Judging Procedures
JUDGING PROCEDURE
The GALAXY Awards are sponsored by MerComm, Inc. an independent organization founded with the exclusive purpose of evaluating, measuring and recognizing the standards of excellence. As such, entrants are assured that their work is judged objectively and fairly. The GALAXY program is the only competition that is judged by peers in the profession rather than by editors and advertisers. Further, the GALAXY Awards Competition is unique in that each entry is judged against itself, to the degree that the individual entry achieves its intended purpose. Entries from large or small organizations have an equal playing field at winning. Judging is based not on budget, but on the values of creativity, effectiveness, performance and success, as symbolized by the GALAXY Awards.
Each entry is evaluated three separate times during the preliminary rounds. The three sets of scores are then averaged into a single score for individual entry. A certain minimum score must be achieved to qualify for an award. Awards are given to the top third of the entries. Only one Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Honors Award will be given in each classification; however, if no entry scores high enough, no award will be given.
All Gold Award Winners become candidates for the Grand Awards. In addition, one BEST OF SHOW Award will be presented to the one entry that best exemplifies the spirit of the GALAXY Awards.
Judges
The International Academy of Communications Arts and Sciences (IACAS) was founded by MerComm to set high standards for various communication specialties and to give professionals in the fields higher status by establishing the definition of excellence. Membership in the Academy is considered an international Who’s Who in the communication industry.
The International Academy of Communications Arts and Sciences recognizes the art of communications in a global economy and the science of the new technologies which enable the worldwide exchange of ideas and information. Members of the judging faculty will evaluate the entries based on the standards of international excellence through the measures of creativity and craft.
| 33 Visual – MEXICO A. Plus Financial Press Limited – HONG KONG SAR Aimclear – USA AIR – USA Ananda Jaguda – SRI LANKA ANTA Sports Products Ltd. – HONG KONG SAR Avila Creative, Inc. – USA Bank of China – HONG KONG SAR Beijing Pengtu Culture & Art Communication Co., Ltd. – PRC BGA Publishing – USA Burgess Strategic Marketing Services – USA By J Design Group – SOUTH KOREA California Water Services Group – USA Catalyst Media Factory – USA China Communications Services Corporation Limited – HONG KONG SAR China Unicom – HONG KONG SAR COPE Content Performance Group GmbH – AUSTRIA Cre8 (Greater China) Limited – HONG KONG SAR Curran & Connors, Inc. – USA Daniel Kennedy Communications Services – USA Design Kommune – GERMANY DNA KOMUNIKA – INDONESIA EDICO Financial Press Services Ltd. – HONG KONG SAR Elegance Financial Communications Limited – HONG KONG SAR Emagewise (Pvt) Ltd – SRI LANKA Equity Financial Press Ltd. – HONG KONG SAR Fanda – UAE Fast Retailing Co., Limited – JAPAN FGI Design – USA Finar Kurumsal – TÜRKIYE Full Funnel Growth – USA Genesis Energy – NEW ZEALAND GenNex Financial Press Limited – HONG KONG SAR |
