The Clio Awards

What The Clio Awards does

The Clio Awards operates an international awards and recognition platform for the creative industries, headquartered in New York and operating as Clio Awards LLC, a privately held company founded in 1959. The core product is an annual flagship awards ceremony recognizing excellence in advertising across multiple categories, with Grand, Gold, Silver, and Bronze statuettes. The portfolio has expanded into a multi-vertical structure with six specialized programs — Clio Sports (launched 2014), Clio Music, Clio Health, Clio Entertainment, and Clio Creators (launching in 2026) — each addressing a distinct creative vertical. Two adjacent media properties extend the platform: Muse by Clios, an editorial content hub producing interviews and thought leadership, and AdsOfTheWorld.com, a global advertising database. The 2026 flagship ceremony was held at Cipriani 25 Broadway in NYC on May 12, 2026.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: per-entry transaction fees for submissions across multi-tier deadline schedules (Clio Awards 2026 ran four deadline tiers from October 2025 through February 2026, with escalating prices), merchandise sales via the Clio Store of duplicate statues and trophies, and event sponsorships including presenting-level deals with Google and PepsiCo. The go-to-market is event-driven: entries are submitted online through a self-serve portal (new-entries.clios.com), physical entries must arrive at the New York office by the final deadline, judging occurs during a jury retreat with industry leaders, and winners are announced at in-person ceremonies. The 2026 Clio Awards season produced 1,142 entries in the winners gallery, with submissions sourced globally from countries including Germany, India, Mexico, France, Singapore, the United States, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

Customer segments span advertising agencies (primary), brands and advertisers (primary), and secondary verticals including sports teams/leagues/brands, music-industry players, entertainment companies, healthcare/pharmaceutical brands, and — newly in 2026 — social-media content creators. The customer base is intentionally broad and diversified across industries, with high-profile award recipients in the 2026 cycle including Grindr, Heineken, Vaseline, BBC, Bad Bunny, Tecate, Vi (Vodafone Idea), and Change The Ref. Distribution is delivered through the online entry system, in-person ceremonies, the e-commerce store, an online winners gallery, and strategic partnerships including Kyoorius for Asian regional reach and Influential and YouTube for the new Clio Creators program. The organization is led by CEO Nicole Purcell, operates with 11-50 employees, and shows no evidence of external institutional investment or parent-company ownership.

Name

The Clio Awards

Legal name

Clio Awards LLC

Website

https://clios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Clio Awards, founded in 1959 and headquartered in New York, operates an international awards platform recognizing creative excellence in advertising across six verticals — including the flagship Clio Awards, Clio Sports, Clio Music, Clio Health, Clio Entertainment, and Clio Creators (launching 2026). It serves advertising agencies, brands, and creators through entry fees, ceremonies, and sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Awards and Recognition

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Awards Ceremonies & Recognition Events (MPAGAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Awarding Organizations & Credentialing Bodies (Certificates/Diplomas) (EDADAFAC)

Keywords

• Creative industry awards
• Advertising recognition programs
• Awards competition ceremonies
• Creative excellence accolades
• Industry award entries

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Award Entry Fees: Agencies, brands, and organizations pay entry fees to submit work for consideration across multiple deadlines with increasing prices. Fees vary by deadline tier (1st, 2nd, 3rd, Final deadlines).
2. Trophy and Statue Sales: Duplicate statues and trophies are available for purchase through the Clio Store to celebrate winning work.
3. Event Tickets and Sponsorships: Revenue generated through ceremony tickets, sponsorships from presenting and supporting sponsors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Clio Awards operates an international awards competition for the creative business, accepting paid entry submissions from agencies, brands, and organizations across six program verticals: The Clio Awards (flagship), Clio Sports, Clio Music, Clio Entertainment, Clio Health, and Clio Creators. Entries are evaluated by industry juries and winners are announced at annual ceremonies, with Grand, Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards issued. Revenue is generated through tiered entry fees, trophy and statue sales, and event sponsorships.

Product overview

The Clio Awards operates as a comprehensive awards and recognition platform consisting of a core flagship program (The Clio Awards) plus six specialized vertical programs: Clio Sports (founded 2014), Clio Music, Clio Entertainment, Clio Health, and Clio Creators (launching 2026). The portfolio also includes two content/media platforms: Muse by Clios (editorial hub) and Ads of the World (advertising database). The main awards program accepts entries across diverse categories and mediums, with annual ceremonies recognizing Grand, Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners. Judging involves industry jury panels, and a new Global Talent Rankings initiative (debuting 2026) will highlight top individual contributors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Muse by Clios: A thought leadership platform and content hub featuring interviews, articles, and insights on creativity and advertising.
• Ads of the World

