ADWEEK and AI ad platform Higgsfield are putting $85,000 in platform credits on the table for a month-long creative competition called Adathon. Teams have four weeks to produce a 30-to-60-second AI-assisted ad for a real brand of their choosing - no pitch deck required. Winners will be announced on stage at Brandweek 2026 in Atlanta, September 15-17.
The contest is open to agencies, in-house brand teams, or combined pods that mix client, agency, and production talent. Each team writes its own brief and submits a finished spot built with AI tools. The judging panel will be named in the coming weeks.
How the competition works
Adathon runs on a simple premise: stop pitching and start making. Teams get four weeks to concept, produce, and submit an AI-assisted advertisement. The final deliverable is a single 30-to-60-second video spot, not a strategy document or deck.
Entries must be built against the team's own brief for a real brand. The competition rewards execution - who can ship the sharpest finished ad using Generative Video tools within the Higgsfield platform.
The entry deadline is August 24, 2026, 11:59 PM ET. Official rules and the entry form are available on the Adathon site.
The prize pool
All prizes are paid in Higgsfield platform credits, plus a fully covered trip to Brandweek 2026 for each winning team:
- 1st place: $50,000 in credits, plus travel to Atlanta for up to three team members
- 2nd place: $25,000 in credits, plus Brandweek trip for up to three
- 3rd place: $10,000 in credits, plus Brandweek trip for up to three
The travel package includes economy airfare and hotel for up to four nights, pre-approved and reimbursed by Higgsfield within 30 days.
Why this matters for creatives
Adathon doesn't ask for a case study about what you might do. It asks for a finished spot you actually made. For AI for Creatives, that distinction matters - the competition structure rewards production speed and creative execution over deck-building. Teams that can move from brief to final video in four weeks using AI tools get a shot at substantial platform credits and a stage moment at one of the industry's high-profile events.
Your membership also unlocks:
