The AMEC Communication Effectiveness Awards 2009
The objective of the AMEC Awards is to recognise and promote best practice in communications planning, research and evaluation.
"The AMEC awards are eagerly anticipated as they reward outstanding and innovative research. As the winner of 54 previous AMEC awards, Echo Research knows how much measurement and evaluation assists clients to plan and execute successful communications strategies, and a competitive awards programme helps to raise standards and drive our industry forward."
Now in its eighth year, the Awards programme offers a unique opportunity to showcase excellence in media evaluation to the global communication industry. The programme is open to practitioners across the PR and communication industry and AMEC members.
The Awards will be judged by an independent panel of communication professionals from academic, consultancy and in-house backgrounds.
"Winning AMEC's International Member's award has strengthened GlobalNews Group in the Latin American market as a leading media evaluation provider. It has also served to promote media evaluation in a developing market.”
The Final entry deadline is 8th July 2009. The shortlisted entries will be announced at the end of September 2009 and the Awards will be presented at the AMEC Communication Effectiveness Awards dinner on Wednesday 18th November 2009, venue to be anounced.
“With a wall crammed full of AMEC awards in our
“Is there a Doctor in the House - How to Breathe New Life into your Awards Entries”
Awards Webinar, Wednesday May 27 2009 at 3pm, BST
This webinar will give practical advice on what the judges look for in an Awards entry and give tips on how to improve the content and presentation and the classic mistakes to avoid.
Presenters:
- Katie Delahaye Paine, CEO, CEO KD Paine & Partners, a noted US practitioner and a highly experienced Awards Judge;
- Sandra Macleod, Chief Executive of AMEC Member Echo Research, the only company to win the prestigious Platinum Award three times
- Flora Hamilton, who has worked on the AMEC Communication Effectiveness Awards since 2005 and will share some of the feedback from last year's judges.
Webinar Chairman: Barry Leggetter, Executive Director, AMEC
The Webinar will cost £75.00 per member organization and includes unlimited access points to enable staff to access the webinar directly from their PC at any office location. Dial-in access can be via a local dial-in telephone number or VoIP.
To register, please book online here
The Awards Categories
The Judging Process and Awards Criteria
Rules of Entry
Entry Deadlines
Online Entry Form
The Awards Categories
Best Use of Communication Measurement: Public Sector
These awards recognise entries which demonstrate best practice in measurement of communication from print, broadcast and/or digital media either for a campaign or for ongoing activities.
Best Use of Communication Measurement: Not-for-Profit
These awards recognise entries which demonstrate best practice in measurement of communication from print, broadcast and/or digital media either for a campaign or for ongoing activities.
Best Use of Communication Measurement: Business-to-Business
These awards recognise entries which demonstrate best practice in measurement of communication from print, broadcast and/or digital media either for a campaign or for ongoing activities.
Best Use of Communication Measurement: Business-to-Consumer
These awards recognise entries which demonstrate best practice in measurement of communication from print, broadcast and/or digital media either for a campaign or for ongoing activities.
Best Use of Communication Measurement: International – Single-market Activity
These awards recognise entries which demonstrate best practice in measurement of communication from print, broadcast and/or digital media either for a campaign or for ongoing activities. (Please note that ‘International' is defined from the viewpoint of the client.)
Best Use of Communication Measurement: International – Multi-market Activity
These awards recognise entries which demonstrate best practice in measurement of communication from print, broadcast and/or digital media either for a campaign or for ongoing activities. (Please note that ‘International' is defined from the viewpoint of the client.)
Best Use of Integrated Communication Measurement/Research
This award recognises those entries which demonstrate best practice for combining communication measurement with another research technique, such as: consumer research; journalist research; attitudinal research; online research; or business measures (eg share price, sales) in order to give the client a more thorough and robust understanding of its position. These could be employed in a crisis management scenario, specific campaign, new launch, or as part of ongoing activity.
Best Use of Measurement for a Single Event
This award recognises those entries which demonstrate best practice in communication measurement of a single event. Events may be trade conferences, industry exhibitions, sporting events, elections, charity or similar events. This category is particularly suited for companies who provide quantified measurement of the results of media campaigns for specific events.
Best Use of Social Media Measurement
This award recognises those entries which demonstrate best practice in measurement of social media either for a campaign or ongoing activities. Social media encompasses all forms of media that is delivered using digital technology. The social media can be evaluated as part of a campaign integrated with traditional media but the entry should focus on the objectives, execution and results of the social evaluation element rather than the traditional media.
The Grand Prix Awards
Young Professional of the Year Award
This award recognises the excellent work of young professionals in all areas of communication measurement who make a valuable contribution to the companies that they work for by providing excellent client services and by developing and driving business. In addition, these individuals should show considerable promise as future leaders of the industry. This award is open to individuals who are under the age of 35 on 17 November 2009. Only open to AMEC members
Innovation Award
This award will be presented to the entry from all the categories which the judges felt provided the most creative and innovative solutions to the challenges faced by the communication measurement industry.
