32nd annual FCS Portfolio Awards

CALL FOR ENTRIES TO OPEN FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 2026

Deadline: Wednesday, February 18, 2026 (firm)

In our 32nd annual competition, the FCS is proud to continue to recognize the great and iconic financial services marketing and communications work created in our industry.

To honor the work from 2025, we invite both Financial Institutions and Financial Industry participants to enter Portfolio, where they will compete separately in three Groups: B2B, Consumer, and Corporate Image. A fourth Group, Employee Communications, is open exclusively to Financial Institutions.

• IMPORTANT NOTE: The finalists in the Employee Communications group will be celebrated at an Awards Reception on May 13, 2026 at the New York Yacht Club, and not at the May 7^th Portfolio Gala. (See details below.)

Within each Group, you can submit up to 3 entries of your best work in each category within the fields of Advertising, Branding, Collateral, Digital Media, Events, External Communications, Integrated Marketing, Media Strategy, Public Relations, Branded Content with Media Partner, and Employee Communications.

Gold, Silver and Bronze trophies will be awarded in each category under Corporate Image, B2B, Consumer, and Employee Communications. Best In Show trophies are awarded in each of those four groups. In addition, entries from across all categories, designated as either DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) or Corporate Social Responsibility, are eligible for a Best In Show award for either of those two distinctions.

The judging panel will honor their top overall favorite with our Judges’ Choice Award.

FCS Portfolio Award categories include:

• Advertising:
  • Audio Advertising
  • Digital Display
  • Out-Of-Home (Single Entry / Campaign)
  • Print (Single Entry / Campaign)
  • Paid Social
  • Influencer Marketing
  • Television (Linear/Streaming) (Single Entry / Campaign)
• Branding:
  • Logo
  • Visual Identity System
• External Communications:
  • Email
  • Podcasts
  • Organic Social
• Collateral (Annual Reports, Print or Digital Collateral)
• Public Relations
• Events:
  • Event Marketing
  • Sponsorship Marketing
• Media Strategy
• Digital Media:
  • Apps and Tools
  • Online Video
  • Websites
• Integrated Marketing
• Branded Content with Media Partner:
  • Articles & Infographics
  • Partnered Podcasts
  • Partnered Videos
  • Partnered Events
  • Integrated Partnered Campaigns
• Employee Communications: (Financial Institutions Only)
  • Employee Event
  • Employee Video
  • Internal Visual Identity
  • Integrated Internal Campaign
  • Recruiting Campaign

DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 18th. FIRM / NO EXTENSIONS

All entries are $395 each. $20 discount per entry for current Corporate Members.
(To confirm your company’s membership, email FCS Admin/Comms Coordinator Juliet McAlee at [email protected]. Your company logo should appear here: https://thefcs.org/corporate-members)

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Entry fees must be received on or before Friday, March 13, 2026, 3:00pm or entries will be disqualified.
• All entries must have been accessible to audiences in the U.S./Canada for the first time during calendar 2026.
• The FCS reserves the right to reclassify entries and will not notify entrants of changes.
• Duplicated or ineligible entries will be disqualified and entrants will not be notified; if you wish to verify the eligibility of an entry, contact Kevin Windorf prior to submission.
• Entry fees for disqualified entries will not be refunded.

All entries, submissions, payment and judging will be conducted online.

To enter, please go to our dedicated FCS Portfolio Awards site — which will go live on January 2, 2026. This is a new awards portal for the Portfolio competition, created with a new resource partner, Award Force. You must create a unique registration password for this website; it is not tied to the FCS website nor linked to your membership password. Any tech questions about the portal should be emailed to FCS Portfolio Coordinator Maggie DeCapua, [email protected].

Finalists will be notified by email beginning the week of March 16, confirming that they will be winning either Gold, Silver or Bronze. Finalist company names will be posted to this web page on or about March 16. Non-finalists will not be contacted.

The winners* of Gold, Silver, Bronze, Best in Show, and Judges’ Choice will be announced at the 32nd Annual FCS Portfolio Awards Gala on Thursday, May 7, 2026 at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City. You need not be present to win a trophy. Table reservations will open in March; however, Sponsorships are immediately available. Please contact Kevin Windorf.

*The finalists of the Employee Communications competition will be celebrated at a separate event. Up to 5 representatives from each winning company will be invited, for free, to attend an Awards cocktail reception on Wednesday, May 13 (4:30pm-6:30pm) at the New York Yacht Club. Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Best in Show trophies will be presented. Additional tickets will be available for purchase and sponsorships will be available. Event details will be posted in March.

For more information regarding any aspect of Portfolio, please contact this year’s committee co-chairs, Katy Brady and Katie Weber, or Kevin Windorf.