You’ve got to
stand for something.

The first student-to-industry award celebrating good work that does good work. Minerva students decide what makes the shortlist. Students nationwide decide what wins.

Minerva students launched the Backbone Awards in 2022 in response to a creative brief put out by The One Club as part of their Young Ones international creative competition. Watch their submission here. Today, the Backbone Awards stand as the nation’s only student-to-industry award and teaching resource focused on social responsibility (CSR) in advertising. Each year one Bronze Backbone (our highest honor) and one Aluminum Backbone are awarded.

Trophies are mailed to the winners, except when the agency is based in New York. In that case, Backbone Awards are hand-delivered by Minerva students in May.

Eligibility

The Backbone Awards recognize noteworthy advertising work that supports social responsibility efforts.

General Criteria

  • Entries must demonstrate meaningful work that puts a stake in the ground and takes real responsibility for social, cultural, or environmental issues.
  • The agency office responsible must be based in the United States.

Important Dates

  • January 15 – Shortlist of nominees announced and voting opens
  • March 1 – Voting closes
  • March 3 – Winners announced

Categories

Early on, the definition we were using for CSR was relatively loose. We accepted work from for-profit brands, nonprofits, NGOs, advocacy groups, and institutions without identifying their differences.

Starting in 2025, we make those distinctions clear. All work is judged through the same lens of creativity and impact, but for transparency and clarity, each entry is identified as falling into one of four categories:

Corporate (🅒)
Campaigns for for-profit companies that use their platforms, budgets, and influence to promote a positive societal impact.

Nonprofit (🅝)
Campaigns created for U.S.-based charities and foundations that use advertising to advance their organizational missions.

Advocacy (🅐)
Campaigns for advocacy groups and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) focused on global or policy-driven issues that mobilize large-scale cultural change.

Institutional (🅘)
Campaigns for universities, media outlets, cultural institutions, or hybrids that support education, culture, or public discourse.

 

Winners Archive

2025

Lean on Me – Droga5, New York 🅐

Bronze Backbone

Mark of Life – Mischief @ No Fixed Address 🅐

Aluminum Backbone

The rest of the shortlisted work:

Caption with Intention – FCB, Chicago 🅐

So Many Dicks – Oberland, New York 🅒

Real Beauty Redefined – Ogilvy, New York 🅒

 

2024

Coordown – Coordown – SMALL, New York

Bronze Backbone

The Banned Book Club – FCB, Chicago

Aluminum Backbone

The rest of the shortlisted work:

Unfinished Legacies – BarkleyOKRP, Kansas City

Working With Cancer – Publicis Groupe, New York

America Erased – Wieden + Kennedy, New York

The Shotline – MullenLowe, US

 

2023

Are You Pressworthy? – TBWA/Chiat/Day, New York

Bronze Backbone

Chillboards – DDB, Chicago

Aluminum Backbone

2022

The Lost Class – Leo Burnett, Chicago

Bronze Backbone

The Workshop – Mary Buzbee & Lauren Meadows

Aluminum Backbone

The Unseen Story – MullenLowe, New York

Aluminum Backbone