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AWARDS

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AWARDS

Awards that mean nothing

Awards that mean nothing

The first and last contest we entered was long ago, when we received two gold awards, and learned that most award contests in the advertising business are shams in which awards are essentially purchased from advertising clubs. How it works: To generate income, the clubs run annual contests with as many as 100 categories, and solicit an unlimited number of entries from members and non-members who pay per entry. The more entries, the greater the chance of winning an award, so many agencies submit many entries. With so many categories―and gold, silver and bronze awards in each―literally hundreds of awards can be handed out per contest. The majority of entrants can therefore “win” at least one award, especially in obscure categories having only several competing entries or none at all. Worse, the “winners” are picked subjectively, often by artists, creative directors, printers and other graphics people who have no idea whether a given entry generated income for the client.

Members and non-members are then invited to an awards dinner, with winners inviting clients and agency staff for an evening of self-praise. Everybody wins at this game, but it is indeed a game.

Awards that mean everything

Awards that mean everything

Results are the only true measure of advertising effectiveness, and should therefore constitute the only basis for rating any advertisement.

The best such comparisons are readership surveys conducted periodically by independent firms such as Baxter Research, Harvey Research, Readex and Signet Research. These studies survey a cross section of a trade publication’s subscribers, and rate all advertisements appearing in a given issue. Typical surveys ask subscribers how memorable, informative and convincing each ad is, and rate each one overall, by product category, and by size―according to strict research methodology ensuring 95+ percent accuracy.

And unlike club contests, readership surveys score each ad quantitatively. The ad with the highest score is simply listed in a report along with the scores of all other ads, although on occasion, publishers also send an award plaque to the agency/client responsible for the highest scoring ad.

We can show you 50+ unsolicited, first place readership awards received from independent research firms―meaningful awards that confirm our advertising generates the highest readership among technical specifiers and, in turn, the most new business at the lowest possible cost for our industrial clients.

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