This year, the Shorty Awards come of age. We turn 18.
For 18 years, we’ve witnessed creativity evolve, the birth of platforms, the rise of new voices, and the reshaping of culture itself. Digital storytelling has grown up, and so have the stories, movements, and brands shaping it.
Turning 18 marks the start of a new chapter, and this one is entirely yours to author. It’s time to Claim Your Era.
What It Means to Claim Your Era
Claim Your Era, to us, is more than a theme. It’s a call to take ownership of the culture you’re building. To own your moment, your voice, your power, and your creativity.
Every generation of digital creators, strategists, and innovators redefines what creativity means. The work that fills our feeds today will be tomorrow’s history of culture in motion.
New Categories for a New Era
Culture, too, has its own eras, and this year’s new categories are built to honor the forces shaping it right now.
- Episodic: The main screen isn’t just TV anymore, it’s social. We’re celebrating the serialized stories that command attention and build communities on the platforms where we live.
- GEO: The next frontier of search is generative. Is your creativity optimized for discovery? This category honors the work that masters the art and science of being found.
- Multicultural Campaign: Moving beyond simple representation to forge intentional, authentic, and powerful connections within diverse communities.
- …and 100+ more categories designed for the creators, brands, and ideas leading the conversation today.
How Past Winners Claimed Their Moment
For nearly two decades, the Shorty Awards have celebrated the work that defined digital culture as it evolved. From the rise of social media to the age of AI, our winners have captured the pulse of their moment, and in doing so, shaped their next era.
Recent winners who claimed their era include:
Reddit & adidas – “You Got This” AMA Series
Winner in Other Platform Partnership, 17th Annual Shorty Awards
Reddit and adidas claimed their era of authenticity by redefining how brands connect with Gen Z and transforming pressure into purpose through athlete-led conversations that reminded young players why they play.
Nike – “Victory Mode”
Winner in Extended Reality, 17th Annual Shorty Awards
By transforming an entire city into an AR-powered arena, Nike claimed its era of innovation, where the limits of play are only as high as imagination allows.
PetSmart Charities – “Journey to 11 Million”
Winner in Social Good Campaign, Video Series, Facebook, 17th Annual Shorty Awards
PetSmart Charities claimed their era of platform-native storytelling by turning a traditional awareness campaign into a binge-worthy, reality-style social series that blended humor, heart, and purpose.
Your Era Starts Now
The stage is set. Now, it’s your turn.
What era will you define? Will it be the era of AI integration, of storytelling, or of a new creative medium?
Entries for the 18th Annual Shorty Awards are now open. Show us the work that defines the era you intend to lead.
