ElevenLabs jingle contest: rights and conflicting entry rules

ElevenLabs offers $100,000 across 11 prizes for The Search, its short-ad competition. The top prize is $50,000. For independent musicians who also make videos, the entry decision includes the rights attached to the finished work.

The October 1 announcement, updated October 5, gives a November 1 deadline at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. It schedules the winner announcement for November 10.

What does the contest ask artists to make?

The updated announcement asks for a new 16:9 ad lasting 15 to 45 seconds. An original jingle made in ElevenCreative must be central to it. Entrants can use other tools, although judging considers their use of ElevenCreative.

The campaign FAQ, checked October 8, 2026, says no purchase is necessary, despite prominent subscription buttons. It describes a fictional-brand brief and says entrants keep ownership.

Which entry instructions disagree?

The blog asks for three public posts and says submissions opened October 5. The official rules, checked October 8, say two posts and October 1. Their platform lists also disagree about LinkedIn. The rules permit authorized agency client brands, unlike the campaign FAQ's fictional-brand-only answer.

These differences leave artists with avoidable uncertainty. Get clarification from the organizer before planning an entry around an exception. Save the applicable instructions with your project.

What use of your work does entry permit?

The rules retain entrant ownership but grant a permanent, irrevocable, worldwide license, with no royalties. ElevenLabs can edit entries and sublicense them for promotion of the contest, AI tools, and its services.

The promotional rights cover losing entries too, without further payment or approval. Credit is conditional on practicality. The rules also restrict negative public statements about the company or competition. These are published contract provisions, not court findings about enforceability.

Impact on users

Our analysis: A chance at a prize is different from a paid commission. Budget the production time and any optional tool costs without assuming a win. Decide whether the promotional permission fits the value of your song, images, and performance.

Agree on collaborator pay, credit, and permission before the public upload. Our music video collaborator guide explains how to record those decisions. Keep a copy of the finished video and its editable sources.

What needs a final check before entry?

The rules contain age, country, and other eligibility exclusions. This article is not a complete entry checklist. We reviewed public pages on October 8, 2026, but did not enter, contact the organizer, or resolve the conflicting instructions.

The campaign's ownership statement also does not settle copyright protection for generated music. Our human-authorship guide explains that separate question.