AIGA - Criteria + Definitions

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Criteria + Definitions

Work in all media is eligible if it has been first designed, produced, or launched publicly and available for sale or use in the general marketplace between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023. Generally, © 2023 will be indicative of the eligibility date. New work created after December 31, 2023 will not be considered.

Category	Criteria	Examples
Brand and Identity Systems	Quality of visual expression, appropriateness relative to the entity for which it was created; new, repositioned, or legacy brands are eligible	Logo, stationery systems, business cards, standards manuals, advertising, etc.
Civic Design	Integrated design approach, including research, concept, and visual elements such as typography, illustration, and information graphics; how well it fulfilled its stated communications objectives, and the overall quality of execution with consideration for the user and the issue at every touchpoint	Election design, ballot design, get out the vote posters, etc.
Corporate Communications	Integrated design approach, including concept and visual elements such as typography, illustration, and information graphics; how well it fulfilled its stated communications objectives	Product or service brochures, newsletters, identity guidelines manuals, press kits, annual reports, investor communications, etc.
Editorial Design	Integrated design approach, including concept and visual elements such as typography, illustration, photography, and/or information design	Magazines, newspapers, newsletters, journals, blogs, etc.
Entertainment Design	Integrated design approach, including concept and visual elements such as typography, illustration, and/or information design; success in achieving the stated communications objectives, the overall quality of visual expression and execution, design's appropriateness relative to the entity for which it was created; it's not about work done for the entertainment industry, but work designed to amuse an audience for the purpose of entertaining and not to sell, brand, or promote anything in particular	Gaming, applications, etc.
Environmental / Experiential Design	Integrated design approach, including concept and visual elements such as typography, illustration, and/or information design; success in achieving the stated communications objectives, the overall quality of execution with consideration for the user at every touchpoint	Murals, museum-exhibition design, retail spaces, signage, special-event atmospherics, sports facilities, themed environments, trade-show exhibits, way-finding systems, etc.
Experience / Product / Service / Systems Design	Integrated design approach, including concept and visual elements such as typography, illustration, and/or information design; success in achieving the stated communications objectives, the overall quality of execution with consideration for the user at every touchpoint	User experience (UX), User Interface (UI), websites, virtual interfaces, computer programs, software applications, kiosks, networked appliances, other digital exhibit systems, etc.
Illustration / Photography	Integrated design approach, including concept and visual elements such as typography, color, images, composition, and/or information design	Photojournalism, editorial portrait, commercial, product, sports, documentary photos or images using analog or digital media, print or animation
Immersive Design	Integrated design approach, including concept and visual elements such as typography and illustration, and/or information design; success in achieving the stated communications objectives, the overall quality of visual expression and execution, design's appropriateness relative to the entity for which it was created; it's not about work done for the purpose of selling, branding, or promoting anything in particular	Augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), virtual reality (VR) on screen or in space
Information Design / Data Visualization	Integrated design approach, including concept and visual elements such as typography, illustration, shapes, line, and/or information design; success in achieving the stated communications objectives	Charts, maps, graphs, schedules, forms, specification catalogues
Motion Graphics / Animation	Integrated design approach, including concept and visual elements such as typography, illustration, and/or information design; success in achieving the stated communications objectives, the overall quality of execution	Commercials, video, animated graphics, title sequences, 3D effects, etc.
Package Design	Integrated design approach, including concept and visual elements such as typography and illustration; quality and innovation in the use of materials; how well it fulfilled its stated communications objectives	Consumer goods packaging, food and beverage packaging, health and beauty packaging, labels, shopping bags, gift or specialty products, etc.
Promotional Design and Advertising	Integrated design approach, including concept and visual elements such as typography, illustration, photography, and/or information design; how well an entry fulfills its stated communications objectives	Print, digital, on-air, or outdoor advertisements; interactive website banners or animations, giveaways, posters, invitations, announcements, merchandise catalogues, direct mail, press, marketing, unconventional advertisements, etc.
Social Design	Integrated design approach; success in achieving the stated communications objectives, and the overall quality of execution with consideration for the user and the issues at every touchpoint	Design methodologies, human-centered approaches to support positive social change, etc.
Typographic Design	Appropriateness; formal strength; innovation of typographic approach; fonts need not be commercially available to the public to be eligible for entry.	Typeface designs (new creations or refinement), hand-lettering, works that use typography as their principal visual language, etc.

Categories may not represent the full range of design work accepted for consideration. Select one category that best describes your entry. Jurors retain the right to reclassify entries from one category to another or to select only components of the entry for recognition.