CATEGORIES
Each category has a set of entry criteria and word counts.
MAIN
| CATEGORY | DETAILS |
| Affinity Marketing & Sponsorship | Recognises brands working in affinity with other brands to achieve an overall marketing result and to develop strategic partnerships. Alternatively, it could be an example of a brand that successfully connected visions and values through sponsorship. Judges want to see evidence of successful partnerships, the impact they have had on the business and whether they met objectives. |
| App | Recognises the best use of an app. Judges will be looking for an app that has enhanced the customer/guest experience. Measures should include how the app has increased customer satisfaction, conversion or repeat rates and contributed towards revenue. |
| Audio Advertising | Recognises the most original and best-performing advertising on audio feeds such as radio, audio streaming services and podcasts. Judges are looking for audio advertising that showcases creativity, memorability, resonance and a clear call to action. A successful entry will reflect the ethos of a brand/product/service, increase awareness, generate strong results in line with objectives. |
| Brand Launch or Brand Relaunch | Recognises a brand that has launched in 2022, or undergone a successful brand makeover. Judges will be looking for entries that show how their methods enabled a distinctive and powerful brand positioning/repositioning. |
| Brochure | A succesful brochure (print or digital) should reflect the vision, values, benefits and features of a product/service or organisation and appeal to readers' curiosity. Judges are looking for evidence that the objectives were met through clear messaging, creativity and purpose. |
| Consumer Press | Recognises the most original and best-performing advertising in national or local publications. Judges will be looking for advertising that had a strong objective coupled with strong creative/consumer value. The final results should be measureable and link back to initial targets. |
| Content Marketing | Entries will demonstrate great content delivered consistently over a period to a clearly defined target group, with the aim to deliver engaging relationships, consumer value, measurable success and converting leads into sales. Judges will be looking for content (various mediums, omni-channel) with a purpose. What was the reason for creating this content? Did it fulfil a particular business need? Did the results meet or exceed brand/business expectations? |
| Customer Magazine | Recognises the most original and effective mailed (post or digital) customer magazine, reflecting the values and benefits of a product/service or organisation. Judges will be looking for evidence of editorial and design excellence that meets a clear marketing objective. |
| Direct Marketing | Entries will show originality and insight to create marketing that connects directly with customers and leads to strong results. Judges will be looking for clearly measured results that demonstrate how the objectives were met and the return on investment. |
| Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Campaign | This Award, introduced in association with TTG Media, is designed to recognise campaigns or projects that genuinely showcase a brand’s commitment to DEI. Judges will be looking for examples of the steps travel companies have taken in putting more diverse values at the heart of their campaigns and attracting more diverse audiences, even if there is still some way to go. Judges will be looking for a campaign/project that has made a positive impact and whose long-term DEI strategies have been well-marketed to the consumer. |
| Employer Brand Marketing | A strong employer brand is an intrinsic part of an organisation. Judges are looking for evidence of how you have built and marketed a strong employer brand to both internal employees and to attract talent from outside the organisation. |
| Influencer Marketing | Influencers are playing an increasingly important role within travel marketing. This award recognises successful collaborations between brand and influencer(s) to meet objectives. Judges will be looking for a campaign that met its objectives and achieved exceptional results from this marketing approach. |
| Innovative Marketing | This category is for those that have pushed the boundaries to bring something innovative to the industry. What new solutions were used to advance a campaign? How were original approaches implemented to attract and connect with an audience base and attract new customers? Judges will be looking for the "extra" ordinary. Something unique and innovative that has demonstrated a powerful rationale as well as measurable results that have had a positive impact. |
| Marketing Responsible and Sustainable Travel | Recognises an organisation that has successfully promoted a more responsible and sustainable way to travel; whether a one-off campaign or an organisation with sustainability at its heart. Judges will be looking for an organisation that has genuinely made a positive impact on the planet, and whose long-term strategies have been well marketed to the consumer. A brand with legitimate credentials and results, and who view Sustainable Travel as a strategic vision, not a short-term tactical initiative. The judges will be mindful of over-stated sustainability claims, including green-washing. |
| Out of Home | Recognises the most original and best-performing out-of-home advertising. Judges will be looking for measurable evidence of how you delivered relevant and thought-provoking content and effectively engaged with your audience as they have gone about their daily lives. |
| PR Stunt/Experiential Event | Successful entries will form a memorable and emotional connection in engaging the consumer with the brand in an imaginative and unusual way. Judges will be looking at how you increased public awareness, met your objectives and demonstrated measurable results. |
| Search | Recognises the effective use of search engines as a marketing tool, including Paid and Natural Search strategies. Judges want you to demonstrate creative thinking, strategy, and technological innovation that delivered on your campaign's objectives. |
| Social Media | Recognises effective use of social media to raise awareness, change perceptions, engage audiences and ultimately drive sales. The judges will be looking for evidence of how the use of social media impacted on the objectives and results. |
| Technology | Recognises the best use of technology (e.g. CRM, Mobile, AI, VR, Metaverse). Judges will be looking for technology developments that have enhanced the customer/guest experience, and are more than just a 'gimmick'. Measures should include how this technology has increased customer satisfaction, conversion or repeat rates, met objectives and contributed towards revenue. |
| Travel Trade Engagement | Successful entries will have created an innovative and fun digital or in-person trade engagement. Judges will be looking at how the campaign met objectives to deliver a successful connection between the brand and the UK travel trade. |
