With the 2026 Clio Music Awards fast approaching, we caught up with Michael Kauffman, Executive Director of Clio Music, to get an inside look at what’s ahead for the program!
Following a record-breaking year for entries and global participation in 2025, the Clio Music team is continuing to expand how they recognize the intersection of music, creativity, and commerce; From new categories to evolving jury panels and special honors.
Firstly, can you remind our readers of what the Clio Music Awards are all about and give a short history?
The Clio Awards were founded in 1959 to honor excellence in advertising from around the globe. The Clio Music Awards, born of the original Clios, launched in 2014 to recognize and celebrate top creative work across music marketing, brand/artist collaborations, and the use of music in advertising.
Every year we assemble a jury of over 100 accomplished executives from labels, publishers, agencies, brands, and the artistic community to evaluate work through a series of judging rounds and to collectively and democratically determine our award recipients.
Every year we assemble a jury of over 100 accomplished executives from labels, publishers, agencies, brands, and the artistic community to evaluate work through a series of judging rounds and to collectively and democratically determine our award recipients.
In the initial years of the program, the music winners were presented during our annual Clio Awards, but now those winners are part of a stand-alone program with distinct mediums, categories, juries, and final awards presentation held during Grammy Week in Los Angeles. At that show, which for this year’s program is scheduled for January 29, 2026, we present top award-winning work on stage along with our “Of The Year” trophies which are awarded based on points-per-statue calculations across all mediums of the program.
In recent years, Clio Music honorary statues have also been presented to Pearl Jam, Ozzy Osbourne, Mary J Blige, Brandi Carlile, as well as executives like Paul Williams and Jason Flom, and to organizations like Alicia Keys’ She Is The Music and NIVA (National Independent Venue Association).
We also regularly host community events including panel discussions and conversations around relevant topics and winning work plus community Salon dinners with artists like LL Cool J, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Ryan Tedder.
What stood out to you most about the 2025 Clio Music Awards in terms of trends or creative direction?
A few things come to mind. Top-level, we’ve experienced upward trends in the amount of creative work being submitted across the music film & video sector, gig posters, our craft mediums (Design Craft, Film & Video Craft, Use of Music Craft), and in brand & artist collaborations. There’s also been growth in entry submissions from around the globe as well as in the amount of creative sync work coming in from ads, films, TV, and gaming.
Campaigns like “Oliveira Dos Cen Años” (LITTLE SPAIN for Real Club Celta) are an example of the importance of cultural authenticity in much of the work that’s being submitted. We’ve also seen an important trend in impactful emotional storytelling like embodied in “A Piece of Me” campaign (Dentsu Creative for KPN). This featured a song addressing the problem of online shaming, and it resonated deeply both with the audience, leading to viral engagement and ultimately legislative discussions, and with the jury.
There’s also been quite a bit of tech-driven creativity in recent years of course: “Spreadbeats” – produced by FCB New York for Spotify – transformed the Excel spreadsheet into a dynamic music video, merging B2B marketing with creative expression.
I’d encourage everyone to visit our winners gallery to watch the work – and via the credits – see all the artists, brands, companies, and individuals who were involved.
You received a record number of entries last year — what do you attribute that growth to, and what does it say about the current role of music in advertising and Branding?
The three sections of the program (music marketing, brand & artist collaborations, and the use of music in advertising) are all showing growth with each reflecting the evolution of the business in those areas.
First, brand/artist collaborations are increasing as more brands recognize the importance of having a music strategy that leverages the unique connection and engagement an artist has with their fanbase. That part of the business is exploding. Gone are the days when artists were resistant to the concept, and now there are so many ways an artist can connect with their fans via these brand partnerships. That’s a factor in the volume and quality of entries in this part of Clio Music.
Gone are the days when artists were resistant to the concept, and now there are so many ways an artist can connect with their fans via these brand partnerships.
Two, on the sync side of the program, there’s a tremendous growth in the amount of music being integrated creatively into content across ads, social content, TV, film, and games. That’s a growth factor too.
And third, I believe the teams of marketers at labels, agencies, and brands have become more aware of the program, and believe in the value personally and professionally of being recognized for doing something they love: creating magic and impact through creativity, combined with the power of music.
What are some of the most memorable campaigns or entries you’ve seen in recent years that exemplify innovation in music marketing?
This past year, there were quite a few marketing campaigns that come to mind: the Atlantic Records team’s amazing work supporting Charli xcx, Interscope on the “The Guts World Tour Bus Experience with Olivia Rodrigo, Island with Mercury on Post Malone, Sony Music Nashville’s “The Road to The Grammys” with Luke Combs and Tracy Chapman, the Republic team’s campaigns for Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Pearl Jam. So many brilliant ideas and executions on the music marketing front.
Can you talk us through some of the new category additions for 2026 — like Art Direction, Microsite, and Use of Artists, Talent & Influencers?
