Question 1

What is New in 2027?

Accepted Answer

The 10th edition of the Pitcher Awards introduces several important updates:New Media Categories: The former Channel Category has been restructured into Media Strategy & Data and Media Execution, enabling strategic and executional media work to be evaluated separately and with greater specialization.AI Innovation Subcategories: New AI-focused subcategories have been introduced within Care, Craft, Culture, Digital, Entertainment, and Heritage, recognizing work where artificial intelligence plays a meaningful role in creativity, craft, storytelling, audience engagement, experiences, or problem-solving.The Mansa Honours: Pitcher Festival Launches the Mansa Honours, a new recognition platform celebrating exceptional individuals for leadership, creativity, influence, and impact. The inaugural honours are Mansa of Creativity, Mansa of Brand Leadership, and Mansa of African Impact. These developments form part of the milestone 2027 celebration: The Pitcher Generation: 20 Years of Building Talent. 10 Editions of Recognizing Excellence.

Question 2

Who can submit entries into Pitcher Awards?

Accepted Answer

Entries for Pitcher Awards can be submitted by any authorized person, representing an advertising agency, design outfit, PR company, media company, client, digital company, production company etc. located anywhere in the world, so long as the work to be entered has been created in Africa or created elsewhere for implementation in Africa.  Work created for the benefit of the African Diaspora communities worldwide are also eligible for entry.

Please note that Pitcher Awards is not a competition for students. For student competitions, please check the Pitcher Festival website for the page on Future Pitcher Student Academy.

Question 3

Does my company need to be part of any advertising association to qualify for submission?

Accepted Answer

No. Pitcher Awards is open to all agencies and brands, irrespective of their location. However, the work to be submitted must have been created, implemented or released in Africa.

Question 4

Is there a surcharge for late entries?

Accepted Answer

The Standard Fees refer to fees made in January and February. Before this time, there's an early bird discount of 5%. After 28 February 2027, the first price increase of 10% is applied and after 31 March 2027, the second price increase of 15% is applied.

Question 5

Is online judging as fair and objective as physical judging?

Accepted Answer

We have a very fair and transparent system of judging. Even when the judging is done online, it is still very fair. Judges are appointed based on their experience and reputation and rank as some of the most successful professionals not only in Africa, but around the world. There is no separate shortlist jury, each work is seen and judged by each juror to ensure that the same level of fairness is applied across board. Jurors that have their work or deemed to have an interest in any work submitted in the category they are judging will be asked to abstain from voting for the work.

Question 6

How many complimentary trophies will I get for my campaign entry?

Accepted Answer

Entrants will get complimentary trophies for every special award won.  In the 2027 edition winners of Gold and Grand Prix winners will receive complimentary trophies  as part of the in-person Pitcher Awards Show to be held in Lagos, Nigeria on 22 May 2027.

Question 7

How is the point allocation calculated for campaign entries in Heritage and Craft categories?

Accepted Answer

If you have entered a campaign, the jury will judge and award each execution of your campaign individually and consider how well they work together as a campaign. Based on this, the jury will decide whether to give a campaign award, that is a uniform award for all the entries i.e. Campaign Bronze/Silver/Gold/Grand Prix or to grant different awards to each execution based on its merit. Whatever the case, the point allocated to a campaign is the highest point won by an execution in that campaign and not the sum of all. The benefits of submitting a campaign is that firstly, you get the jury view on the campaign and the executions. Secondly, it presents you with more winning opportunities using a single idea by showing the jury various interpretations of your idea.

Question 8

My entry ran in print, radio, television and online, should I enter it as a campaign?

Accepted Answer

No. A campaign at least in the sense that it is used in the Pitcher Awards entry platform refers to a single idea in a single medium that has been executed in more than one way. This specifically applies to the entries in the Heritage and Craft categories only.

However, you can now also submit multiple format creatives with the same central idea in the Integrated Campaigns subcategory of the Heritage category.

