ultimate Gift Card / Professional Entry with Benefits / No Winner Fees
This is a Professional Entry Method using the “Ultimate Gift Card” which makes the winner eligible to receive the complete A' Design Prize (which includes a series of PR and Publicity services in addition to the metal trophy, design excellence certificate, yearbook publication of best results, gala-invitation as well as physical exhibition), plus it also includes the Express Evaluation and Judging Service in addition to Professional Preliminary Evaluation and Checking Service, thus it is called the Ultimate Gift Card. This gift card is usually bought by friends and family members who wish to support their “creative” loved ones by presenting them a unique opportunity. Ultimate Gift Card can also be bought by individual designers to be used for themselves, especially the Professional Preliminary Evaluation and Checking service included in this package is useful to improve the presentation significantly prior to nomination. Ultimate Gift Card entry is possible for Professionals, Young Designers, Media Members, Academics and Design Association members but not for Agencies, Governments, Non-Profits or Enterprise Account Types. In comparison to the Professional Edition, the entry fee is slightly higher as it includes two extra services. Learn more about Ultimate Gift Cards.

JNPL Entry / Professional Entry with Special Rules / Winner Fees
Acronym for Join Now Pay Later, this is a Profession Edition entry nomination method that was designed for PR Agencies and Marketing of Enterprises who want to submit up to 40 designs to the competition with a preliminary score of 6 or up. This methods allows you to bypass nomination fees. However, you will be required to pay “Further Fees” if you win. As you would recall, A' Design Award & Competition is against any “Further Fees” thus we have a “No Further Fees” policy which is explained here: No Further Fees. However in this method, the participant is a risk-averse person from a PR agency or Marketing Department who wishes to nominate a significant number of entries without the initial investment of the nomination fees. This method was invented by A' Design Award & Competition for PR Agencies who could use it to promote new products with a low initial investment but a high penalty afterwards. It is the most expensive method for taking part in the A' Design Award & Competition and we strongly advise participants not to choose this method for nominating their designs unless they clearly understand the JNPL very well. Learn more about the Join Now Pay Later method. To use this method there is a prerequisite; you should satisfy any of the following 2 conditions (1) Past Laureate + Design with Preliminary Score 6+ or (2) New Participant + Design with Preliminary Score 7+.

Big Brand Entry / Big Business Edition
The Big Brand Edition, designed exclusively for prestigious enterprises and high-value brands, provides a luxurious, fully-managed entry experience that maximizes global visibility, ensures strategic brand positioning, and requires no internal effort. Our expert concierge handles every aspect, from professionally preparing product presentations and photography to meticulous jury documentation. A' Design Award Big Brand Edition winner brands benefit from comprehensive multilingual PR campaigns, guaranteed media placements (138+ media across 108 languages), professionally crafted yearbook entries, high-value advertising assets, personalized internal recognition materials, and exclusive gala-night invitations. A' Design Award's premium service also includes strategic reputation management via the Platinum Edition advantage, safeguarding brand prestige by confidentially managing non-Platinum or non-Gold results. Ideal for global corporations seeking effortless yet impactful participation, the Big Brand Edition ensures enhanced market authority, significant sales uplift, and exceptional ROI through expertly coordinated branding and extensive publicity, all delivered under a single transparent invoice without additional winner fees. Learn more about the Big Brand Edition / Big Business Entry.

Through its four distinct entry methods—Professional Edition, Digital Edition, Vision Edition, and Classic Edition—The A' Design Award enables businesses of all sizes to align their participation with strategic objectives.