Each year we update the program to reflect trends and evolving preferred terms in the business and where we’ve seen increases in strong creative work being done. Often these updates are the result of conversations with entrants as they reach out to review entries and discuss the best places for submissions. That’s the case for these category additions.
This year also sees the introduction of the *Innovation in Music Video* award presented by YouTube. What types of work do you hope this award will spotlight?
A few years back we saw an increase in music video submissions from young artists like Billie Eilish, Tierra Whack, Jorja Smith, Juanes, Lizzo, Travis Scott, and others. The art form continues to show robust growth in both creative storytelling and techniques as well as in the breadth of artists using this art form to experiment, engage, and activate their fans. 2025 winning work shows this via music videos from Kendrick Lamar, Charli xcx, Sabrina Carpenter, Childish Gambino, Manizha, and ATARASHII GAKKO!, and many others.
The art form continues to show robust growth in both creative storytelling and techniques as well as in the breadth of artists using this art form to experiment, engage, and activate their fans.
As such, our collaboration with our friends at YouTube will highlight top work in this arena from the past year. The Innovation in Music Video winner will be selected and presented to an artist and their team for groundbreaking work whether in technique, the use of technology, or via a new creative format for visual content coupled with a song. The goal is to amplify a particular artist/team’s remarkable and exceptional work. All entries submitted in the Music Film/Video medium will be considered for this award.
Tell us about the new *Use of Music in Film, TV & Games* medium. Why was it important to introduce this category medium now?
From the beginning, we’ve celebrated the creativity of songwriters, music publishers, sync and production teams, and the brand and agency creatives working in advertising – that’s our historic core.
In 2021, we introduced music supervision as an area for submissions and want to continue to elevate that craft and those doing it.
The work, creation, and selection of music is critical in all of these – certainly the right song delivers strong emotional impact across all three of these to the same degree it does so in an ad or trailer. Often it’s the music in a show, game, or film that draws an audience to the content, and we see that as a powerful channel of creative marketing
Our primary mission is to celebrate bold creativity that inspires and connects the community, this is another step to ensure we’re recognizing that work wherever it happens.
How will the new jury for this medium differ from existing panels, and what kinds of expertise are you bringing in to evaluate these submissions?
Similar to all of our other juries, the Use of Music in Film, TV & Games jury will be composed of leading creative sync and supervision executives who are pushing boundaries and producing award-winning work – in this case the difference is that they’re working in film, television, and games specifically whether on the agency, brand, or production sides.
How does Clio Music ensure global representation — both in terms of entries and jury composition — as the program continues to grow?
Simply put, we prioritize this both during jury selection and with our entry research to ensure balance. Our juries reflect those behind the winning work with representation from not only the different sectors of the business, but also from around the globe.
Our juries reflect those behind the winning work with representation from not only the different sectors of the business, but also from around the globe.
This past year we received submissions from entrants in 33 countries, and our Grand winners were global too with 13 Grand Winners coming from 8 countries (Brazil, China, Japan, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Spain, UK, and the US). We look at who created winning work to inform jury selection and our research team mines industry sources worldwide to identify creative work as well.
Looking ahead to the awards ceremony during Grammy Week, what can we expect from the live event in terms of format, tone, or any surprises?
Although every year is different in format and tone reflective of the winning work, the one constant is that we’ll present a top quality live event – both an inspiring show with creative work many in the audience haven’t seen before and providing a platform for on-stage recognition for the label, publishing, agency, and brand teams behind that work.
There are always a few surprise performances and special honorees, and likely there will be a few new ideas incorporated based on what is celebrated in our new mediums: the Use of Music in Film, TV and Games I mentioned earlier as well as from our new Music in Sports medium, which celebrates the creative use of music or musical artists, products, or services to support, promote, or market at or during a sporting event including tent-pole events like the Super Bowl, Formula 1, NBA All-Star Weekend, etc., or for a team, league, organization, brand, or athlete. We might incorporate a few special presenters from these sectors too.
Also new this year – something I mentioned earlier – YouTube will introduce the Innovation in Music Video specialty award presented to a recipient using a groundbreaking technique, technology, or creative video formats in the execution of a music video. That will certainly include something interesting and cool – we’re brainstorming on that front now.
And in our final segment in the show – the presentation of label, publisher, agency, advertiser, and artist of the year honors (all based on the points-per-trophy system we use in all of our programs) we will also now recognize a Songwriter of the Year for the first time. We have researchers identify the underlying artist, label, songwriter, and publisher (if they are not listed in the credits) to ensure accuracy in our calculations. This will provide the information to highlight and amplify an accomplished songwriter on stage.
In your view, what defines a “Clio-winning” campaign? What qualities tend to stand out to juries across categories?