Question 9

Can I enter self-promotion material as an Advertising Agency?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but please note that in Heritage, Craft, Digital and Entertainment categories, the highest award for self-promotion materials is Silver. In Care, Channel, Culture, Effectiveness and Good, there is no cap on the awards they can win.

Question 10

What is the new Care category about, and who should enter it?

Accepted Answer

The Care category was introduced in 2026 and celebrates creative excellence in health-related communication. It’s open to brands, agencies, nonprofits, startups, and institutions working in public health, pharmaceuticals, wellness, health tech, insurance, and health equity. If your campaign promotes wellbeing, healthcare access, or health innovation, this is your category.

Question 11

Can I enter the same campaign in multiple categories or subcategories?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can. However, each entry must be tailored to the specific category or subcategory. Avoid submitting a generic case across multiple entries—judges expect category-specific insights and framing.

Question 12

What materials are mandatory for a valid entry submission?

Accepted Answer

At minimum, you must submit a Case Board (JPG format) and one sample of the creative material used. For some categories like Effectiveness, a written case document is also required. Case Videos are optional but highly recommended.

Question 13

Can I include my agency’s name or logo in the Case Board or Case Video?

Accepted Answer

No. To ensure impartial judging, agency names and logos must not appear in any materials—unless the entry is for a self-promotion campaign.

Question 14

What are the technical specifications for Case Boards and videos?

Accepted Answer

Case Boards must be:
Portrait: 2400 x 3000 pixels
Landscape: 3000 x 2400 pixels Videos must be MP4 or MOV, max 250MB, HD resolution (1280x720 or higher), and no longer than 2 minutes.

Question 15

Can I submit work created for African diaspora audiences outside Africa?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Pitcher Awards recognizes the African diaspora as the sixth region of Africa. Work created for or by diaspora communities is eligible.

Question 16

What happens if my entry includes non-English content?

Accepted Answer

You must provide English subtitles or a translated transcript. This ensures judges can fully understand and evaluate your work.

Question 17

How do I navigate the entry portal and make payments?

Accepted Answer

Click “Enter Awards,” button above to go to the entries portal. Register or log in, and follow the prompts to submit your entry. You can pay by card or request an invoice for bank transfer.

Question 18

Can nonprofit organizations win Grand Prix awards?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but only in the Good category. In other categories, the highest award a nonprofit entry can receive is Gold.

Question 19

What if I need to withdraw or replace an entry?

Accepted Answer

You can withdraw an entry before the closing date by emailing info@pitcherfestival.com. Entry fees are non-refundable, but you may replace the withdrawn entry with another.

Question 20

How do I know which subcategory to choose?

Accepted Answer

Start by identifying the core objective of your campaign—what problem it aimed to solve, who it targeted, and how it delivered impact. Each subcategory in the Pitcher Awards is designed to reflect a specific communication challenge or creative approach. To choose the right one:

Focus on intent: Was your campaign primarily about public health education, brand storytelling, media strategy, or cultural engagement? The subcategory should align with your campaign’s primary purpose—not just where it appeared.

Consider execution style: If your strength lies in craft (e.g., film, design, audio), explore the Craft category. If it’s about how media was used or planned, look into the Channel category. If it’s about health, wellness, or advocacy, the new Care category may be ideal.

Match audience and context: Think about who the campaign was for—consumers, professionals, internal teams, or communities—and what kind of impact it had. This helps narrow down between subcategories like Internal Culture, Public Health, or Business Impact.

Avoid generic entries: Tailor your submission to the subcategory’s unique criteria. Judges want to see how your work excelled in that specific context—not a one-size-fits-all case.

If your campaign spans multiple areas, you can enter it in more than one subcategory—but each entry must be customized to highlight the relevant angle.

Question 21

What if my campaign was created by multiple agencies or collaborators?

Accepted Answer

You may credit co-creators in your entry form, but only the submitting company will be listed as the entrant. Co-creators can order certificates or trophies with their names if desired.

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20 - 22 May 2027

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Pitcher Awards 2027 Now Open for Entries! Early Bird Rates Available Till December 31 2026.

Pitcher Awards 2027

Celebrating a Decade of Awarding Excellence

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