Signature Awards

Since 1988, the Signature Awards have celebrated the best advertising and marketing made in Manitoba.

The Signature Awards have evolved.

For many years the Signature Awards have been the best way to celebrate the creative work within our industry. This year we’re excited to announce changes to the awards aimed at driving broader industry participation and bolstering recognition for the best work coming out of Manitoba.

Here's what's new.

New Schedule

A new schedule keeps things simple. Eligibility windows follow the calendar year, submissions open in January and the awards gala happens in late spring. *The upcoming awards eligibility window will be backdated to the previous awards.

Industry-Standard

Submission Portal

Submissions and judging will be easy through our new submission portal on Iceberg, a Canadian-built nonprofit awards platform that hosts many advertising and marketing award shows.

Revised Categories

We’ve refreshed our award categories, making them more aligned with other regional awards shows across Canada while also introducing Craft categories geared towards recognizing the artists, technicians and craftspeople behind the work.

Judging & Work with Distinction

We’ll source a panel of diverse and respected judges from across Canada and elsewhere that will determine category winners. New to this year, work that meets an exceptional creative benchmark will receive distinction.

Design Sponsor

We're keeping it fresh and fun. Each year, the Signature Awards committee will work with an agency, design shop or designer to develop the Awards’ theme and visual identity.

Stay tuned for more information and a call for entries in January, 2027.

For many years, the Signature Awards have recognized and celebrated the outstanding creativity, innovation, and strategic thinking happening within Manitoba's advertising, marketing, communications, and design community. They've become one of our association's main events, bringing together professionals to recognize exceptional work and the talented people behind it.

As we look ahead to the future of AAW, we're taking the opportunity to refresh and evolve the Signature Awards experience. Our goal is to build on the strong foundation that's been created over the years while making the program even more engaging and meaningful for entrants, judges, sponsors, and attendees alike.

As part of that evolution, we're taking the time to thoughtfully review and strengthen the program from the ground up. From the awards timeline and submission process to the overall event experience, our goal is to build on the Signature Awards' strong legacy while creating a program that reflects where our industry is today—and where it's going tomorrow. Meaningful change takes time, but we're confident the result will be worth it.

We'll be sharing additional details, important dates, and entry information in the coming weeks through our website, e-news, and social channels.

We’re looking forward to sharing the next chapter of the Signature Awards with you.