International Members' Award
This award will be presented to the entry which the judges felt was the most outstanding from all the entries received from an AMEC Member headquartered outside the UK. Please note that entries from UK operations of such members will not be considered for this award.
The Judges' Platinum Award
This award will be presented to the entry which the judges felt was the most outstanding from all of the entries.
Special Awards
The Chairman's Award
This award is given annually by the Chairman of the Awards to recognise outstanding contribution to AMEC and the communication measurement industry.
Student of the Year Award: New for 2009
2,000 word essay on “Why Communications Evaluation is Important During an Economic Downturn”. Submissions to be sent direct to: info@ameccollege.com Closing deadline for submissions: 15 July 2009. There is no charge to enter this award. All enquiries to: info@ameccollege.com Only open to registered AMEC College students
The Judging Process and Awards Criteria
Shortlisting and Awards Criteria
All Award categories, except for the Grand Prix and Special Awards will be short-listed in the first instance. The short-listing judges will be asked to select up to the best five entries from the submissions in each category which meet all of the entry criteria. These entries will then go through to the final round of judging.
At the final judging panel meeting, the judges will vote to select which entries will be given the gold, silver and bronze awards for each category. The Gold Award will be given to the best entry in the category, the Silver Award to the second best entry in the category and the Bronze Award to the third best entry in the category. Only a maximum of three entries will win awards in each category.
Judging Criteria
The judges will consider the following criteria when scoring all Award entries:
- Objective/Brief (10 out of 100 points)
- Outline and extent of the brief
- Strategy (20 out of 100 points)
- The approach and level of planning to meet the brief
- Execution/Implementation (30 out of 100 points)
- Appropriateness of the methods used
- Standards of research methods used
- Innovation and new approaches
- Clarity in the presentation of information to the client
- Conclusion (30 out of 100 points)
- Reliability of research results
- Impact of programme on target audiences
- Impact on business outcomes
- Recommendations reached
- Strength of the conclusions drawn
- Presentation (10 out of 100 points)
- Quality of entry writing
- Presentational style
- Response to the entry brief
Platinum Award
When considering which entry most deserves to win the Platinum Award the judges will also consider:
- Innovation
- Clarity
- Complexity
- Adding Value
- Moving the industry on
The Judging Panel
A member of the Judging Panel for the AMEC Communication Effectiveness Awards must:
- Hold a senior communication position in-house or senior director level in PR consultancy or hold a senior academic or industry position
- Have at least three years experience in managing communications measurement
- Be recommended by a full member of AMEC
- Be willing to sign and comply with strict codes of confidentiality
Rules of Entry
Who can enter?
The programme is open to practitioners across the PR and communication industry and AMEC members.
Submitting an Entry
Entries are limited to two per company per Award category.
All entries must be provided in the appropriate entry form template, which can be downloaded in word format from below:
Standard Category Entry Form Template
Young Professional of the Year Entry Form Template
All entries must be submitted online using the online entry registration system.
Eligibility
- The majority of the work carried out for each entry must have taken place in the period between 1 June 2008 and 31 May 2009.
- No entries will be accepted in paper format.
- Each entry must cover the four areas identified on the template form and must not exceed no more than two pages of A4 in a font size no smaller than 10 point.
- Each entry may be accompanied by supporting materials, which will typically include charts, graphs, etc but there must be no press cuttings. Supporting materials may be provided to illustrate and give examples for an entry and will be referred to by the judges for this purpose alone. Where supporting materials are not relevant and thus not provided, the entry will not be penalized in the judging process. It is advised that supporting materials are short and concise.
- Judges reserve the right to change the category in which an entry has been submitted should they feel that it would be more appropriate in another category.
| Fees for Each Entry |
Early Bird Entries: (by 26 June 2009) |
Late Entries: (by 8 July 2009) | ||
| Full Members | £90 | £120 | ||
| Associate Members | £110 | £140 | ||
| Individual Members | £120 | £150 | ||
| Non-members | £175 | £220 |
Entry Fee payment must be paid prior to the appropriate entry deadline by online credit card system.
Entry Deadlines
The entry deadlines for the 2009 programme are:
- 26th June 2009 – Early Bird Deadline
- 8th July 2009 – Final Deadline for Entries
Online Entry Registration
Disclaimer and publicity
AMEC reserves the right to publish details from award winners and shortlisted entries. Supporting materials may be supplied in confidence and the responsibility for advising AMEC of any confidentiality restraints imposed by clients shall lie with the company submitting the entry. AMEC shall not be held liable for any failure by the company or agency submitting the entry to supply such confidentiality details.
