Which award is for word-of-mouth?

There are a plethora of awards for marketing communication out there.

But which one is for ideas that generate positive word-of-mouth?

Marketing lore has it that Julius Caesar successfully repositioned himself when he was captured by pirates on his way to study oratory at Rhodes . The pirates had asked for what they thought was a reasonably handsome sum. Caesar doubled that amount in the message he sent Rome, and immediately increased his perceived value!

Later, instead of wearing a crown, he chose to wear the laurel wreath traditionally used for Olympians.

Both are examples of ways that brand value can be increased by more than paid promotions. Indeed, ideas in pricing, packaging, placement and all the P's of marketing can generate positive word-of-mouth.

So when it comes to an award for EARNED value...value created through what others say about you when you are not in the room ... what would be the appropriate symbol?

Laurel wreaths had been done to death.

Let me tell you the story of how SWARDS, came about.

A global club for story idea creators is the brainchild of Tanmay Patel of Raipur, India.

A MICAn student of mine, he invented a brand that allowed him to operate out of Raipur for the last five years. A design thinking agency that helps brands unfold their stories: unfolding.co.in

He wanted to create a community of brand story idea creators that would bring recognition for practitioners like himself, as a distinct profession.

So I wrote to people I know who know about my passion for word-of-mouth as the world's strongest medium. And soon the first governing council for what is now called the brandstorytree.club emerged.

Listed alphabetically above, they ranged from people who are now in the USA, Mauritius, and India.

But who would accept recognition from a bunch of South Asians, wherever they might live now?

So we wrote to brand-building professionals around the world, explained the idea of an award specifically for ideas that create brand stories, and they all agreed to be part of the first International Jury.

Instead of a laurel wreath the symbol for the award would be the proverbial Excalibur pulled out of stone.

Which is what brand story creators do.

Pull ideas out of seemingly nothing.

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But are awards the only thing that the BrandStoryTree.Club is about?

Not quite.

• You can become a member if one of your articles on brand story creation gets peer-reviewed and selected for an exclusive blog on the community site.
• You can become a member by running a workshop on brand story creation. Or by successfully participating in a workshop on offer.

If you want to know more about this club you can find out here.

But right now you can send in the ideas you were part of that generated positive word-of-mouth for your brand in 2021.

Or nominate ideas that are still in circulation in 2021 that you think should win the first SWARDS.

The last date for submission is now February 15, 2022. We've extended the date because we were told that "These awards are not for us. The Jury is too intimidating!"

But we'd like to prove that you don't need a large budget to win these awards.

The simplest ideas can generate word-of-mouth.

Of course, great video stories are welcome.

But like Julius Caesar, it could just be a pricing idea. Or a packaging one.

Any idea that gets talked about and gives a great return on investment is welcome.

And let us know if you would like to be part of the BrandStoryTree.Club .