Generative AI
1 July 2026
Runway opens AI ad contest with $100K in prizes
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New-ZZZ desk
X @runwayml · 1 month ago
Contest Rules and Conditions:
Contest Overview
This is a competition for creators using the Runway neural network. You need to choose one of seven pre-written briefs and create a 30-second commercial based on it. There are no budget restrictions, client revisions, or censorship—just your imagination and your skill with the tool. You can participate either individually or as a team, submitting an unlimited number of entries until July 31.
Key Rules
- Technology: All videos must be generated exclusively in Runway. You must have an active subscription at the time of submission.
- Compliance with the Brief: The video must strictly adhere to the selected brief: it must feature the specified product and solve the assigned task.
- Duration: Strictly between 15 and 30 seconds. Violation of this rule will result in disqualification.
- Audio: You may use music, voiceovers, or sound effects—as long as you have the rights to use them (create your own, find free ones, or generate them).
- Originality: The entry must be new and created specifically for this contest (it must not have been published anywhere else before).
- Watermark: You must include the contest’s official logo (downloadable from the website).
- Team: Team size doesn’t matter—enter alone or with colleagues (the captain receives the prize).
- Ethics: Offensive, violent, or explicit content is prohibited. Be respectful and have fun.
Prizes
The total prize pool is distributed as follows:
- 1st place — $50,000
- 2nd place — $15,000
- 3rd place — $10,000
- 4th place — $5,000
- 5th place — $5,000
- 6th through 15th place — $1,000 each for every finalist.
Judging Criteria
- Idea (most important): how original, profound, and interesting it is.
- Technical Skill: how effectively you used Runway’s features to bring your concept to life.
- Impact: whether the video is memorable and leaves a lasting impression on the viewer.
- Fulfillment of the Brief: how accurately and completely your work answers the question posed in the assignment.
Why it matters
- —It shows how generative AI tools are being positioned for advertising and creative production.
- —The contest encourages creators to test AI-made concepts without normal client or production limits.
Key facts
- Runway announced a new edition of its Big Ad Contest for fictional products.
- The competition offers up to $100,000 in cash prizes.
- Creators can choose from seven briefs and have four weeks to submit work.
- The contest emphasizes imaginative ad concepts without client notes or producer restrictions.
The full text is in the original source. Here we provide a brief summary and key facts.