The International ANDY Awards named Chris Beresford-Hill as its 2027 Global Jury Chair, the organization announced this week. Beresford-Hill, who led FCB New York as chief creative officer before transitioning to advisory roles, will oversee jury selection and scoring methodology for the program's 58th cycle. The organization also confirmed regional chair appointments across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific markets, though specific names were not disclosed in initial statements.
The timing aligns with a broader recalibration across advertising awards programs. Entry volumes for major creative competitions dropped 11-14% in 2024 as CMOs reduced discretionary spending on campaign documentation and submission fees, which typically range from $500 to $1,200 per entry. The ANDY Awards charges $795 for single entries in most categories, with package discounts for agencies submitting 10 or more campaigns. Beresford-Hill's mandate includes reviewing scoring rubrics to emphasize measurable business impact over aesthetic distinction, a shift that mirrors recent changes at Cannes Lions and The One Show.
This matters because jury composition directly influences which creative strategies agencies prioritize in client work. When judging panels skew toward brand-side executives rather than agency creatives, campaigns demonstrating sales lift or customer acquisition efficiency score higher than those optimized for peer recognition. Beresford-Hill's background spans both agency production and client advisory, giving him credibility to bridge the divide. His work at FCB included campaigns for Tiffany & Co. and Michelob Ultra that balanced creative ambition with retail performance metrics, the dual mandate that now defines premium brand advertising.
The appointment also signals the ANDY Awards' effort to maintain relevance as independent creative competitions face pressure from in-house studio growth and platform-specific awards programs. TikTok, Pinterest, and Roblox each launched proprietary creative recognition frameworks between 2022 and 2024, offering agencies lower-cost validation tied directly to media spending commitments. Traditional awards bodies must now justify entry fees by demonstrating that wins influence new business pitches and talent recruitment, not just trophy shelf depth.
Operators should monitor jury composition announcements expected in Q2 2025, particularly the ratio of client-side judges to agency creatives. A panel weighted toward CMOs and brand directors suggests scoring will favor work with documented ROI, making case studies and performance data essential submission components. Agencies planning 2026 campaign rollouts should build measurement frameworks from brief stage, not post-launch. Allocators watching brand marketing budgets should note whether their portfolio companies adjust creative development timelines to accommodate awards-ready documentation, which typically adds 6-8 weeks to production cycles.
The ANDY Awards judging period runs June through August 2027, with winners announced at a New York ceremony in October. Entry deadlines typically close 90 days before judging begins, setting a March 2027 cutoff for campaigns launched between January 2026 and December 2026.