Whether through podcasting, radio promotions or soundscapes built into experiences, this category honors the campaign whose use of audio to promote a brand, product, service or event contributed to overall business objectives. Judges will consider innovation, creativity, execution and results.

Email marketing remains a tried-and-true channel for reaching consumers through promotional messages. But you’ve got to cut through the clutter first to drive those open rates and subsequent conversions. This category honors the email promotion that did just that. Judges will look at creativity, innovation and results.

Honors the rebrand campaign that harnessed creativity and strategic thinking to reintroduce a company to audiences old and new—while also delivering measurable results. Judges will look at the rebrand’s strategic marketing goals and purpose, innovation, market differentiation and KPIs met.

Consumers increasingly purchase goods and services after mining for reviews and recommendations on social media. Now, the technology exists to complete conversions on the platforms themselves. This category honors the promotional campaign that best used social commerce tactics to drive conversions and results.

It’s been around for some time, but AI-based marketing campaigns have exploded onto the scene ever since ChatGPT launched in November. This category highlights the creative use of artificial intelligence technology—from chatbots to generative AI search engines—to deliver on campaign objectives. Programs will be judged on innovation, execution and measurable results. 

Honors the campaign whose “viral” status across social media channels was anything but an accident. Judges will look for clearcut strategic vision designed to achieve that virality, as well as the innovation, creativity, execution, KPIs and results of the campaign. 

Awarded to the best business-to-business campaign to generate prospects, leads, sales or customer retention. Judges will consider creativity, execution, relevance to the vertical market targeted and measurable results.

Awarded to the campaign most effective in gaining measurable market awareness for a brand, service, product or event including re-launches, repositions and new introductions.

Awarded to a campaign produced by a new brand (less than five years old) that made waves in its industry category through an innovative launch campaign via any medium or channel. Judges will consider how the campaign’s strategy delivered by disrupting the marketplace and achieving objectives.

Awarded to the campaign that generated measurable buzz across traditional and/or social media and disrupted the status quo in a brand’s space through p.r. impressions and/or measurable viral impact. Judges will consider how new ideas performed against the marketing objectives the brand had for the campaign or promotion.

Awarded to the campaign that achieves all stated objectives while adhering to a budget under $250,000. Judges will consider innovation, creativity, execution and results.

Awarded to the most impactful and compelling campaign that is tied to charitable objectives, including campaigns that support nonprofit organizations, events or corporate outreach. Initiatives can include pro bono, cause-related, social good, CSR, sustainability efforts or corporate donations. Judges will consider how the brand amplified the cause, and how the brand benefited from the effort in measurable ways.

Did you partner with another brand or company in 2021 and create marketing magic in the process? This category recognizes all those “X” campaigns that best conveyed to consumers and customers the added value of a permanent or temporary partnership. Judges will consider how the partnership was communicated through creative design, engagement, copy and messaging across all channels, and how the campaign delivered against KPIs.

Awarded to the campaign that most effectively promotes food and/or beverage products through the use of digital or real-world engagements. Includes on-premise activations, sampling, mailings, influencer experiences, and online or social media-based strategies. Judges will consider how marketers overcame logistical challenges to deliver compelling and memorable engagements, and how the campaign delivered against marketing goals.

This category awards the direct mail campaign that most effectively leveraged copy, design, message and effective audience targeting to deliver (literally!) a promotional message that inspired awareness and action by its recipients. Judges will consider creativity, concept and impact on KPIs.

Awarded to the campaign that most successfully targets, acknowledges, celebrates, promotes or champions diversity, diverse groups or diversity-forward causes or organizations. Campaigns will be judged on creativity, execution, market relevance, message and measurable results.

Awarded to the brand or campaign that best exemplifies a successful pivot from using traditional commerce solutions to drive customer conversion to establishing new ecommerce solutions. Judges will be looking for measurable results that illustrate the initiative’s success. 

Awarded to the campaign that best promotes or leverages an entertainment brand or franchise to market a product or service. Judges will consider creativity, execution and relevance to both the entertainment and product brand, as well as measurable results.

Awarded to the campaign that most creatively and successfully targets gaming and/or esports audiences via any marketing channels. Campaigns will be judged on innovation, execution and measurable results.

Awarded to the campaign that most creatively and successfully targets a specific generation of consumers or customers (Millennials, Gen-Z, Boomers, etc.) via any, or multiple, marketing channels. Campaigns will be judged on innovation, execution and measurable results.

Awarded to the campaign that best incorporates a health- and wellness-focused component into its strategy, execution and messaging, via any marketing channels, including virtual events, apps and in-person experiences. Attention will be paid to creativity, innovation and measurable results.

Awarded to entries that use campaign marketing to focus on a particular holiday or season (i.e. Valentine’s Day, Earth Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Summer, Winter, Spring, Fall, Women’s History Month, Pride Month, back-to-school, etc.) to drive sales. Judges are looking for a strategic and innovative use of creative, messaging and execution.

Awarded to the campaign best utilizing more than one marketing discipline to create a seamless consumer or customer engagement strategy that showcases outstanding creativity, consistency of message and achievement of objectives. This campaign should illustrate how an integrated approach creates impactful touchpoints and moves target audiences on a journey to action.

