Are awards worth the price of entry?

Who doesn’t like awards? Ad agencies do. Almost a cert that any agency worth it’s salt will have a case full of the things in reception. It’s good for the client, too. A night out, and alongside the overpriced champagne, the recognition that you’ve been instrumental in creating an exciting piece of work. Do they build new business opportunities? Undoubtedly. I know of several cases where agencies have gone on to collect major new accounts not long after picking up significant trophies. The spotlight is on you – and not just as you weave through the packed tables of revellers – all of whom no doubt at all are swallowing down a bucket of envy – wishing it was them up there instead of you.

But it has to be the right awards. Publishers long ago discovered that awards are financially lucrative. As other revenue dried up, awards took centre stage. Every magazine or digital site now has its corresponding awards programme. There are even sites dedicated to helping you decide which is best for you – and agencies (like mine, I confess) ready to help you through the awards entry process. I’ve also judged a few in my time, too.

So what should you go for – and what should you avoid? Here are some simple rules to think about when you’re considering what to enter.

Do you have a Big Name client?

I’m not saying it’s impossible to win without one. I’ve seen some excellent small projects for little known clients pick up even quite major awards, but the tendency has got to be towards the bigger names who, lets face it, have the budgets to do the most exciting work.

Can you create a convincing case?

Essential. Any award entry has to tell a story. It has to be exciting, involving and gripping. It’s not just an award entry – it’s a novella, a short story – and it has to have them on the edge of their seats, wanting to know how the story turns out. You need to weave in lots of facts and figures. You need to show that this was a tough assignment, a brilliant piece of strategy, and a clever execution which achieved an ROI that went through the roof. If you can’t do any of that, don’t bother to put a finger to keyboard. But you’d be surprised how many entries to awards don’t have a single supporting hard fact or figure in them. If you can’t prove the campaign worked – and that means some real hard business facts about increased sales, improved ROI, or other forms of customer engagement, you’ll be wasting your money – and the judges’ time. And don’t worry about confidentiality. Any good award programme will respect that – and not publish the figures.

Can you win?

Be realistic. Is this the right entry for the right award? You could be spending quite a bit of money here. There’s not just the entry fee. You have to set aside time to write the damn thing. If you get through as a finalist there’s that table to be booked – or at the very least two places for you and the client. And if you’re outside London quite possibly a hotel for the night. If you don’t stand a fighting chance, don’t bother to write out that cheque. So take a long hard look at the previous winners. It’s not always an indication of what will and won’t catch the collective eyes of all those judges, but it’ll give you a better idea of your chances. If they are all big names and big projects your low budget effort for that driving school in Slough might struggle, but look for awards that have low budget categories. Plenty do recognise that low budgets mean you have to think harder and deeper – and are willing to put aside a category or two which recognise that fact. Do multiple entries, too. It does annoy many people that the same campaign can win a string of different categories – say, best use of data, best strategic campaign, best email campaign – but if you have a cracking entry which ticks the boxes, you’d be a fool not to make the very most of its potential.

If you can meet those criteria, have a go. And if at first you don’t succeed, do try again. Learn from what goes on to win. Make sure that if the entry requires ‘additional material’ that you have some – and put some effort into it. A little A4 sheet might be enough in some cases – and many awards give you an entry form to fill out – but if they don’t be prepared to put in some effort to show what you can do. Presentation is not everything, as I have said above, but it sure helps you to stand out – and gets you that bit closer to finding your agency name – and your client’s – inside that gold envelope come the big awards night. And that’s what it’s all about.

Nigel Lawrence