Hints & Tips

Extraordinary

One of the great things about the PRWeek Awards is that the number and quality of entries submitted have improved impressively over the years. Some are truly extraordinary in their impact and effect.
Yet, one of the frustrating things about judging the Awards is that some entries are not as good as they could be. Of course, there are always entries that are better than the rest - and they are acknowledged as such - but we are referring to the entries which don't do justice to themselves, or the projects to which they refer. This is when the evidence of success may be there or the right information may be accessible, but it just hasn't made its way into the final submission.
It is with this in mind that we've compiled the list of Hints & Tips below - to help ensure that if the work is good and has achieved success, it stands the best chance of being recognised.
These tips are designed to answer some of the questions you may have after reading the category descriptions on the Categories & Criteria page.
Some of this may strike you as obvious - it may even strike you as basic common sense - and much of it is. Even so, repetition won't cause any harm.
If any questions remain, please contact Alessandra (alessandra [dot] zorzatoprweekawards [dot] com or 020 8267 4161).
All that remains, is to wish you the very best of luck from all of the team at PRWeek and the PRWeek Awards.

Choose the right category
It sounds simple, but the sheer breadth, depth and versatility of the PR sector means that there is potential overlap between many of the categories in the Awards.
For instance, it is clear that a campaign based around broadcast fits into the Broadcast Innovation category; it can also form an element of a project entered into a bigger category, such as Marketing Communications Consumer. So, choose your category wisely.

Individualise the entry
Projects and entries can be appropriately entered into many different categories. Judges do look, however, for different attributes and successes in different categories. For instance, one of the most common mistakes in the Consultancy of the Year category is for an agency to simply resubmit all of the work it has submitted elsewhere in the Awards. Work produced is only part of the story: a successful entry in the Consultancy of the Year category should also demonstrate the agency's commitment to the PR sector, client retention and acquisition and training and development. Likewise, there can be overlap between the entries into different categories, but the judges of each category will be focusing on different aspects.

Use results
In all of the categories, judges look for evidence of commercial success and innovation. This can be demonstrated in a number of ways but simple facts and figures often tell the story best. It always helps to explain the basis of a successful Return On Investment for a campaign, project or business success story.

Independently verified results
Good results are impressive. Results which have been independently verified or produced by a recognised third party or measurement body are more so. The judges look for figures that have been measured, verified or audited by a third party such as an industry measurement tool or body. Qualitative feedback and responses are also important when applicable - so, if space permits, quotes from consumers, clients and partners can make the entry more compelling.

Context
The judges are experts in their field, but may not have intimate knowledge of the particular project or business that has been entered. It always helps to put an entry in the context of the wider business, marketing campaign or, even, specialist marketplace. It can help to think of each entry as a submission to a member of the board in a major blue chip company: they will have a grasp of what makes a successful business case, but not necessarily of the absolute minutiae of the international market for, say, purple widget manufacture.

Make full use of of marketing or business data
As digital work has increasingly had to prove its worth as a cost-effective and good ROI medium - and started to successfully do so - many of the key principles and measurements used in offline marketing and business (branding, profit, direct response etc. metrics) can be applied to online projects. If they have been, they should be mentioned in the entry.