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Judges generally look for a distinctive idea that fits a real audience or business need, strong execution in the chosen medium, and credible evidence of results. The balance is not universal: award criteria and scoring differ by program and category, so entrants should shape each submission around the published rules for that specific award.
What judges assess
Across the official criteria reviewed for Cannes Lions, the Webby Awards, D&AD and The Drum Awards Festival, the recurring themes are the idea, its execution, how well it works for its audience and medium, and evidence of impact. These are useful preparation themes, not a shared scoring formula.
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A relevant, distinctive idea
Judges need to understand the problem, audience insight or opportunity behind the work, and what makes the response meaningful rather than interchangeable with other campaigns or products. Cannes Lions Design describes its focus as creativity and innovation used to solve problems, engage audiences, shape identity and create impact. In Creative Data, data is expected to be integral to the idea and its measurable impact, not a decorative supporting detail. Cannes Lions Design criteria and Creative Data criteria provide category-specific guidance.
Craft and execution in the chosen medium
A compelling concept must be delivered well. Webby criteria consider whether an experience is seamless and appropriately implemented for its medium; technical issues should not obstruct its use. Creative quality also includes whether the work is engaging, relevant, memorable and has a point of view. For digital design, function matters alongside appearance: design should help people use the product or experience.
#1 Best Overall
Audience experience and function
For website entries, Webby criteria span content, structure and navigation, visual design, functionality, interactivity, innovation and the overall experience. A polished visual treatment cannot compensate for confusing navigation or broken features. Entrants should make it easy for judges to encounter the work as its intended audience would.
Results connected to the objective
Where an award asks for outcomes, show how the result relates to the objective set for the work. Cannes Lions Design allocates 20% of its published 2026 scoring to results; its guidance also requests verifiable proof of impact. Cannes Lions Creative Data allocates 20% to data-driven results and asks entrants to connect tangible outcomes to objectives. Those expectations make it important to show what changed, for whom, over what period, and how the evidence supports the claim.
Context judges can interpret
Judges may not share the entrant’s market or cultural context. Cannes guidance advises entrants to explain the insight and the significance of results for an international jury. A concise entry narrative and case film can make the work legible, but presentation is not a replacement for substantiation: claims still need verifiable evidence.
Meaningful innovation, not technology for its own sake
Webby guidance asks whether an idea is meaningfully new, whether the technology works and whether it changes how technology may be used. Its current criteria say that AI should enhance creativity or usability, solve real problems and be applied with integrity. Mentioning a new tool or technology does not by itself establish originality, usefulness or impact.
Published scoring differs by award and category
Use published weights only for the category and year they describe. For example, the following figures are from Cannes Lions’ 2026 criteria; they are not a formula for other categories or award programs.
| Category or process | Published figure | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Cannes Lions Design, 2026 criteria | 40% idea; 40% execution; 20% results | Applies to Design, not all Cannes Lions categories. |
| Cannes Lions Creative Data, 2026 criteria | 20% creative idea/data solution; 30% data-driven strategy; 30% use of data; 20% data-driven results | A rubric tailored to work in which data is central. |
| Cannes Lions judging process | Around 10% of entries typically make the shortlist | A typical rate described by Cannes Lions, not a guaranteed annual rate or an individual entrant’s odds. |
| Webby Awards judging process | Five nominees, including one winner, per category; no more than 20% of entries can receive Official Honoree status | Process caps described by the Webby Awards, not a promise of recognition for any submission. |
Check the live category rules before submitting because criteria, eligibility and entry windows can change. For instance, Cannes Lions Design’s 2026 rules specify an execution window of 6 February 2025 through 9 April 2026, and require Product Design work to be available for purchase. Those are 2026 Design rules, not general requirements for other years or awards. See the Cannes Lions Design rules.
Rank #4
Choose the right category before writing the entry
Category fit determines which criteria judges will use to assess the work. D&AD draws a distinction between digital marketing advertising—campaigns and communications primarily using technology, data and digital platforms—and Digital Design, which includes graphics, digital experiences and spaces. The Drum says its core framework is interpreted and weighted differently by discipline and category. A submission framed for the wrong category may not be evaluated against the work’s strongest qualities.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchBefore choosing, compare category scope, published criteria and weights, required evidence, whether the category treats the work primarily as advertising or design, eligibility dates and geography, and the judging process. D&AD’s category information and The Drum Awards Festival are starting points; confirm the current rules on the relevant entry page.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How judging processes shape the submission
Programs do not all review work in the same way. The Webby Awards says Associate Academy Members independently inspect entries and that multiple members evaluate each entry against category-specific criteria; Executive Academy members then assess shortlists and vote. Cannes Lions describes an initial jury review to form the shortlist, selection of Bronze, Silver and Gold by a two-thirds majority, and a Grand Prix selected from Gold winners. Cannes also describes conflict-of-interest exclusions and compulsory bias-awareness training. Consult each program’s process page rather than assuming a single jury model. Webby judging process and Cannes Lions judging process.
Build an entry that makes the work assessable
- State the problem and audience. Explain the need, insight or opportunity the work addressed, with enough market and audience context for judges outside that setting.
- Make the idea specific. Describe what the work did and why that response was distinctive. For data-led work, explain the role data played in the strategy and creative solution.
- Show the execution. Let judges experience the work in its intended medium where possible, and explain decisions that may not be obvious from a case film or screenshots.
- Link outcomes to objectives. Provide evidence, the baseline, measurement period, audience and market where relevant. Explain why the result matters without claiming more than the evidence establishes.
- Check the category and eligibility. Match the entry to the official category description, dates, geography and any product availability or other requirements in the current rules.
Use the entry narrative and supporting material to clarify the work, not to inflate it. Unsupported novelty claims, causal statements that the evidence cannot establish, and results without context make it harder for judges to assess the contribution fairly.
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