Granato Creative Group – USA Great Thinks GmbH – GERMANY HeterMedia Services Ltd. – HONG KONG SAR HNB Assurance – SRI LANKA Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd. – HONG KONG SAR Hong Kong Metropolitan University – HONG KONG SAR Hong Kong Police Force – HONG KONG SAR Hong Kong Tourism Board – HONG KONG SAR Hyphen Group – SOUTH KOREA Inbrax – CHILE Insight Creative – NEW ZEALAND iONE Financial Press Limited – HONG KONG SAR Jessica Qian – USA Jungheinrich – GERMANY Kanro Inc. – JAPAN Kerry Properties – HONG KONG SAR Killing Mario – SOUTH KOREA KMW – GERMANY KPR – SOUTH KOREA Kreatif Fabrika – TÜRKIYE Lin Young – MALAYSIA Lorraine Gregory Communications – USA M-1 Studios – USA M&M Consulting Ltd. – HONG KONG SAR Mark Joseph Photography – USA Media Genesis – USA MetaFusion Pte. Ltd. – SINGAPORE Milenio 3 – MEXICO Miracle Digital Transformation Agency Limited – HONG KONG SAR Mitragrafia (PT Mitra Gagasemha Kreasi) – INDONESIA MM Partners – SOUTH KOREA Nakama Media Publishing – GERMANY Nancy Burgess Strategic Marketing, Inc. – USA |
National and University Library – SLOVENIA Ngong Ping 360 – HONG KONG SAR Nova Fusion – MALAYSIA NZ Post – NEW ZEALAND Oakland Schools MI – USA Orange Financial Printing Limited – HONG KONG SAR Palguin Consulting – USA PepperClub – GERMANY Petronas Chemicals Group Berhad – MALAYSIA Quaker Houghton – USA RBK Advertising & Design – USA REF Financial Press Limited – HONG KONG SAR RE:think – MALAYSIA Sakaguchi Corp. – JAPAN Sequel – USA Shian Inc. – JAPAN SiliconPlus Communications Pte Ltd – SINGAPORE Six Group Services AG – SWITZERLAND Smart Media – SRI LANKA Stan Gellman Graphic Design Inc. – USA Studio 210, LLC – USA Suvie – USA Sydinvest – DENMARK Symrise – GERMANY Tayburn – TÜRKIYE Territory – GERMANY The Hong Kong Society for the Aged – HONG KONG SAR Tom, Dick & Harry Creative – USA TOPPAN Nexus Limited – HONG KONG SAR Ulled Asociados – SPAIN United Therapeutics – USA Virtus Asia – HONG KONG SAR Wynk Design, Inc. – USA XD_Networks – MEXICO Yellow Creative (HK) Limited – HONG KONG SAR Zeev Zamir – USA |
2026 GALAXY FACULTY OF DISTINGUISHED JUDGES
| 33 VISUAL Mexico Rafael Monroy – Project Director AIR Naperville, IL Lese Rowe – Senior Graphic Design AVILA CREATIVE Chicago, IL John Avila – Principal BGA PUBLISHING Brightwaters, NY Beau Gardner – President BANK OF CHINA (HONG KONG) HONG KONG SAR PRC Angel Yip – Deputy General Manager BURGESS STRATEGIC MARKETING SERVICES Troy, MI Sandra J. Burgess – Owner CATALYST MEDIA FACTORY Detroit, MI Laura Oliveto – Special Projects CHINA UNICOM (HONG KONG) LIMITED Hong Kong SAR PRC Michelle Lam – Senior Manager Enrica Lee – Assistant Company Secretary CRE8 (GREATER CHINA) LIMITED Hong Kong SAR PRC Jefferson Chiu – Creative Director Sumer Ko – Art Director Iris Lam – Senior Art Director Davy Li – Managing Director |
EDICO FINANCIAL PRESS SERVICES LIMITED Hong Kong SAR PAC Amy Donati – Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer Queenie Shek – Director Creative & Graphics Department Ricky Tse – Director Print Bind/ Logistics Department FULL FUNNEL GROWTH Macomb Township, MI Jesse Younce – Head of Creative HETERMEDIA SERVICES LIMITED Hong Kong SAR PRC Charles Ho – Design Manager Amy Lee – Business Development Manager Orling Or – Business Development Director HYPHEN GROUP Seoul, South Korea Jeon KyoungJoo – CEO & Chief Director Kim Young-il – Senior Director INBRAX Santiago, CHILE Cristian Chavez – Creative Director Mariana Quintana – Creative Supervisor INDEPENDENT Colombo, SRI LANKA Ananda Jagoda – Experienced Creative Director, Author Professional Photography Book |
INDEPENDENT Los Angeles, CA Jessica Qian – Art Director REF FINANCIAL PRESS LIMITED Hong Kong SAR PRC Shing Chan – Creative Director Alex Choi – Creative Director Calvin Chow – Associate Art Director STAN GELLMAN GRAPHIC DESIGN St. Louis, MO Claire Taussig – Designer Teresa Thompson – President Brian Wakeland – Senior Designer STUDIO 210, LLC Norwalk, CT Karen Krieger – CCO, Managing Member Cheng Long – Associate Juan Wen – Bookkeeper TOPPAN NEXUS LIMITED Hong Kong SAR PRC Toni Chan – Art Director Derek Ma – Creative Director Iris Wong – Creative Director YELLOW CREATIVE (HK) LIMITED Hong Kong SAR PRC Wong Chun Hong – Executive Creative Director Ellen Zee – Managing Partner |