Products and services

• The Clio Awards Flagship annual awards program honoring excellence in advertising, marketing, and communications. Recognizes boundary-pushing work from brands, agencies, and organizations through Grand, Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards determined by industry jury panels.
• Clio Sports Specialized awards vertical celebrating creative excellence in sports marketing, advertising, and communications. Champions work from teams, leagues, brands, agencies, and media brands shaping sports culture.
• Clio Music Awards vertical celebrating creative excellence in music marketing, advertising, and communications. Recognizes outstanding work involving music, sound design, and audio branding across various media platforms.
• Clio Entertainment Awards vertical dedicated to celebrating creative excellence in entertainment marketing, advertising, and communications. Recognizes innovative work across entertainment media and content creation.
• Clio Health Awards vertical recognizing creative excellence in health and healthcare marketing, advertising, and communications. Celebrates work that addresses health challenges and promotes wellness across various media.
• Clio Creators New awards ceremony launching in 2026 to honor outstanding sponsored creator content across major social media platforms including Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. Launched in partnership with YouTube and creator marketing firm Influential.
• Muse by Clios Editorial content hub providing thought leadership, industry news, interviews, and creative inspiration. Features sections covering trending topics, lifestyle, entertainment, community voices, and profiles of creative professionals.
• Ads of the World Global database of advertising campaigns and creative work, allowing users to explore, search, and discover advertising across industries and regions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1142 entries recognized in 2026 Clio Awards season
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and regional.

• YouTubecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Strategic partner for Clio Creators - a new awards ceremony launching in 2026 to honor outstanding sponsored creator content. YouTube is one of the major social platforms from which submissions will be sourced, with the ceremony planned for the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles in November 2026.
• InfluentialcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Creator marketing firm partner for Clio Creators program. Influential helps source and evaluate creator content submissions from major social platforms including Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.
• GooglecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of The Clio Awards. Google's involvement as presenting sponsor provides significant visibility and credibility for the awards program.
• PepsiCocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of The Clio Awards, supporting the advertising industry's premier recognition program.
• Massive MusicsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting Sponsor of The Clio Awards, contributing to the sustainability of the awards program.
• JKR (Jones Knowles Ritchie)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative Partner providing design and creative consultation for the Clio Awards brand experience.
• Moment FactorysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative Partner specializing in immersive experiences, contributing to award ceremony and event experiences.
• CampaignsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia Partner providing editorial coverage and industry exposure for the Clio Awards.
• KyooriusregionalGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional Awards Partner, extending the Clio Awards' reach into the Asian market through the Kyoorius Awards partnership.
• MuseByCliossupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerContent platform partner providing thought leadership and editorial content related to the Clio Awards.
• Ads of the WorldsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising database partner showcasing creative work from around the world as part of the Clio ecosystem.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity: The flagship global advertising awards festival, awarding Lions across creative, media, and effectiveness categories. Direct competitor to the flagship Clio Awards for agency and brand entry spend and sponsorship dollars.
• D&AD Awards: UK-based global creative awards program awarding Pencils across design and advertising disciplines. Directly competes with Clio for international creative agency entries and prestige positioning.
• The One Show: North American advertising and creative awards program operated by The One Club for Creativity. Closely comparable to Clio Awards in categories, entry mechanics, and target audience of agencies and brands.
• Effie Awards: Global marketing effectiveness awards program recognizing campaigns that deliver measurable business results. Adjacent competitor to Clio in capturing brand and agency recognition spend.
• London International Awards (LIA): International advertising awards competition awarding statues across creative, digital, and media disciplines. Direct competitor in the global creative awards circuit serving agencies and brands.
• The Webby Awards: Leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the internet across websites, digital advertising, and content. Direct competitor for digital and brand entry fees, with adjacent presence in creator/content verticals.
• Shorty Awards: Awards program recognizing excellence in social media, digital, and creator content. Closely comparable to the newly launched Clio Creators vertical in targeting sponsored creator work.
• New York Festivals Advertising Awards: International advertising awards competition held annually in New York. Direct competitor for agency and brand entry submissions across creative advertising categories.
• ADC Annual Awards (Art Directors Club): One Club for Creativity program recognizing craft and design excellence in advertising and design. Comparable to Clio for agency-level creative entries and industry jury participation.

Regional players

• Kyoorius Creative Awards: India-based regional creative awards program and Clio's regional awards partner. Comparable model (creative awards with jury, entries, and ceremony) operating primarily in the Asian market, partially overlapping with Clio's global reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheClios
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/10637912/admin/feed/posts
• Instagraminstagram.com/clioawards
• Xx.com/CLIOAwards

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 The Clio Awards