Ahead of the 2017 ESA Excellence Awards ceremony, taking place on Wednesday 7th February 2018 at the Science Museum, London, we’ve been speaking to a few of the judges about the process and campaign entries.
Rob Taylor, Head of Brand Partnerships, CSM
Some disagreements (small doses), healthy debate (lots of) and coffee (even more of).
My inaugural experience of being an ESA judge has involved some disagreements (small doses), healthy debate (lots of) and coffee (even more of). Having written several award entries on behalf of brands and agencies, it’s been interesting to see things from the other side of the fence, and gain further insight into what goes into writing and submitting an award-winning entry.
Future award submission success…
The breadth of categories that we reviewed – spanning arts & culture, digital, hospitality, social media, talent, and rights holder – makes it difficult to pin-point specific trends/themes so, in keeping with the ‘rule of three’ when it comes to writing, here are my comments/observations/criteria that may help set you up for future award submission success…
1. Category, category, category
Category, category, category – make sure you choose the right one. Don’t try to be all things to all people (submitting the same entry to multiple categories doesn’t work) but identify the right and relevant category and focus your energy on creating a bespoke entry
2. Clearly state the business problem & brand challenge
Clearly state the business problem & brand challenge – sponsorship should be an answer to a business problem. Show where the business connection is (demonstrate an understanding of the rationale, outline the strategic approach, be clear on objectives and, crucially, what was actually delivered). One tip to help do this – write the beginning, write the end, then fill in the bit in the middle. And don’t forget to talk about the future and how the sponsorship will evolve beyond existing activity
3. Line & Length
Line & length – it’s Ashes season so think I can get away with a cricket analogy. Sounds simple but… answer the question and keep video submissions short & sweet (no judge wants to sit through a five minute campaign overview). And the more budget info you can provide, the better.
Admittedly not rocket science, but three things to keep in mind when penning your submissions to ESA Excellence Sponsorship Awards 2018!
Visit ESA Excellence Awards for further details on the European sponsorship industry awards.