Marketing Excellence Awards Entry Rules

Each entry should have a marketing focus and must have been completed or produced in Oklahoma during the 12 months prior to June 30, 2024. Each entry must be prepared according to the Entry Rules and must include answers to all of the Judging Criteria question, a completed entry form (filled out online – button below) and the entry fee. The entry fee must be paid via credit card at the time of submission.

There are three types of entries: Campaigns, Insights, and Tactics.

You may enter as many campaigns as you like.  Multiple pieces from a campaign may be entered in the Tactics and/or Insights categories, in addition to being included in campaign categories.  Any entry that does not follow the Entry Rules is subject to disqualification.

WINNERS

There are two levels of award for each category, Awards of Merit and Awards of Excellence. To receive an Award of Merit, the entry must meet a minimum score of 85 for campaigns and 40 for tactics. An Award of Excellence is given to the highest scoring entry in a category but must meet a minimum score of 90 for campaigns and 45 for Tactics. Entries that fail to meet the specified number of points for either award category may not receive an award, even if that is the only entry in a category. A “Best of Show” winner will be chosen from the Award of Excellence winners, based on overall highest scoring entry across all campaign categories, tactics and insight categories are excluded from Best of Show.

ENTRY FEES

$75 per Campaign entry and $50 per Insights or Tactic entry for AMA members. $100 per Campaign entry and $75 per Insights or Tactic entry for non-members. Deadline for entries is July 15 at 11:59 PM. 

JUDGES

A panel of marketing professionals from markets outside of Oklahoma will be selected for judging. The judges make all decisions regarding eligibility and winners, and the decision of the judges is final.

SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

Entries must be submitted using the online portal, with supporting documents attached as one pdf.

The PDF should be saved as:

Company Name_Entry Category_Entry Title (as listed on entry form).

For oversized two- or three-dimensional items, submit photographs and/or illustrations. Entries may include samples of printed pieces, application examples, photos, illustrations, press clippings and/or media clips, as well as supplemental reports, tables, charts, testimonials, and other documented evidence. Entries are to be uploaded from the Marketing Excellence Award Entry Form. (link at the bottom of this page.)

Campaign Entries: Because marketing is about results, the results score of the campaigns is weighted highest. The five questions to be answered are:

  1. SITUATION/CHALLENGE What was the basic problem to be solved or situation to be addressed by the entry? Judges will score on how well the entry reflects an understanding of the challenge. (<300 words) WORTH 10 POINTS.
  2. OBJECTIVES/GOALS What was/were the established objective(s) to solve the problem or address the situation? Judges will score based on whether the objectives are sound, clear and measurable. If they aren’t measurable objectives, the judges will score based on whether they were clear enough to determine if they were achieved or not. (<300 words) WORTH 10 POINTS.
  3. STRATEGY/TACTICS What was the strategy (plan) and what was/were the tactic(s) (actions) for achieving the objectives? Judges will score based on how well the strategy/tactics are defined and how well they relate to achieving the objectives to resolve the challenge or situation. (<300 words) WORTH 20 POINTS.
  4. MESSAGE ALIGNMENT How does the approach and/or tone of the message align with the target audience and support the objectives and strategy/tactic(s)? Judges will score on how well the elements of the message, including graphics and copy, align with the overall objectives, strategy and tactic(s). These criteria provide credit for innovative and creative ideas within marketing campaigns and tactics. (<300 words) WORTH 20 POINTS.
  5. RESULTS What result(s) did this entry deliver? Did the entry achieve the stated goals/objectives? Judges will score based on how effective the entry was in producing results toward achieving the stated goals/objectives. This category is weighted highest. Therefore, it is extremely important to describe the results in terms as measurable as possible to prove the objective(s) was/were achieved. If results are not quantifiable, then information should be provided as to how you know the entry achieved the stated objective(s). (<300 words) WORTH 40 POINTS.

Marketing Insight Entries:  

  1. OBJECTIVES/GOALS What insights were sought-after through market research? Judges will score based on whether the objectives are sound, clear and measurable. If they aren’t measurable objectives, the judges will score based on whether they were clear enough to determine if they were achieved or not. (<100 words) WORTH 10 POINTS
  2. STRATEGY/EXECUTION How were these insight collected? What strategies and tools were implemented to gain this information? Judges will score based on how the strategy and execution is defined and how well they relate to achieving the objectives.  (<300 words) WORTH 30 POINTS
  3. RESULTS How did this information influence future marketing decisions? Judges will score based on how effective the entry was in producing results toward achieving the stated goals/objectives. (<100 words) WORTH 10 POINTS

Marketing Tactic Entries: 

  1. OBJECTIVES/GOALS What was the stated goal for this tactic? Judges will score based on whether the objectives are sound, clear and measurable. If they aren’t measurable objectives, the judges will score based on whether they were clear enough to determine if they were achieved or not. (<100 words) WORTH 10 POINTS
  2. EXECUTION Provide work examples. These may be submitted either as an uploaded file (pdf, jpeg or png) or as a link. Do not include both.  Judges will score on how well the elements of the message, including graphics and copy, align with the overall objectives. These criteria provide credit for innovative and creative ideas. (<100 words) WORTH 30 POINTS
  3. RESULTS What were the results from this tactic? It is important to describe the results in terms as measurable as possible to prove the objective(s) was/were achieved. If results are not quantifiable, then information should be provided as to how the entry achieved the stated objective(s). (<100 words) WORTH 10 POINTS