RETAIL

This category recognises campaigns that drive effective customer conversions and/or actions across the retail sector. The judges will be looking for work that demonstrates:

• Strategic thinking and understanding of a brand’s business needs;
• Originality, innovation and approach in the planning phases of the campaign; 
• Solid execution and effectiveness in delivering results for the brand.

GAMING AND ESPORTS

This category recognises campaigns that drive effective customer conversions and/or actions across gaming and esports. The judges will be looking for work that demonstrates:

Strategic thinking and understanding of a brand’s business needs;

• Originality, innovation and approach in the planning phases of the campaign; 
• Solid execution and effectiveness in delivering results for the brand.

B2B

This category recognises campaigns that drive effective customer conversions and/or actions across the B2B marketing sector. The judges will be looking for work that demonstrates:

Strategic thinking and understanding of a brand’s business needs;

• Originality, innovation and approach in the planning phases of the campaign; 
• Solid execution and effectiveness in delivering results for the brand.

DATA AND INSIGHTS

This category recognises a campaign that has met a brand or client’s marketing objectives by delivering a successful strategy that was led by data and insights. Judges will be looking for entries that clearly explain the strategy’s objectives, how it was influenced or developed through insights and that can quantify the value of the data-led strategy to the business or client along with any other results and effectiveness measures of success.

DIRECT TO CONSUMER

This category recognises a campaign that drives effective customer conversions and/or actions. Judges will be looking for entries that demonstrate how the campaign or work was planned and delivered, as well as describing any technologies that made a difference to the consumer experience and conversion. Entries must also make clear the campaign’s objectives and the results achieved.

GROWTH MARKETING

This category recognises a campaign that has met a brand or client’s marketing objectives by delivering a successful growth marketing strategy. Judges will be looking for entries that clearly explain the strategy’s objectives, audience acquisition, engagement and retention targets, and quantify the value of the growth marketing strategy to the business or client, along with any other results and effectiveness measures of success. 

INTEGRATED

This category recognises a campaign that has met a brand or client’s objectives by delivering a marketing strategy across multiple channels. Judges will be looking for entries with evidence of campaign activity across a minimum of three channels and explain the strategy’s objectives, audience and targets. Entries should also quantify the value of the integrated marketing strategy to the business and how the channels worked together, along with any other results and effectiveness measures of success.

LEAD GENERATION

This category recognises a campaign that has met a brand or client’s marketing objectives by delivering a successful high-quality leads strategy. Judges will be looking for entries that clearly explain the objectives, target audience, budget allocation, ROI, platform utilised, content or offer, and quantify the value of leads to the business or client, along with any other results and effectiveness measures of success.

MARKETING INNOVATION

This category recognises a campaign that has met a brand or client’s marketing objective by out-of-the-box thinking. Judges will be looking for entries that explain why the strategy was chosen, why it is creative or innovative, its objectives and the impact it had on the overall performance.

PAID SEARCH

This category recognises a campaign that has met a brand or client’s marketing objectives by delivering a successful bidding strategy. Judges will be looking for entries that explain the strategy’s objectives, ROI, budget allocation, platform utilised, target audience, and quantify the value of the campaign to the business or client with results and effectiveness measures of success.

PAID SOCIAL

This category recognises a campaign that has met a brand or client’s marketing objectives by delivering a successful paid social media strategy. Judges will be looking for entries that clearly explain the strategy’s objectives, ROI, platform utilised, target audience, budget allocation and quantify the value of the social strategy to the business or client, along with any other results and effectiveness measures of success.

PROGRAMMATIC & NATIVE ADVERTISING

This category recognises a campaign that has met a brand or client’s marketing objectives by delivering a successful ad buying or paid content marketing strategy. Judges will be looking for entries that clearly explain the strategy’s objectives, target audience, inventory used, and quantify the value of the programmatic ad strategy to the business or client, along with any other results and effectiveness measures of success.

PURPOSE

This category recognises a campaign that raised awareness or positive sentiment towards a cause or issue, and / or helped shift culture, change behaviour or drive actions. Judges will be looking for entries that have identified a specific audience need and created a piece of work that improves social, environmental and economic outcomes through the use of performance marketing techniques and / or technology.

ECOMMERCE & SOCIAL COMMERCE

This category recognises a campaign that has met a brand or client’s marketing objectives by delivering a successful retail, e-commerce, mobile commerce or social commerce strategy. Judges will be looking for entries that explain clearly the strategy’s objectives, audience and sales targets, and quantify the value of the commerce strategy to the business or client, along with any other results and effectiveness measures of success.

