Marketing Communications Awards
The Marketing Communications Awards, which were presented for the first time at the Fall 2001 meeting, recognize another important aspect of construction writers' efforts — communications, including advertising, corporate communications, and public relations. The competition is open to any industry-related individual, corporation, association, or publication.
The competition showcases the best of the best in construction-related communications and is a prestigious acknowledgment that the work of these writers through their various communication efforts has met a very high standard of excellence. The CWA Marketing Communications Awards Committee enlists seasoned business-to-business media professionals to serve as competition judges.
Current Winners
The Construction Writers Association congratulates the winners of the 8th annual Marketing Communications Awards, which were presented in October 2008 at the fall midyear meeting, "Smart Move-Gaining An Edge," in Chicago.
2008
Corporate Communications
Newsletter/Magazine–External Audience: Parsons Brinckerhoff, “NOTES” Magazine
Direct Mail Campaign: Performance Marketing, “Terex AL8000 HT Light Tower”
General Promotion Honorable Mention: Chusid Associates, “Ceilings Plus” Brochure
General Promotion Honorable Mention: Clark Realty Capital, “Clark Builders Group” Brochure
Advertising
Advertising Campaign: Rhea + Kaiser, “Cat Compact Equipment Reflections”
Advertising Campaign Honorable Mention: John Deere Construction & Forestry, “Talking Parts”
Advertising Campaign Honorable Mention: Performance Marketing, “Terex Construction Financial Promotion”
Public Relations
Media Kit: Volvo Construction Equipment, “CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2008”
Media Kit: Two Rivers Marketing, “Bobcat Company CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2008”
Campaign Honorable Mention: Rhea + Kaiser, “Cat Chopper Auction”
T. Randolph Russell Award
The T. Randolph Russell Award for newsletters is now part of the Marketing Communications Awards. The Russell Award was formerly part of CWA's spring journalism awards, but the newsletters being submitted over the past few years were promotional in nature and so fit the fall marketing communications awards niche much better. Entries may be a single newsletter or a series of related issues covering a single topic.
Current Winners
2008
Shawmut Design and Construction, “The Shawmut Times”
Award Specifications
The competition is open to any industry-related individual, corporation, association, advertising agency/pr firm or publication submitting a completed entry form accompanied by a $125.00 entry fee. The Marketing Communications Awards are awarded to the organization not the individual. The organization and or the individual(s) submitting the award must be a CWA member in good standing at the time of submitting information.
Entries will be divided into three classifications:
- Advertising – includes single ads, campaigns, advertorial supplements
- Corporate Communications – includes annual reports, brochures, internal newsletters, video/multimedia, direct mail (single piece or campaign), corporate identity, trade show exhibits, proposals/presentations.
- Public Relations – includes PR campaigns, media kits, special events
Based on the number and breakdown of entries, the judges may establish subcategories to facilitate judging. A winner will be selected and receive an award plaque in each of the award categories/subcategories. Award winners will be recognized at the awards dinner, in the CWA newsletter, and on the CWA website. Awards winners will be presented their awards at the Mid-Year Meeting Awards Dinner on October 16, 2008 which will be held at the Hotel Allegro in Chicago, Illinois.
In addition, the judges may elect to award certificates of merit to worthy runners-up. Judges reserve the right to not select a winner in any category where they deem the entries do not meet award standards.
Judges
Judging will be conducted by an impartial panel of peers in each category with acknowledged expertise in marketing communications, selected by the CWA Marketing Communications Awards Committee. The committee enlists seasoned business-to-business media professionals to serve as competition judges. The committee serves to screen entries to ensure they meet the prescribed entry rules. No individual is eligible to serve as a judge if he or she has submitted an entry in the CWA Marketing Communications Awards or is affiliated with a company or organization that has submitted an entry.
Judging Criteria
Entries will be judged on the basis of the following criteria:
- Graphic design (25%)
- Editorial content (25%)
- Effectiveness in achieving the stated marketing and communications goals (50%)
Entry Requirements
Entrants must submit to the chairperson of the Marketing Communications Awards Committee a completed entry form printed from our brochure, a photocopy or a copy downloaded from the CWA website. All entries must be received no later than Friday, August 15, 2008. Submissions should not be mounted on boards. Entries must have been produced between January 1, 2007 and the submission deadline. Video/CD submission must include the entry's running time. Entry forms are available on the CWA website at www.constructionwriters.org. Entries will not be returned. An entry fee of $125.00 should be sent separately to CWA headquarters.
For additional tips on successful entries, please take a look at our entry tips below.
Entries should be mailed to the chairperson:
All entries must be received no later than Friday, August 15, 2008.
Your entry must be sent to the chairperson of the marketing communications awards committee.
Note: Please delete credit card information from the form you send to the chairperson:
Michael Anderson, Senior Editor
Construction Equipment
By Mail or Carrier: 30 Lawler Dr., P.O. Box 704, Markdale, ON, Canada, N0C 1H0
By Email: michael.anderson@reedbusiness.com
Entry fees should be sent to the CWA Headquarters:
Deborah J. Hodges, Executive Director
Construction Writers Association
By Mail: P.O. Box 14784 Chicago, Illinois 60614
By Email: info@constructionwriters.org
By Fax: 773 687-8627
For Additional Information:
Contact the committee chairperson Michael Anderson at 519-986-1789 or by email at michael.anderson@reedbusiness.com; or contact the CWA executive director, Deborah J. Hodges at the CWA office at 773- 687-8726 or by e-mail at info@constructionwriters.org.
CWA will issue press releases announcing all winners. Award recipients may send their own release after the official CWA press releases. The CWA logo is available upon request in writing by contacting Deborah J. Hodges, Executive Director. A copy of the draft release should accompany the request for logo use.
Tips for Successful Entries
- Entries should be typewritten. Whether it’s fair or not, presentation counts, and judges are not as likely to rate highly an entry that they have trouble deciphering because it’s handwritten.
- Make it as easy as possible for the judges to review your entry. While it may be more convenient for you to put your 30+ press releases and/or photos on a CD, it is much more difficult for the judges to read/view them in that format. Remember, the judges are evaluating 60 or more entries in a single day, many of them voluminous, and despite their dedication to the task, they are human and subject to fatigue and frustration.
- More is not necessarily better. While you are encouraged to include everything necessary to support your entry, overkill can work against you, particularly with respect to the PR category. For example, rather than including a copy of every single placement your campaign garnered, consider instead several samples along with a complete listing of all the publications and placement dates. Again, be conscious of the judges’ time and attention.
- Pay particular attention to the sections on the entry form that call for a description of your entry, its marketing and communications goals, and the documented results. In the past, a number of award-caliber submissions have not received the recognition to which they were entitled because these areas were inadequately or not clearly addressed. As stated on the entry form, 50% of an entry’s score is based on its effectiveness in achieving the stated marketing and communications goals. The judges will not make any assumptions; they can only base their evaluation on the information with which you provide them.