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2026 Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement ENTRY CRITERIA
The 2026 Advertising ARIA Award Entry Criteria below, together with the Terms & Conditions comprise the terms upon which Eligible Agencies may submit an entry into the 2026 ARIA Awards in the category Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement (referred to as the Advertising ARIA Award).
1. CONDITIONS OF ENTRY
1.1. Only Eligible Agencies may submit entries in this award category.
1.2. All materials submitted as part of the entry must be non-infringing authorised materials. If ARIA is advised that any materials submitted as part of an entry are infringing or unauthorised, then ARIA will determine in its sole discretion the eligibility of such materials and the eligibility of the entry.
1.3. ARIA will require each participating Eligible Agency to submit certain collateral and assets (for example, RAP Sheets, and YouTube links) as specified in the Guide To Submitting Entries which ARIA will make available to all participating Eligible Agencies. The conditions set out in the Guide To Submitting Entries also form part of these Conditions of Entry.
1.4.By submitting an entry, the participating Eligible Agency agrees that ARIA (and its licensees) may use the submitted collateral and assets in connection with the ARIA Awards voting platform, the ARIA Awards programs and ARIA created promotions, activities and marketing without payment to the agency, producer, the relevant artist, composer or any other person or entity.
1.5. All entries must be submitted via the designated ARIA online platform within the entry period specified on the online entry form on the ARIA website. An entry fee in the amount specified on the online entry form on the ARIA website is payable for each entry that is submitted.
1.6. All participating agencies which submit an entry agree that the decision of ARIA regarding the eligibility of an entry is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
1.7. All participating Eligible Agencies which submit an entry and all ARIA Awards entrants agree to comply with the ARIA Code of Conduct and ARIA Behaviour Benchmark as published on the ARIA website from time to time. It is a condition of entry that all participating Eligible Agencies that submit an entry must advise the relevant ARIA Awards entrant of the entrant’s obligation to comply with the ARIA Code of Conduct and ARIA Behaviour Benchmark.
1.8. If an Eligible Agency incorrectly enters an artist or recording for any category, that Eligible Agency will be liable for any additional auditing costs incurred.
1.9. The person who submits the entry on behalf of each participating Eligible Agency acknowledges that they have read and accept the terms of this document. Any entry by a participating Eligible Agency constitutes acceptance of the terms of this document.
Please ensure you have checked your entry is eligible before submitting and paying your entry fee.
2. VOTING AND AWARD DETERMINATIONS
2.1. All entries received by ARIA are first assessed to ensure that the relevant entry is eligible for the Award category. Once eligibility has been confirmed, all eligible entries received by ARIA are then presented for voting by the relevant Judging School. The members of the Judging School are asked to assess each entry to determine the best use of music in the service of the overall creative concept.
2.2 The ARIA Award for this category will be presented to the submitting Eligible Agency and the Artist that performs the sound recording in the Advertisement.
3. RULINGS
3.1. If an ARIA Awards entrant, nominee or winner or person that submits an entry on behalf of an entrant, nominee or winner, engages in conduct:
(i) that brings ARIA, ARIA’s members, any recording artists or the ARIA Awards into disrepute;
(ii)that is not in line with the ARIA Code of Conduct and ARIA Behaviour Benchmark (as published on the ARIA website); or
(iii) that is misleading, for example where the initial entry and/or the subsequent conferral of the ARIA Award was based on false or misleading information,
then the ARIA Board reserves the right at any time, in its absolute discretion, to take whatever measures it considers necessary to preserve the reputation and integrity of ARIA or the ARIA Awards and to uphold the principles set out in the ARIA Code of Conduct and ARIA Behaviour Benchmark.
3.2. The measures referred to in section 3.1 above may include, but are in no way limited to:
(a) refusing or disqualifying an ARIA Awards entry or nomination at any stage;
(b) revoking or withdrawing an ARIA Award that has already been conferred; or
(c) refusing entry to the ARIA Awards (or subsequent ARIA Awards events).
3.3. If an ARIA Award is revoked by the ARIA Board after it has been presented, it is at the ARIA Board’s discretion as to whether an award is given in that category for that year. The ARIA Board may also, at its discretion, subsequently restore an ARIA Award that has been revoked or undertake any further measures that it deems appropriate.
