First Published By: ADWEEK

The Clio Awards has moved its main ad awards program from the show’s usual slot in October to April 2021. In addition to making the change, which was announced today, the organization has also expanded the eligibility and entry windows.

The Clios’ eligibility window has been expanded to include work from January 2019 to February 2021, with the entry deadlines staggered from Sept. 18, 2020, to Feb. 5, 2021.

“Dealing with the challenges brought on by the coronavirus has been tough on us and the industry we serve,” said Clio Awards president Nicole Purcell. “We understand that everyone is having to make difficult decisions, and we wanted to be able to take something off their plate for right now. With this new schedule, we look forward to getting back to the business of bringing people together to celebrate creativity at a time that feels more appropriate.”

As the COVID-19 outbreak first began to affect planning for major events earlier this year, several were delayed to October or elsewhere in Q4. Cannes Lions, for example, had hoped to push its June event to a week in late October. However, as the pandemic worsened and companies began planning for a steep economic downturn, festival organizers instead canceled the 2020 event altogether and will reconvene in June 2021.

London International Awards, which also typically announces its winners in October or early November, announced recently that it has canceled all its awards programs for 2020.

D&AD and The One Show are continuing their awards in 2020 with remote judging, but their creative festivals have been canceled.

The Gerety Awards, launched in 2019 and juried entirely by women, still plans to announce winners in October, but judging will now be remote. The awards show has also banned any entries related to COVID-19, saying on its website that “the focus should be on winning the fight against the virus and not on awards recognition for it.”