Creativity is the lens – we celebrate ideas that are imaginative, unexpected, or otherwise unconventional. That’s the critical thread across all mediums.
Creativity is the lens – we celebrate ideas that are imaginative, unexpected, or otherwise unconventional.
We ask the jurors to consider: Is this work bold? Innovative? Inspiring? Am I jealous of this work? Do I wish my team had created it? Does this work propel the industry forward? What do we as jurors want to signal to the industry by awarding this work?
And I’d say if you’re thinking of entering, it’s great to ask yourself: What is the work from you and your team that you can’t stop talking about? What are the most creative aspects of what you did this past year? What gave you goosebumps or made you laugh or cry or cheer? That’s what will likely resonate with our juries.
How do you see the use of AI and emerging technologies evolving within music marketing — and how is Clio Music adapting to evaluate this kind of work?
AI, of course, is being used in many, many ways to inform, research, organize, and inspire work. We’ve incorporated that into a few places in the program – most notably within the Digital/Mobile, AI, and Emerging Technologies medium where AI is a separate and distinct category for the creative use of AI to help market an artist, music product or music service. We ask that the role of AI be clearly defined in the synopsis or elsewhere in the entry.
Regardless, the jury remains focused fundamentally on the creative idea. Is it bold, innovative, boundary-pushing? The same lens is used for judging all work that’s submitted.
What advice would you give to first-time entrants who may be unsure whether their work is a fit for Clio Music?
A few tips. One – think about what creative work you’ve been part of that you can’t stop talking about. What gives you goosebumps like I just mentioned? What creative work makes you the most proud? Consider that when thinking about what to enter. Lean into that work.
Second, understand the mediums and categories: Clio Music honors work that harnesses the power of music to elevate marketing, brand storytelling, and audience connection across industries. In turn, the program is segmented across three areas: music marketing, brand & artist collaborations, and the use of music in ads, film, television, games, or trailers.
Whether you’re promoting an artist, label, music brand, or music-related product or service, your work may be best suited in the Music Marketing mediums.
If your work involves a collaboration between a brand and an artist, consider exploring the Branded Content & Collaborations mediums.
For submissions where a brand or content creatively integrates music — whether in advertising, television show, a film, trailer/teaser, game, or a broader marketing initiative — the Use of Music mediums are likely good options to consider initially.
We encourage all entrants to take a look at the official Entry Kit and our Best Submission Practices doc to carefully review medium and category definitions, entry parameters, and best practices. Both can be downloaded under the Clio Music entry submission section here.
While there are often multiple entry options to consider, starting with what is being marketed and how music functions in the work — whether as the subject or a creative tool — will help guide you towards the right place to enter.
Third – highlight your creativity as effectively as possible. Since creativity is the sole judging criteria across all Clio Music mediums (except for Creative Effectiveness which is 50/50 creativity and results), it’s essential to spotlight the innovative elements of your campaign. Use the synopsis and case study/pdf fields or other submitted assets to tell a focused, compelling story that highlights the creative approach, especially as it relates to the specific medium you’re entering.
Avoid generic overviews and instead tailor your submission to reflect the strengths of your work within that medium and/or category. Whenever relevant, provide additional context—such as cultural background, unique creative insights, or distinctive elements of the execution— to help judges fully understand what sets your work apart.
Last tip: seek guidance directly from our team if needed. If uncertain, contact Clio’s support team for assistance on all fronts. You can email us at support@clios.com or call our hotline at 1.212.683.4300. Or of course you can reach out to me directly at michael.kauffman@clioawards.com.
Finally, how do you see the Clio Music Awards evolving over the next few years — and what’s your long-term vision for the program?
Regardless of the ways the industry grows and evolves, we will strive to shine a light on the top creative work being produced AND the people and teams in marketing, brand partnerships, and synch producing it.
The world is a better place because of music and the artists who create it. Those artists benefit from the creative teams who support them and help connect them with the world and their fans. Those teams work incredibly hard to ensure their music is heard, seen, and experienced. It is truly noble work in my opinion.
We will continue to pursue ways to share that work more widely – to celebrate it, to connect more deeply with the community, and to inspire us all. We recently launched a Clio Music Salon Dinner series allowing artists like LL Cool J, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ryan Tedder (with more being scheduled) to share their vision direction around a table curated with leaders in the brand and agency spaces.
We are always open to collaborations that build on our three brand pillars–celebration, connection, and inspiration– if you’ve got an idea, please reach out at the email above!
Key Dates
Eligibility Period for all mediums: Entries first appearing in public between Monday, April 1, 2024 – Monday, November 14, 2025 are eligible for entry into this year’s Clio Music Awards.
Open for Entries: Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Deadline 1: Friday, June 6, 2025
Deadline 2: Friday, August 1, 2025
Deadline 3: Friday, October 3, 2025
2026 Clio Music Awards Show: Grammy Week in Los Angeles