3.4. The ARIA Board’s decision in relation to all matters in this section 3 are final and no correspondence will be entered into.
4. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
4.1. Only agencies that have fully completed the online entry form for the Advertising ARIA Award and paid the relevant entry fees for the current award period are able to enter Advertisements for judging.
4.2. To be eligible for nomination, the relevant Advertisement must have been first published in Australia within the Current Eligibility Period.
4.3. Eligible Agencies may enter any Advertisement that satisfies the eligibility criteria set out in this document.
4.4. Advertisements which have previously been nominated for an ARIA Award (in prior years) are ineligible.
4.5. An Eligible Agency can only enter its own Advertisements and cannot enter the Advertisements of another agency or entity.
4.6. The Eligible Agency must have in place valid licences for the synchronisation of the sound recordings and musical works that are embodied in the Advertisement that is submitted for entry.
4.7. An Advertisement will be eligible for consideration in this category if it satisfies the following criteria:
(a) The Advertisement was created at the direction of the Eligible Agency; AND
(b) The music sound recording used in the Advertisement is controlled or distributed by an ARIA Member, and recorded and performed by:
(i) Any artist who is an Australian citizen;
(ii) Any artist who was born in Australia;
(iii) Any artist with permanent residency status and who has lived in Australia for at least six months per year for the two consecutive years ending on 21 August 2026;
(iv) Any artist who has applied for permanent residency and has lived in Australia for at least six months per year for two consecutive years ending on 21 August 2026 and is signed to an Australian record label; OR
(v) Any New Zealand artist who has lived in Australia for at least six months per year for the two consecutive years ending 21 August 2026 and is signed to an Australian record label.
4.8. In the case of recording artists that are groups or duos, at least 50% of the members of the group must satisfy at least one of the above criteria in section 4.7(b). Each entry must be accompanied by a list of group members appearing on the recording.
4.9. The ARIA Board reserves the right to exercise its discretion to grant eligibility in special circumstances where, for example, the artist in question has a strong historical and cultural connection with Australia.
4.10. All entries will be reviewed for eligibility by the Eligibility Sub-Committee of the ARIA Awards Committee, which reserves the right to make the final judgement on eligibility. The Eligibility Sub-Committee will provide notice citing reasons for any entries deemed ineligible. The nominating agency will have two (2) business days from such notice to respond, at which time the Eligibility Sub-Committee will review the entry and make a final decision.
4.11. Artificial Intelligence:
(a) Recordings and Advertisements that have been submitted for entry that do not contain any human authorship are ineligible for consideration for the Advertising ARIA Award.
(b) Recordings and Advertisements that incorporate elements of Artificial Intelligence (AI) may be submitted for entry, but only if a human is the primary creator of such recording or Advertisement and the human contribution is substantial and meaningful. AI cannot be the sole or central element of anything that is submitted for entry. Any AI services/tools used to assist in the creation of the recording or Advertisement must be a properly authorised and lawful service/tool.
(c) Proof of Eligibility
(i) Entrants must be able to provide proof upon request from ARIA to verify that a human is the primary creator of the recording and Advertisement that has been submitted for entry and/or that the entry complies with the conditions set out in this section 4.11.
(ii) The entrant must be able to provide sufficient evidence to ARIA that the technical work is the result of human effort and/or that the entry complies with the conditions set out in this section 4.11.
(iii) Final decisions regarding AI eligibility are at the discretion of ARIA and if necessary, the ARIA Board.
5. Definitions and Interpretation
Advertisement means:
(a) any advertising, marketing communication or material which is published or broadcast using any Medium or any activity which is undertaken by, or on behalf of an advertiser or marketer:
(b) but does not include:
Eligible Agencies means advertising agencies or marketers that:
(a) operate under an Australian Company Number/Australian Business Number; and
(b) have formally made the annual OSOA Pledge and paid the relevant entry fees.
Current Eligibility Period: means the period commencing 23 August 2025 and concluding on 21 August 2026 inclusive.
Judging School: means the persons determined by ARIA to cast votes to determine the winner in this award category.
Medium means any medium whatsoever including without limitation cinema, internet, social media, outdoor media, print, radio, telecommunications, television or other direct-to-consumer media including new and emerging technologies.
OSOA means the Our Soundtrack Our Ads campaign.
OSOA Pledge: means the advertising agencies which have formally committed to OSOA.