AD TECH INNOVATION

This category celebrates the new, pioneering and disruptive technologies that deliver better results and experiences for brands, clients and consumers. Judges will be looking for tech and platforms that have identified a specific market need, improved overall experience, improved campaign delivery or product offering with effective performance marketing campaigns. Entries need to clearly explain the new technology benefits, differentiation in the market and improved results against client, consumer or agency objectives. 

SEO

This category celebrates SEO best practice. Judges will look for entries that demonstrate an effective and creative SEO strategy and implementation for long or short term goals. Entries must clearly describe the SEO objectives, approach, tactics and results for the company or client.

INFLUENCER MARKETING

This category celebrates the value and growing power of influencer marketing in performance marketing. Judges will look for entries that have shown true audience insight in their influencer marketing campaign strategy, and a clear alignment between influencers and channels chosen for overall brand identity to deliver actionable results for clients or brands. Entries should include overall campaign goals, cost per conversion targets and results, including enquiries, new customer acquisition as leads or direct transitions.

MOBILE & APP MARKETING

This category recognises a campaign that has met a client or brand’s marketing objectives by delivering a mobile or mobile app marketing strategy that has convincingly hit measurements and/or app optimisation targets. Judges will be looking for entries that clearly explain the objectives, audience engagement or download targets, along with any other effectiveness results.

WEB3 INNOVATION

This category recognises an initiative that enhances marketing objectives by utilising Web3 media, including VR, AR, NFTs and blockchain. Judges will be looking for entries that clearly explain the initiative’s objectives and audiences, and quantify the value of the Web3 initiative to the industry, company, agency or client. Entries are welcome from brands, agencies or tech providers.

EMAIL MARKETING

This category recognises an email marketing campaign that has met a brand or client’s objectives by delivering an audience-driven campaign that secured results against measurable KPIs. Judges will look for entries that have shown planning and execution to mirror the client’s goals and desired outcomes, with a targeted approach that clearly demonstrates the value of email marketing as a performance marketing discipline. B2C, D2C and B2B campaigns all qualify for this category. 

PARTNER & AFFILIATE MARKETING

This category recognises a campaign that successfully delivers new audiences, leads, revenue or brand awareness. Judges will be looking for entries that clearly explain the objectives, target audience, channels, partners and platforms chosen. In your entry, please quantify the partnership or affiliate marketing strategy to the business or client along with any other results and effectiveness measures of success.

PERFORMANCE PIONEER

This award will celebrate the talented individuals that are leading the charge and creating great performance marketing campaigns, using smart technology and techniques, that delight and engage customers and drive effective conversions for measurable business growth. Entries are welcome from brands, agencies and tech partners.

SKILL INNOVATION

This category recognises an organisation that is focused on the skills development of its teams and ensures best-in-class learning and development, empowering their marketers to become performance marketing experts with continuous opportunities to enhance their skills and progress. Judges will be looking for both investment and proven results in staff performance marketing skills development, with clear demonstrations of where learning and development has shown benefits to the organisation, clients and most importantly, the individuals and teams they are developing. Entries are welcome from brands, agencies and tech providers.

ETHICAL/SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVE

This category recognises a team, initiative or technology platform that helped enhance transparency, accountability or sustainability in the performance marketing industry. Judges will be looking for entries that clearly demonstrate how the initiative had a measurable impact on helping the company, client or marketing supply chain meet higher ethical or environmental standards. Entries are welcome from brands, agencies or tech providers.

TEAM OF THE YEAR

This category will focus on a team in a business or agency deploying fresh approaches to targeting relevant audiences, customer conversion and retention. Teams will be judged on specific campaign performances or a body of work. Entries should demonstrate conversions achieved or customer actions delivered which have had a measurable impact on their brand or customers’ businesses. Entries are welcome from brands, agencies or tech providers.

PERFORMANCE MARKETING AGENCY OF THE YEAR

This award celebrates the very best performance marketing agency who has evidence of financial success, client retention and acquisition, collective creativity and a deep understanding of marketing technologies, business and talent base and who has produced outstanding results for their clients. Entries must be accompanied by evidence of client ROI and testimonials. Teams will be commended for their dedication to diversity within their agency and/or wider industry. The initial entry can be up to two sides of A4. 

This award is chosen by the judges from all of the winning campaigns, who in their opinion stands out above the rest. This category cannot be entered directly.