We’ve all filled out our share of award submissions and other applications for recognition and wondered why our fabulous campaign didn’t take the top prize.  Why is this? Well for one, remember that the judges are not from Rochester and they only go off what you’ve provided to them.  They were not intimate with the campaign and don’t know all the details as well as you do, so it’s important to inform them of all aspects of the campaign. Don’t be afraid to oversell.  Obviously having a good campaign is needed to win, but it takes a bit more. Here are some tips to follow when writing your Pinnacle Award entry to ensure you’ve done all you can to make it a winner.

Know Judging Criteria.  Answer Questions Asked.

For the upcoming AMA|Rochester Pinnacle Awards, your entry should cover each of the areas the judges are seeking and provide quantifiable data that supports these criteria.  Do you have a campaign that you can compare to?  Has this one been 30% better than previous campaigns to the same audience?  Has your website traffic increased 15%?  What was the key to making it a success?

Brag. Sell. Showcase. Provide Supporting Data.

The judges are not from the Rochester area.  They don’t know your work from the next entry. Be sure to provide strong evidence to show you knew what you were doing and got significant results.  This is your chance to brag a bit and really sell them!  Be truthful and the data will speak for itself.

Review. Edit. Seek Feedback. Review Again.

Don’t wait until the last minute.  Write up your entry today and circle back to in a few days from now when you are fresh.  Share your entry with someone less familiar with the activity for another perspective and see if it makes sense to them. Sometimes all it takes is a fresh pair of eyes.

Clear Concise Entry that Follows the Rules. 

Read the rules, and then read them again. The judges have piles of entries to review and if yours is a mess, doesn’t follow the rules, or is full of typos and errors, it is easy for them to dismiss.

Be In It to Win It.

If you want to win, spend the time it takes to author a winning entry.  Consider entering more than one campaign or tactic category!  Some of the categories have 30+ entries, while others have just a handful.  You can maximize your odds of winning if your entry is modified and submitted into multiple categories.  Be sure to modify/adjust the entry for the category entered!  For example, you can submit a new branding initiative in the campaign category and then enter separate tactics in the appropriate categories such as print ads, collateral, website, etc.

Enter Now!

Get the details and enter your best work in the AMA|Rochester Pinnacle Awards. Who knows, you might win a Pinnacle Award and take home the top award of Marketer of the Year, too! Go to:  ama-rochester.org/WP/awards2014

Read summaries published by past 2013 winners

• News Release
• Branding Campaign Winner
• Social Media Initiative Winner
• Interactive /Mobile Marketing Winner
• New Product or Service Launch Winner
• Tradeshow Promotion Winner
• Print Piece (Invitation, Poster, Sales sheet) Winner
• Collateral (Print or Electronic) Winner
• Blog Winner
• Event Winner

Read summaries published by past 2012 winners

• Online Campaign Winner
• Re-Branding Campaign Winner
• Product Promotion Winner
• Branding Campaign Winner
• Summary of 2012 Winners that presented their campaigns

About the author: JoAnn Linder is Director of Global Marketing Communications at Carestream Health.  Carestream had a successful 2013 Awards docket including, but not limited to, multiple wins in the AMA Pinnacle Awards, PRSA PRism Awards, Information Week 500(23rd place), Best In KLAS, and the 2013 Large International Business of the Year.

Pinnacle Awards 2014 Sponsors