The E Source Utility Ad Awards is the energy industry’s largest and most comprehensive competition, attracting hundreds of entries. Our goal is to recognize and reward creative excellence in utility marketing and communications.
The 2025 Utility Ad Awards submission period opens on April 7, 2025, and ends on May 16, 2025. No late entries will be accepted.
What are we looking for?
We base our campaign judging criteria on four categories:
- Idea. It clearly identifies a problem, defines goals with measurable outcomes, details product or service features and benefits, and has a distinct value proposition showcasing innovation or differentiation.
- Message. It clearly identifies the target audience and justifies customer interest. The tone is consistent and engaging. It clearly communicates a single call-to-action that complements the main idea.
- Creativity. It has a strong visual identity that aligns with the brand promise and shows the value proposition. It uses creative techniques, linking the brand and customers across multiple channels.
- Measurement. It achieved or exceeded the planned goals, metrics, and outcomes. It showcases how organizations used their budget in a creative and effective way, with special consideration for budgets under $50,000.
We suggest including multiple pieces of content with your campaign. This will help us more accurately judge your campaign’s merits.
E Source will grant awards in the following categories:
- Affordability and energy equity
- Brand and sustainability
- Energy efficiency, demand response, and energy management
- Energy generation and renewable energy
- Internal communications
- Mobility and EVs
- Safety, emergencies, and outages
- Self-service
Why should you participate? You’ll get great exposure!
Winners can expect:
- Recognition during the awards ceremony at E Source Forum 2025—where first place winners will highlight the details from their winning campaign
- A special invitation to the E Source Fall 2025 Marketing and Communications Leadership Council
- A keepsake plaque to display in the office
- Brand promotion through an E Source press release, blog post, and social media announcements on LinkedIn
- A feature in E Source Energy AdVision for one year
Check out past Utility Ad Awards Contest winners 2024.
How can you submit your ad?
We’ve recently updated the Energy AdVision submission form to make it faster and easier to complete. Be sure to review the submission form carefully.
Before beginning your submission, gather information about the:
- Goal of the campaign
- Dates the campaign was active
- Target audiences and demographics you used to segment customers
- Campaign budget
- Channels this campaign appeared on
- Specific metrics you used to measure success for this campaign
- Numeric results of all the metrics you tracked
The form will also prompt you to summarize your campaign, outlining its objectives, problem-solving approach, measurable goals, and unique value proposition. You can compare the features and benefits to existing solutions or past initiatives.
Once you’re ready to submit, log into your E Source account and visit Energy AdVision to submit your campaign.
To create a campaign, click the Submit now button at the top of page. You’ll be prompted to either create a new campaign or edit one you previously created. You can submit multiple advertisements for a campaign. You can submit multiple campaigns to be considered to the awards.
Frequently asked questions
This competition is open to any utility located in the US (the “United States” or “U.S.”), the District of Columbia, or Canada. Advertising agencies or related organizations may submit on behalf of a client utility operating in the stipulated areas.
Ads that were created, produced, and published anytime from April 1, 2024, through July 1, 2025, are eligible for consideration.
E Source will issue all awards in the name of the utility, but agencies can apply on the utility’s behalf. If an agency applies, it will need to coordinate with the utility to send a utility representative to accept the award at E Source Forum 2025.
There’s no cost to participate.
Submissions open on April 7, 2025, and end on May 16, 2025. No late entries will be accepted.
You can submit multiple campaigns. You can submit multiple campaigns for consideration. You will need to feature unique information and ads for each campaign entry.
You can submit multiple ads for each campaign. We strongly encourage you include multiple pieces of content to support your campaign entry. There’s no limit to the number of ads you can submit for a campaign.
Utilities can submit a campaign that contains only one ad. But preference will be given to campaigns that contain multiple pieces of content, like a TV commercial, an email, and a social media post.
The ad awards judging panel is made up of an independent group of leading creative directors, graphic designers, art directors, and writers. Judges will review and score the entries based on ad:
- Idea. It clearly identifies a problem, defines goals with measurable outcomes, details product or service features and benefits, and has a distinct value proposition showcasing innovation or differentiation.
- Message. It clearly identifies the target audience and justifies customer interest. The tone is consistent and engaging. It clearly communicates a single call-to-action that complements the main idea.
- Creativity. It has a strong visual identity that aligns with the brand promise and shows the value proposition. It uses creative techniques, linking the brand and customers across multiple channels.