This category honors the best campaign targeting one or more facets of LGBTQIA+ audiences across any channel. Judges will be looking for outstanding marketing programs that engaged target audiences effectively and authentically, leveraged creative solutions to meet business objectives and demonstrated measurable results.

This award recognizes campaigns executed on a local or regional level with the intent of reaching consumers in a specific geographic area. Creativity and measurable results will be considered.

Awarded to the best use of loyalty marketing to motivate consumers to take action and/or encourage repeat purchases, including using discounts, points, rewards, coupons, premiums, membership programs, clubs and other incentives.

2021 was the year when metaverse experiences became a virtual reality. Brands have begun to create compelling, virtual worlds in which to engage consumers using cutting-edge Web3 environments. If your brand is at the forefront of this revolution, this is the category for you. Judges will consider creativity, user experience, innovation, strategic business goals, ROI and KPIs.

This award recognizes the marketing concept and execution that effectively launched a new product or service via any medium or channel. Measurable results, creativity, moxie and overall launch strategy will be considered.

This category recognizes the creative use of digital and traditional out-of-home platforms to engage consumers along their path to purchase. Judges will consider the use of OOH as part of the integrated campaign, innovative uses of unconventional platforms and venues, technology integration and smart strategic planning informed by data.

Awarded to the campaign that best leveraged package design to promote a program’s marketing goals. Creativity, innovation, materials, technology integration and messaging will be considered. Judges will be looking for a strong story that maps the design to real-world action and ROI.

Showcase that beautiful box filled with surprise and delight moments in this category dedicated exclusively to the best press “kit” of 2021. The kit should be a central piece of the marketing strategy and should have been either mailed or delivered to target audiences at home or distributed at an in-person event. Judges will look for a great kit filled with interesting and on-brand elements, and for proof of how those elements enhanced a virtual, digital or IRL experience or engagement.

Awarded to the campaign that best leverages the strengths of a retail marketing initiative. The program can be executed by the brand or co-branded with other brands or a retailer. This category accepts both brick-and-mortar and online retail promotions.

Awarded to the program that effectively introduced or promoted a product or service by means of sampling or trial. Sampling and trial can include in-store, in-pack/on-pack, event sampling and direct mail. Program should demonstrate in its results an effective trial/conversion rate.

Awarded to targeted, measurable social media campaigns that leverage one or several social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, as examples), to drive brand awareness and/or sales. Judges will consider the creativity of the concept, the effective use of the medium, the viral reach of the campaign and the performance against KPIs.

Awarded to the campaign that best leverages a sports brand or franchise to market a product or service. Judges will consider creativity, execution, relevance to both the sport/sport franchise and product brand and measurable results.

Awarded to the campaign that best incorporates sustainability as a central piece of its strategy, execution and messaging. Attention will be paid to creativity, innovation, measurable marketing results and measurable impact against sustainability KPIs.

This category highlights the best use of an app to support—or star in—an outstanding marketing campaign. Whether a pivot from in-person experiences to digital, a loyalty program that enables data capture or a new gamified experience, this category is a chance to spotlight your digital marketing chops. Judges will consider design, user experience, ROI achieved and KPIs.

Given to the campaign that shows the most strategic use of AI, VR or AR to attract, retain or engage consumers. Judges will consider use, creativity, execution and results.

Awarded to the campaign that shows the most creative and strategic use of content marketing. Judges will consider how marketers created and/or curated and promoted content to attract and retain customers, create brand awareness loyalty, and drive ROI for the overall marketing strategy. 

This campaign really caused a ruckus. It stood out from the competition like a cat in a dog park to prevent competitors. Judges will be looking for a little risk or lots of courage. Judges will be looking for outstanding concepts, pivots and executions that took risks—and courage.

Awarded to the campaign best utilizing creativity in producing a live event or face-to-face customer experience to enhance the strategic position or sales of a product, brand or service. Judges will consider strategy, target market and audience relevance, execution and measurable results.

Awarded to the campaign that best promotes a product or service through the use of gamification, contests or sweepstakes. This tactic can be part of a broader integrated campaign, but the impact of the gamification, contest or sweepstakes should be clear.

Awarded to the campaign that successfully identified influencers who have sway over potential buyers and then leveraged the influencers’ reach in unique and compelling ways to reach marketing objectives. Judges will consider creativity, alignment with marketing goals and overall impact of campaign.

Awarded to the campaign that most effectively deployed pre-, during- and post-retail touchpoints that led to a successful outcome. This entry should outline what shopper data led to the marketing tactics employed and then illustrate how the communications strategy led to the desired KPIs.

Compelling video content continues to light up the industry as screen time further dominates the user experience and enhances marketing campaigns in this post-pandemic era. The category recognizes the best use of produced or user-generated video to propel a campaign, generate viral impact or drive impressions. Judges will consider the creativity of the video and how well the video strategy generated awareness for the brand.

Awarded to the best campaign that delivers a marketing experience by using a vehicle at the heart of the program. Judges will consider the strategy, brand/market relevance, vehicle design, execution and measurable results.

For B2C and B2B marketers—this is your chance to get recognized for the virtual conference, website or online experience that powered your marketing objectives in 2021. Judges will consider the use of virtual engagement tactics, content programming and delivery, site design, user experience and overall alignment with marketing objectives.