Ukraine launches the first military advertising competition Brave Awards
April 08, 2026
Ukraine announces the launch of Brave Awards – the first military advertising competition, created to provide a dedicated platform for communications developed during wartime. The competition will take place as part of Ukrainian Creative Stories 2026, with submissions open until May 10.
Brave Awards was not planned in advance. It was born out of reality – and by the people who, having joined the ranks of the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine, did not leave behind their professional skills. Today, hundreds of advertising and communications professionals continue to create ideas, campaigns, and solutions literally from the front lines – for the needs of the military and the country.
Brave Awards is organized by the All-Ukrainian Advertising Coalition, specifically its Military Advertising Committee, with creative support from the Cultural Forces Platform.
“The competition is a logical continuation of the initiative by the All-Ukrainian Advertising Coalition, which in 2025 for the first time recognized ‘military advertising’ as a separate industry category. Now this category has its own competition and a place within the Ukrainian Creative Stories 2026 program. It is a competition evaluated by military communicators, yet working towards the victory of the entire country,” commented Dmytro Fedorenko, Head of the VRK Military Advertising Committee, founder and CEO of SEVENTEAM.
Brave Awards is designed for those who combine military service with professional expertise in communications. The competition is open to military communicators, advertising professionals serving in the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine, as well as military units acting as clients and participants in the creation of communication projects.
Participation in the competition is free of charge.
Unlike traditional advertising festivals, Brave Awards has no category divisions. All entries are evaluated based on a single criterion – the impact of creative execution on communication effectiveness. The jury will consider the strength of the idea, quality of execution, and the actual practical results achieved.
The entries will be reviewed by members of the VRK Military Advertising Committee, as well as military creatives and professionals from Ukraine’s creative industry who are currently serving in the Security and Defense Forces.
Within the competition, winners and finalists will be selected, with no limit on their number – the focus is not on formal constraints, but on the real impact of the work.
KEY DATES
- Submission deadline – May 10, 2026
- Announcement of results – May 28, 2026, during the Ukrainian Creative Awards ceremony
Brave Awards is more than just a competition. It is a way to recognize, support, and amplify communications that contribute to Ukraine’s victory.
If you are creating such projects, now is the time to submit them.
Participation terms and further details are available via the link.