- Measurement. It achieved or exceeded the planned goals, metrics, and outcomes. It showcases how organizations used their budget in a creative and effective way, with special consideration for budgets under $50,000.
By participating in the E Source 2025 Utility Ad Awards (as defined below) or otherwise submitting any print advertisements, ad copy, photographs, artwork, videos, commercials, or other materials (“Content”) through its submission Website located at energyadvision.esource.com (the “Site”), you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement as follows. To participate, you must be a representative of an electric or gas utility located in the United States (the “United States” or “U.S.”), the District of Columbia, or Canada. Advertising agencies or related organizations may submit on behalf of a client utility.
License. You grant to E Source nonexclusive license (“License”) to reproduce, display, and distribute the Content, accompanied by a credit line naming your company, for research, reference, and ranking purposes in any manner, form, media, or technology now known or later developed. You further grant E Source the right to use information about your company that was provided on your entry form in connection with the Content. Such use will include, without limitation, use in the exhibition, display, or promotion of the Content and the Site. E Source will have no obligation to publish, use, or retain any Content you submit or to return any such Content to you, and E Source may remove any Content from the Site at any time under its sole discretion for any reason.
Copyright. E Source DOES NOT CLAIM OWNERSHIP OF THE CONTENT YOU SUBMIT TO THE SITE. YOU RETAIN ALL OWNERSHIP OF AND COPYRIGHT IN THE CONTENT, SUBJECT TO THE LICENSE YOU ARE GRANTING HEREUNDER.
Eligibility. This competition is open to any utility located in the United States (the “United States” or “U.S.”), the District of Columbia, or Canada. Advertising agencies or related organizations may submit on behalf of a client utility operating in the stipulated areas. Ads that were created, produced, and published anytime from April 1, 2024, through July 1, 2025, are eligible for consideration.
Judging. A team of independent judges selected by E Source will select the ad finalists based on ad effectiveness, ad objectives, message, visual design, and innovation. The winners will be posted on the E Source website. The decision of the judges is final.
Submission deadlines. The ad awards submissions begin April 7, 2025, and end on May 16, 2025. No late entries will be accepted.
Consumer discloser. NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY. The Content created by the finalists will be posted on the E Source website. A list of finalists can be obtained by contacting E Source after October 8, 2025. To enter the E Source Utility Ad Awards, go to the E Source website at www.esource.com, create an account and submit your files through entry form by visiting Utility Ad Awards. Contact us if you have questions or if you encounter any problems submitting your ad.
Obscene, pornographic, violent, libelous, disparaging, or otherwise offensive material will be disqualified. The enforcement and interpretation of this rule will be at the discretion of the judges.
There is no limit to the number of entries one company may submit, but each entry must have a separate entry form.
Awards. Winners will be notified by phone and/or email. All awards will be issued in the name of the utility.
E Source reserves the right to alter the awards at any time. E Source reserves the right to not complete the awards if the number of entrants is too small or if the quality of ad entries is inadequate.
You hold E Source harmless from any claims of any nature arising in connection with your entry. E Source is not responsible for lost, late, or unintelligible entries; lost connections; miscommunications; failed transmissions; or other technical difficulties or failures. By submitting the Content, you hereby release E Source from any liability whatsoever, and waive the right to make any claims against E Source arising out of or relating to the Content, including, but not limited to, claims of infringement, unfair competition, breach of implied contract, breach of confidentiality, and violation of the right of privacy or rights of publicity.
A copy of the rules and the application form can be obtained by writing E Source at E Source 2024 Utility Ad Awards, E Source, 3020 Carbon Place, Suite 300, Boulder, CO 80301.
Representations and warranties. You represent and warrant that (a) you are eligible to enter the Awards on behalf of your company; (b) the Content is original to you and that you are the owner of all rights, title, and interest in and to the Content and have the right to grant the rights stipulated herein or, alternatively, you have obtained all necessary rights and permissions to use and submit the Content in connection with the Awards and to provide all the rights specified in this Agreement; (c) the Content and the use thereof as contemplated herein does not and will not violate or infringe upon any law or regulation or the rights of any third party, including, without limitation, any intellectual property rights, rights of privacy, and rights of publicity; (d) all statements that you assert as fact are true and accurate; and (e) all Content shall fully comply with these Submission Terms. You acknowledge that it is your sole responsibility to obtain all permissions and releases necessary for the grant of the license contained in this Agreement.