New Categories for Cresta 2026

Two areas of creative practice have accelerated in recent years: AI-driven work and financial communications. For 2026, the Cresta Awards reflect that shift with an expanded Creative Use of AI category and the introduction of a new Finance category.

Creative Use of AI

The Creative Use of AI award recognizes the highest standards of creative excellence achieved using AI technology. It champions creative work that would be difficult, if not impossible, to create without AI. It also recognizes campaigns where AI has been used to increase the impact, effectiveness and reach of a project.

The category now encompasses a broader range of AI-led work across concept, craft and execution, including AI-led creative direction, AI-generated imagery and film, scalable systems, non-photorealistic generative video, music and sound design, gaming and interactive applications, hybrid craft integrating AI with live action and animation, and both short and long format film.

Recent awarded work demonstrates the standard Cresta seeks to recognize. Re-righting History by Leo Burnett Hong Kong for Cathay, winner of the Alan Page Prize for writing, used AI to recreate unrecorded Paralympic moments as a narrative device in service of brand meaning.

You can read more about that work here: When Great Writing Meets Great AI.

Finance

Financial services marketing is often highly regulated and demands special creative knowledge and skills. This category gives recognition to excellence in a fast-changing and challenging market. Entries may include work in any medium, as single or campaign submissions.

In addition to competing for main Cresta honors, eligible entries will also be considered for the overall Financial Services Creativity Winner. This additional distinction is automatic and carries no additional fee.

Awarded work such as Breastmilk Money for Herconomy by Serviceplan Germany and Plan.net Germany, a Gold winner in Digital for Campaign Websites and Micro-sites, illustrates the type of financial creativity this new category is designed to recognise. The campaign launched a savings account that rewarded Nigerian mothers for breastfeeding, combining financial product innovation with social impact in a highly regulated environment.

Enter Cresta 2026

Entries are now open, with Super Early Bird rates currently available.

You may also secure your place through a pre-order entry, locking in the earliest rate now and completing your submission before the final deadline on 20 July.

Explore the updated categories and then begin your entry.