AdForum

What AdForum does

AdForum, operated by parent company MAYDREAM, INC., is a cloud-based web platform serving the global advertising and marketing industry since 1999. The platform functions as an integrated directory and intelligence network, offering Agency Search, Production Search, Creative Library (180,000+ campaigns and 250,000+ ads), Awards Directory, Talent Platform, Job Board, Pitch Consultant Directory, and supporting directories covering marketing services, academia, media advisors, trade associations, and trade media. It serves two primary customer segments: brand marketers and marketing executives seeking to research and select creative partners, and advertising agencies, production companies, and talent seeking visibility to potential clients.

The company's monetization is built on recurring subscription revenue from Company Profiles and Creative Library access, supplemented by entry fees from its proprietary PHNX Awards program (free initial entry, €249 if shortlisted). Distribution is direct to both enterprise and SMB buyers via the AdForum.com web platform, with localized editions across ten country markets including the US, France, UK, Spain, Germany, Italy, Brazil, China, Turkey, and Russia. Marketing channels center on content — Top 5 Campaigns newsletters, Cannes Lions and PHNX event coverage, and industry leader interviews — driving top-of-funnel traffic that the platform reports at 4+ million unique annual visitors.

Strategically, AdForum leverages a 20+ year content archive and a strategic partnership with the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity to sustain authority in advertising industry intelligence, evidenced by its proprietary Business Creative Report ranking system. The company is privately held and founder-controlled under Herve de Clerck, with no disclosed external funding, M&A, or public listing.

Name

AdForum

Legal name

MAYDREAM, INC.

Website

https://adforum.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AdForum is a cloud-based advertising industry platform operating since 1999 under MAYDREAM, INC., providing global directories, a 180,000+ campaign creative library, and intelligence tools connecting 50,000+ agencies and production companies with brand marketers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Advertising Industry Intelligence Platform

NAICS

Other Services Related to Advertising (541890)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Marketing Technology, AdTech & MarTech Services (BPAFAAAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Market Research, Analytics & Consumer Insights (BPAFAAAM)

Keywords

• Advertising industry platform
• Agency directory services
• Creative campaign database
• Advertising talent network
• Pitch consultant directory

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Company Profile Subscriptions: Subscription services for agencies, production companies, and other entities to create and maintain company profiles on the platform, enabling visibility to potential clients and partners
2. Creative Library Subscriptions: Subscription-based access to the Creative Library showcasing the best and latest creative work from agencies, production companies, and award shows

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

AdForum operates a global advertising industry platform that connects marketers with advertising agencies, production companies, creative talent, and pitch consultants. It provides searchable directories of more than 50,000 agencies and 250,000 ads, alongside tools such as the Creative Library of 180,000+ campaigns, an awards directory, talent directory, job board, and the Business Creative Report. The platform also runs the PHNX Awards program recognizing purpose-driven advertising.

Product overview

AdForum is a global advertising industry platform operating as a creative network that connects marketers with agencies, production companies, talent, and industry information. The platform consists of multiple interconnected directories and databases: Agency Search and Production Search serve as the core discovery tools with competency and location filtering; the Creative Library provides access to 180,000+ campaigns; the Awards Directory aggregates major industry award shows; the Talent Platform connects users with advertising professionals; and the Job Board serves recruitment needs. Supporting directories cover Marketing Services, Academic institutions, Media Advisors, Trade Associations, and Trade Media. The platform also offers proprietary research through the Business Creative Report (an annual sector-based ranking) and runs its own PHNX Awards program. Additional features include a Summit Center for industry events and an Interviews platform featuring industry thought leadership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PHNX Awards: Creative awards program launched in 2020 to support the global advertising industry with accessible and democratic awards, featuring free initial entry and €249 fee upon shortlisting.

Products and services

• Agency Search Directory of advertising agencies across multiple specialties, marketed toward marketers and brand teams seeking agency partners.
• Production Search Searchable directory of production companies for marketers and agencies needing production partners.
• Creative Library Subscription-based library of over 180,000 advertising campaigns providing award-winning and recent creative work for research and inspiration.
• Awards Directory Directory of advertising award shows and winners for the global advertising industry.
• Talent Platform Directory of advertising industry creative and executive talent available for hire or engagement.
• Job Board Job listings board for the advertising industry, connecting employers with advertising professionals.
• Pitch Consultant Directory Directory of pitch consultants who assist marketers in running agency reviews and searches.
• Business Creative Report Paid newsletter and intelligence report providing information on which ads are most awarded and most effective in the industry.
• PHNX Awards Global advertising award program created by AdForum to honor purpose-driven work that aims to positively impact society.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Cannes Lions International Festival of CreativitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdForum features Cannes Lions award winners and provides coverage of the festival. The platform monitors Cannes Lions results for its Business Creative Report ranking system.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Sortlist: Sortlist is a global agency-search marketplace where marketers shortlist and request proposals from creative, digital, and advertising agencies; it is the closest direct peer to AdForum's Agency Search directory by product, customer, and model.
• Clutch: Clutch is the leading B2B services marketplace for agencies and software firms, using verified reviews and proprietary research to help buyers find vendors. Its directory-plus-research model directly overlaps with AdForum's directory plus Business Creative Report offering.
• The Manifest: The Manifest is Clutch's sister property focused specifically on digital marketing, advertising, and creative agencies; it competes head-on with AdForum in agency shortlisting for the digital/marketing buyer.
• DesignRush: DesignRush is an agency marketplace and resource hub that lists advertising, digital, and design firms categorized by service - closely comparable to AdForum's competency-filtered agency directory.
• TopDesignFirms: TopDesignFirms is a curated directory of digital, design, and advertising agencies with rankings and reviews, structurally similar to AdForum's Agency Search listings and Best-of rankings.
• Agency Spotter: Agency Spotter is an agency-selection platform (marketing, design, web, development) that helps brands find and evaluate agencies - directly comparable to AdForum's marketer-to-agency discovery flow.

Broad incumbents

• The Drum: The Drum is a global advertising and marketing trade media outlet with agency profiles, awards coverage, and industry news; it overlaps with AdForum's editorial, awards directory, and Trade Media offering.
• Adweek: Adweek is a long-standing advertising industry publication covering agencies, campaigns, and awards - a broader incumbent that competes for the same marketer and agency audience AdForum serves.
• Campaign Magazine: Campaign is a leading global advertising trade title with agency rankings, awards coverage, and creative showcases - a broad incumbent comparable to AdForum's editorial and Business Creative Report properties.

Emerging players

• G2: G2 is the largest B2B software and services review marketplace; while not focused solely on creative agencies, its emerging MAR tech and advertising software categories apply a similar directory-plus-reviews monetization model to a parallel audience of marketers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/adforum
• Facebookfacebook.com/adforumus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/adforum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AdForum