2025 HSMAI Adrian Awards Opens for Entries

McLean, VA – The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is now accepting entries for the 2025 Adrian Awards which celebrates excellence in hospitality and travel marketing. This year’s theme, The Exceptional Experience, is a tribute to the powerful, personal, and transformative moments travel marketing creates, from captivating campaigns and strategic storytelling to purpose-driven initiatives and bold innovation. Winners will be honored at the HSMAI Adrian Awards Celebration February 18, 2026, in New York City.

HSMAI is proud to unveil a refreshed Adrian Awards competition format that reflects the evolution of hospitality and travel marketing in today’s dynamic media landscape. The 2025 Adrian Awards introduces 30 cutting-edge entry categories aligned with the latest platforms, tools, and strategic approaches marketers are using to engage audiences. Recognizing the continued convergence of paid, earned, and owned media, the updated structure spotlights the rise of integrated, cross-platform campaigns. Categories are organized by media type — Paid, Earned, Owned, and Multi-Channel/Integrated — making it easier for entrants to showcase the full scope of their creativity and impact.

This year’s expanded category set reflects the creativity, complexity, and innovation that define hospitality marketing today. From AI-generated content to purpose-driven and experiential campaigns to immersive technologies, the Adrian Awards continue to evolve with the industry — while remaining grounded in what has always mattered: strategy, storytelling, and results. Brian Hicks, President and CEO of HSMAI

2025 Adrian Awards Entry Categories:

• Affiliate Marketing
• App
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Video
• Broadcast: Audio
• Broadcast Television: Traditional TV, Cable or Streaming
• Broadcast Integration
• Business-to-Business/Trade Campaign
• Consumer Brand Campaign
• Community & Culture Impact
• Content Marketing
• Contest/Sweepstakes
• Experiential Marketing
• Feature Placement Trade Media
• Feature Placement Consumer Media
• Influencer/Content Creation
• Innovation
• New Opening/Launch
• Print Collateral
• Purpose-Driven Campaigns
• Relaunch of Existing Property or Product
• Reputation Management
• Search Marketing
• Social Media
• Social Media Channel Growth
• Special Event
• Technology
• Video
• Virtual Reality, Metaverse, Gaming, NFT
• Website

Judges will evaluate each entry category, awarding Best of Category honors within small, medium, and large budget tiers, and selecting Gold, Silver, and Bronze honors. Gold winners will compete for Platinum Awards, and Platinum honorees will advance for consideration in the Best of Show recognition. The competition will highlight standout programs in each media channel — Paid, Earned, Owned, and Multi-Channel/Integrated Marketing — through the Best of Show awards.

The Adrian Awards Judging Academy, made up of seasoned professionals from hospitality, media, digital marketing, and communications, will lead the evaluation process. Multiple judges independently review each entry and score it across five equally weighted criteria: objectives, strategy, creativity, execution, and results.

Entrants must submit their work online by September 9, 2025. For complete entry guidelines, category descriptions, and eligibility information, visit adrianawards.hsmai.org.