Gerety Awards, named after Frances Gerety, once again brings together a global jury that evaluates advertising work through a single key criterion, the originality of the idea and the creativity of its execution. The focus is not only on rewarding craft, but on recognizing campaigns that create a real connection with audiences and have a broader cultural impact.
In this context, the Humour category carries particular weight. Humour remains one of the most effective communication tools, but also one of the most demanding. When it works, it not only captures attention but also ensures long-term brand memorability, often more strongly than any other approach.
Votes from the Funny Women jury will be included in the decision-making alongside the global executive jury, with the shortlist set to be announced in early June. The festival’s co-founder Lucía Ongay points out that humour has played an important role among awarded works for years, and that its significance in contemporary advertising is once again clearly being confirmed. The partnership with Funny Women, she notes, brings an additional perspective and enables the expansion of selected campaigns’ influence towards new audiences.
Funny Women, a non-profit organization founded in 2002, through its programmes, events, and awards continuously works on empowering women and non-binary talent in comedy. Their work focuses on developing confidence, creativity, and authentic voices within the industry.
Founder and CEO Lynne Parker emphasizes that humour plays a central role in everyday life and culture, from media to politics, and that humour remains what audiences remember most easily and respond to most often.
This year’s jury is led by Lynne Parker, alongside members from various parts of the creative industry, including Monica Gaga, Robin Golinski, and Kirstin Miller. The lineup also includes Val Troy, Tracey Barr, Carly Smallman, as well as Rachel Creeger, Ali Jay, Harriet Minter, and Lauren Allpress.
At the same time, Funny Women is opening applications for the Glitter Challenge, a programme aimed at those entering the world of stand-up comedy, culminating in a performance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2026. The programme is part of a broader initiative focused on creating inclusive spaces for developing creativity through humour.
Gerety Awards once again brings together creatives from more than 50 countries, reinforcing its position as a global platform for evaluating creativity in advertising. Entries for the 2026 edition are open, and agencies and brands have the opportunity to present their work to an international jury and compete for positioning in relevant global rankings.
