With one week to go to enter the Bookmarks, the IAB offers some advice on how to deliver a winning entry. Pixels will be awarded at the event, to be held in Johannesburg in the Newtown Precinct.
1. If you don’t have a video, that’s ok: You won’t be penalised for not submitting an entry video. What we look for in your entry is the performance and the numbers, how you get that across, whether in a well-written word document, a presentation or through the magic of interpretive dance is your call. If you want to get fancy you can even do a personalised microsite, all you need to do is complete the online entry form and include the active links to complete your submission.
2. Your October 2014 results are valid: If your campaign ran between the October 2013 and September 2014 submission period, you are still able to submit results generated in October 2014.
3. You can enter multiple categories: Go ahead, do it! The more entries, the merrier. However, ensure that you’re entering the correct category or your amazing newsletter won’t get past the starting blocks in the mobisite category.
4. Let the numbers speak: The strength of your entry is based on the results you have to support it. Use every resource available to substantiate your claim and weave your results throughout your submission. You can include Google Analytics, Effective Measure and any other verifiable measurement tool to substantiate your entry. Remember to only include relevant numbers, how well your campaign performed globally is irrelevant if it was only targeted at stay-at-home moms in Kwazulu-Natal.
5. There are no limits to the word sections: Use this opportunity to position your entry in a clear and concise way. Not every judge is familiar with you or your work so avoid jargon and assumptions about the judges’ frame of reference, in fact assume they know nothing about your campaign. To put it in perspective, we have international judges from multiple fields in the industry, so they may have missed the news of your tweeting grandma.
6. Avoid the detail drama: While it’s important to position your entry clearly, avoid the urge to overwhelm the judges with too much detail. Remember your results tell the story, your motivation is only meant to offer context.
7. Students enter for free: If you’re a student and interested in your first taste of an industry awards, you can enter the Young Gun category as a ‘fictional’ entry.
8. If the shoe fits: Verify the category requirements and be sure that your entry fits the criteria. Don’t try to force fit your entry into a category which it won’t meet.
9. Make an impact: the IAB Bookmarks focusses strongly on ‘measurable impact,’ your entry needs to demonstrate how the campaign has affected change in the business or on society. Let your entry demonstrate the impact your campaign has had and again back it up with measured results. While return-on-investment (ROI); impact; cost per acquisition; churn and retention are valid ways to dazzle the judges, it should always answer the critical question: does your work solve a business problem?
10. Proofread: Give yourself enough time to proofread or even ask an objective third party to proofread your entry and don’t forget to spell check!
So now you’re ready to hit send on those award entries and be rewarded for your excellent contribution to South Africa’s digital industry.
Issued by the IAB.
For more information on how to enter, click here.