| Video, Film or TV | Recognises the most original and creative use of video, film or TV and could be delivered through any media marketing channel. This could be a one-off or a series. Judges will be looking for creative campaigns that have made an impact with existing and/or target new audiences to elevate the brand. Measurable results should demonstrate how the objectives were met and include references to awareness, acquisition, conversion and retention. |
| Website | A website that reflects the vision, values, benefits and features of a product/service or organisation. Judges will be looking for a website which has proven a necessity to support and meet the brand/business needs. Results should include strong engagement and/or conversion metrics, plus measures on how wider activity has driven visitors to the website. |
CAMPAIGNS
| CATEGORY | DETAILS |
| Advertising Campaign [<£250k Media Spend] | A single advertisement or a series of advertisements that shared a single idea/theme which can, but does not have to, be delivered via a single medium. All elements must be paid-for advertising placements whether that be print, digital, radio, out of home or via another medium. Judges will be looking for a campaign that had clear objectives, coupled with excellent creative/content. The final results should be measureable and link back to initial targets. |
| Advertising Campaign [>£250k Media Spend] | A single advertisement or a series of advertisements that shared a single idea/theme which can, but does not have to, be delivered via a single medium. All elements must be paid-for advertising placements whether that be print, digital, radio, out of home or via another medium. Judges will be looking for a campaign that had clear objectives, coupled with excellent creative/content. The final results should be measureable and link back to initial targets. |
| B2B Campaign | Recognises any marketing strategy or campaign used by one business to target and sell to another business. Judges will be looking for a campaign that had clear objectives, coupled with excellent creative/content. The final results should be measureable and link back to initial targets. |
| Digital Marketing Campaign | Use of digital to promote a product or service. Successful campaigns will typically utilise a range of digital channels; such as PPC, SEO, display, social media, viral, email, mobile, etc. Judges will be looking for a campaign that had clear objectives, coupled with excellent creative/content. The final results should be measureable and link back to initial targets. |
| Integrated Campaign (< £500,000 Media Spend) | Recognises the most original and best performing Integrated Campaign. The campaign will have a consistent brand message and be marketed using more than one medium, including both paid-for and non-paid-for activities. Judges will be looking for an integrated, omni-channel campaign that had clear objectives, coupled with excellent creative/content. The final results should be measureable and link back to initial targets. |
| Integrated Campaign (> £500,000 Media Spend) | Recognises the most original and best performing Integrated Campaign. The campaign will have a consistent brand message and be marketed using more than one medium, including both paid-for and non-paid-for activities. Judges will be looking for an integrated, omni-channel campaign that had clear objectives, coupled with excellent creative/content. The final results should be measureable and link back to initial targets. |
| International Campaign | Recognises campaigns delivered either entirely to non-UK markets, or across various markets. A successful international campaign will combine a consistent marketing message with insight into its target markets. Judges are looking for an international campaign that has increased brand awareness, customer engagement and produced impressive results within budget. The final results should be measureable and link back to initial targets. |
| PR Campaign (< £50,000 spend) | Recognises the best use of PR. Entries could showcase a single PR initiative acting as a step on a campaign, or a longer running campaign consisting of several initiatives leading to one goal. Judges will be looking for a PR campaign that has demonstrated a powerful rationale as well as results which have positively impacted the brand itself, in-market vertical or wider industry. |
| PR Campaign (> £50,000 spend) | Recognises the best use of PR. Entries could showcase a single PR initiative acting as a step on a campaign, or a longer running campaign consisting of several initiatives leading to one goal. Judges will be looking for a PR campaign that has demonstrated a powerful rationale as well as results which have positively impacted the brand itself, in-market vertical or wider industry. |
OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2023
| CATEGORY | DETAILS |
| Travel Brand of the Year | This category is looking for travel brands – newcomer, challenger or established – that made an impact during 2023. Newcomer A relatively new or recently launched travel brand (< two years of trading) that has made an impact since launch and demonstrated success within the travel sector; despite the challenges faced from being a new brand. Challenger An evolving travel brand, likely to be 2-5 years old; currently disrupting the market by challenging the status quo and competing against established brands. Established A brand with a strong reputation, a loyal customer base, and wide reach within travel. Well-known presence in the industry for reliability, experience, and consistency in delivering quality products and services; brand needs to be a minimum of 5 years old. Judges will be looking for brands that met their yearly objectives and made a positive impact to their intended audience. Measures should be across a number of efforts, ideally integrated, which all have demonstrable results. |
| Marketing Agency of the Year | Recognises marketing agencies that demonstrated excellence in 2023 and can provide evidence of successful travel marketing work. Whether a large or small agency, entrants should demonstrate what makes them outstanding and sets them apart from their competitors. Judges are looking for evidence of impact, excellence and measurable value and growth. |
| PR Agency of the Year | Recognises PR agencies that demonstrated excellence in 2023 and can provide evidence of successful travel PR work. Whether a large or small agency, entrants should demonstrate what makes them outstanding and sets them apart from their competitors. Judges are looking for evidence of impact, excellence and measurable value and growth. |
| In-House Team of the Year | Recognises an in-house team that has successfully and creatively managed to raise the profile of its organisation or brand. Judges will be looking for evidence of high performance, positive impact, commitment to team development, originality and excellent measurable results. |