Balticbest 2026 takes place online in the format of a live show. 

All shortlisted works will be reviewed LIVE by an international jury, and the Gold winners will be announced at the Baltic Brand Forum in Riga on 25 September 2026.

Because the judging sessions will be broadcast live online, BalticBest offers something most creativity festivals do not: entrants can hear the jury’s feedback, follow the discussion and see the voting happen in real time.

The aim of BalticBest, the marketing and advertising competition for small countries with big ideas, is to recognise outstanding creativity. Entries will be judged by an international jury, who will evaluate the originality, quality and strength of the creative ideas.

BalticBest 2026 is changing to become more accessible, more useful and more valuable for agencies, clients, studios, filmmakers, designers, media agencies and independent creative professionals from the Baltic states and other small nations.

The idea behind BalticBest is simple: small countries compete against other small countries. The market conditions are similar – smaller budgets and teams, more demanding clients, and greater pressure to make every idea work harder. At the same time, small markets are often where big creative ideas are born. BalticBest exists to find those ideas and bring them to the spotlight.

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If you have any problems, please contact [email protected] / +372 502 8561 or [email protected] / +372 5144884

Submission deadline: 31.08.2026

Shortlist published: 09.09.2026

Live judging: 15.-16.09.2026

Award announced: 25.09.2026

Why enter BalticBest?

BalticBest is a one-of-a-kind competition, especially because of the way the judging process is organised.

In 2026, the jury sessions will take place over two days, giving the judges more time for discussion, analysis and meaningful feedback.

All shortlisted entries will be judged by an international jury via live online stream on 15–16 September 2026. This means the jury will discuss the work, give feedback and vote in real time.

For participants, this is what makes BalticBest different from most creativity festivals: they get to hear how international judges think, what they value and why certain work wins.

What are the conditions for entering the competition?

Entries submitted for the competition must be approved by the advertiser. All the submitted works must be used, published or broadcasted between 1 August 2025 and 31 July 2026. Ineligible works will be disqualified.

Access to live judging

Entry to the competition is free. Agencies and teams can also purchase access to the live jury sessions and video recordings of all judging sessions.

The team pass costs €300 (+VAT) and gives the entire team access to the live jury streams and recordings.

For agencies, this is an invaluable learning tool. Teams can see how international judges evaluate creative work, which ideas stand out and what kind of thinking separates good work from winning work.

Awards and trophy fee

Bronze, Silver and Gold winners pay a separate trophy fee of €300 (+VAT) per award.

The winners of BalticBest 2026 will be celebrated at the Baltic Brand Forum in Riga on 25 September 2026, in front of an audience of more than 700 Baltic marketing professionals.

Gold winners will also receive a free entry to the EPICA Awards, covered by BalticBest.

The categories are the following:

CATEGORIES

DESIGN & CRAFT

GRAPHIC DESIGN: design craft that has been used as an aid in communication and experience to inform brand ethos and product messages.

PACKAGE DESIGN: Packaging used to promote, sell or display items.

WEB DESIGN: the execution of design to aid the function and use of the digital product. Including websites, online publications, microsites etc

FILM/VIDEO CRAFT: Films where the narrative has been enhanced by the artful management of the cinematography, visual components, editing, sound, animation etc

PRINT/OUTDOOR CRAFT: print or outdoor advertising where craft that has been used as an aid in communication and experience to inform brand ethos and product messages.

ADVERTISING/BRANDING

TV ADVERTISING: Films designed and aired on TV or in cinemas

ONLINE VIDEO & FILM: Films created with the primary intention of being shared and/or user-distributed online.

PRINT ADVERTISING: Work that uses print media innovatively, exhibits ingenuity and outstanding craftsmanship in published media

OUTDOOR/AMBIENT ADVERTISING: work that uses public spaces to telegraph a message or immerse consumers in a brand experience. Free-format outdoor advertising that leverages the use of public spaces, objects, and environments in an unconventional manner.

ONLINE/BANNER ADVERTISING: work which is enhanced and amplified by strategical use of online platforms.

INTEGRATED ADVERTISING: campaigns using at least three different media for a synergistic effect.

PERFORMANCE MARKETING/DIRECT

DIRECT MARKETING OFFLINE: work applicating customer relationships, directly targeting a specific audience with a call-to-action that produced measurable and meaningful results.

SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING (DIRECT MARKETING ONLINE): Creative way of using Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Linkedin, email and/or other social media platforms for increasing conversions/sales.

PROMO AND ACTIVATION: Brand activation and CRM programs, loyalty schemes, special offers, competitions, in-store activities, merchandising, tie-ins, etc designed for immediate results or to reinforce long-term customer relationships. Installations or campaigns allowing consumers to engage directly with the brand, physical brand spaces such as exhibitions, museums, and pop-up stores, in-store displays and merchandising, operations targeting consumers at the point of sale.

CONTENT/COMMUNICATIONS

CORPORATE PR: Sponsorship, PR campaigns, and other activities designed to achieve specific objectives in the media on an unpaid basis – for commercial purposes

PUBLIC INTEREST COMMUNICATIONS: Sponsorship, PR campaigns, and other activities designed to achieve specific objectives in the media on an unpaid basis – for public interest purposes.

CONTENT MARKETING, BRANDED CONTENT AND BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT: How content marketing (blogs/podcasts/films/games/social media posts, etc) led to increased brand affinity and commercial success.

INFLUENCER MARKETING: Promoting the product/service/brand with the help of influencers.

EVENTS: events, parties, festivals, stunts, etc to build the value and reputation of a brand or communication project.

GENERAL MARKETING

INNOVATIVE MEDIA & MARKETING/USE OF TECHNOLOGY/AI: The use of creative technology to increase brand affinity and commercial success (objects or devices invented exclusively for a brand or a campaign, including vending machines, wearable technology, interactive installations etc). The execution/campaign that is enhanced or driven by the creative use, interpretation, analysis or application of data. Media innovation in traditional media (advertising and media planning that uses conventional media, including digital, in an original way). Media innovation in alternative media (advertising and media planning that invents a new medium to carry its message; ambient, stunts, guerrilla marketing, installations etc).

MARKETING EFFECTIVENESS: creative work that drove tangible business results and demonstrates hard results over the long term

MEDIA PLANNING EFFECTIVENESS: media planning work that drove tangible business results and demonstrates hard results.

B2B MARKETING: Legal, financial, B2B technology, consultancies & professional services, other business services, internal & corporate comms.