How to Hook An Awards Judge
Being locked in a small room with five others to judge last year's CorpComms Awards released some unexpected insights which I had the presence of mind to capture. Today's the last day to get your entries in for 2017, so if you're struggling with that entry, I hope these thoughts help you make it a winner.
Assume the judges are ignorant: they may have no idea of your challenging trading history and may not even know what your business does. Weave the relevant details into your introduction, so the full extent of what you have achieved can be properly understood.
The written entry is king, even in categories assessing publications and videos. Judges individually score the written entries a few days before the group judging session, at which point supporting materials are seen. Sometimes the final decision comes down to verbal fisticuffs between two judges fighting for the entry that each thought best, so stack the deck in your favour with a fact-rich, considered and relevant entry that recruits a passionate champion.
Your most powerful weapons are the objectives…. Think back to when you were originally planning this activity: what arguments did you use to secure budget? What outcomes did the business need to see? Link your clear, concise and compelling objectives to the business context you lay out in your introduction.
…and the results: evidence of success is a pre-requisite to securing the award. The key word here is ‘evidence’ so be warned: a single supportive quote from your CEO is like your parent congratulating you on eating your greens; stating you gathered feedback but then failing to include the results will count for nothing. Do you have powerful, simple to understand metrics that demonstrate the shift in perception / increase in engagement / deeper understanding produced by your activity? If not, make sure these are agreed before you kick off your next campaign and include the results in next year’s entry.
Brand is at the heart of effective communication. Showing how the activity underpins the corporate brand essence strengthens your case, so spell the connection out for the judges.
Brazenly tackle the category criteria head on. For instance, if it says that entries will be judged on how well the annual report reflects the latest thinking in corporate reporting, make it easy for the judges to see that this is at the heart of the finished product: “Throughout the report we championed the principles of integrated reporting, illustrating the interconnectivity within our business to demonstrate how the Group creates its value. Some examples can be found on pages 3, 9, 23 and 142.”
Don’t submit exactly the same entry in multiple categories. Write it fresh each time, showcasing only the elements of the activity that best answer the criteria of that specific category. Repeatedly reviewing the same words makes the judges think a) you don’t understand ‘criteria’, and b) you’re lazy, neither of which will make them want to champion the entry.
Size doesn’t matter. While a huge international campaign has an inherent fascination factor, a small but perfectly executed campaign that demonstrates clear objectives, a fresh approach and relevant metrics of success can often win the day.