The ARC Awards are designed to recognize creative solutions to specific marketing challenges using the discipline of direct response marketing. Program objectives must be clearly stated and quantitative results accurately reported in terms of percent response, cost per sale or cost per lead. Entrants who cannot supply satisfactory results information will be automatically disqualified. Entrants who are barred per client request from reporting specific results must state that fact and present results as an index to control programs or prior program performance based on equitable costs. Failure to do so will result in disqualification and forfeiture of entry fee.
Entries must have been mailed, aired or launched between October 1, 2008 and January 31, 2010 with valid results available at the time of submission. No exceptions.
COSTS & BUDGET REPORTING
Costs should be based on budgets that include all “in the mail” costs such as paper, printing, list rental, merge/purge, computer processing and lettershop. Do not include postage, creative and developmental costs. All submissions must be actual printed samples (no mockups or facsimiles) and entered as delivered to the target audience without enhancements (i.e. reprinted on superior stock) or otherwise edited, altered or remixed from the form in which they were received by the target audience. Bilingual submissions must have the English translation provided by the entrant or entry will be disqualified.
JUDGING
Judging of this year’s ARC Awards entries will be conducted by a distinguished panel of national direct marketing experts from outside the region. The ARC Awards Committee will screen the entries prior to submission to the judges and reserves the right to determine whether the entries have been submitted in proper categories according to the rules. Judging will be blind. Entries will be judged on a 1 to 10 scale in three categories:
[1]
Art
[2]
Response
[3]
Copy
If entries in a particular category are not deemed worthy of an award, no award will be given. In the case of a tie, a tie-breaking vote will be tallied to award a winner. The decision of the judges is final and completely independent of the ARC Awards Committee, the MDMA board and its membership. The ARC Awards will be announced at the awards gala on April 27, 2010.
ENTRY INSTRUCTIONS
Select the categories in which you wish to submit entries. An entry will be judged ONLY in the category you have selected. If it fits the criteria set forth, an entry may be made in multiple categories. The MDMA reserves the right to disqualify entries submitted in incorrect categories, so be sure to select the appropriate categories and the correct description on your entry form to avoid your entry being disqualified.
Be sure to list the credits on the entry form precisely as you wish them to appear—up to seven names.
For each entry category, you must submit the following to qualify:
[1]
One entry sample for judging— Due March 26, 2010.
This sample must:
»
Include the Entry ID generated by the online entry form.
»
Be submitted as it was originally delivered without any markings that could identify the creative group or agency, including letterhead, visible watermarks, labels or other identifying imprints or credits.
[2]
One entry sample mounted for display at the awards gala— Due April 9, 2010.
(All qualified entries will be displayed at this year’s ARC Awards show regardless of whether they win an award.) This sample must:
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Include the agency, client, entry category, and Entry ID.
»
Be mounted on one side of black foam core board (vertical 20" x 30" or 15" x 20").
[3]
One GIF or TIF digital image of your entry— Due March 26, 2010. This image can be uploaded via the online entry form. It will be displayed during the audio/video award show presentation during the awards gala.
NOTE:Failure to properly enter the ARC Awards will lead to disqualification and forfeiture of the entry fee.
Please send entries to:
MDMA ARC Awards Entries
1821 University Ave W, Ste S256
St. Paul, MN 55104
FEES
Entry fees are payable by check or credit card. Fee for each entry is $100 per entry for 1 to 3 entries and $80 per entry for 4 or more entries. See entry form for payment details.
ENTRY DEADLINE
All entries with proper entry fees must be received by 5:00pm on March 26, 2010. There will be NO EXTENSIONS. Incomplete or late entries will be disqualified.
QUESTIONS
For questions or more information, contact the MDMA office at 651.999.5351 or via e-mail to mdma@mdma.org.
2010 ARC AWARDS ENTRY CATEGORIES
CONSUMER
Direct Mail/Sales [A] Single [B] Campaign Flat, 2-D direct mail asking for a direct order with a response device included
Direct Mail/Lead Generation [A] Single [B] Campaign Flat, 2-D direct mail requesting follow-up, a meeting or more information
Nonprofit Direct Mail Flat, 2-D direct mail from qualified nonprofit organizations requesting direct donation or membership
Catalog Traditional catalogs, magalogs or other creative interpretations of a catalog
Beat the Control Here’s your chance to show how smart creative, whether it’s glitzy and glammy or down and dirty, took down a control package.
Integrated/Multi-Media Campaign Consists of a single campaign theme executed across two or more different media channels (i.e. mail, print, web and e-mail, etc.). Submit one mounted sample (can be a photograph of entire campaign) and one hard copy of each component of the campaign.
BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS
Direct Mail/Sales [A] Single [B] Campaign Flat, 2-D direct mail asking for the order with a response device included
Direct Mail/Lead Generation [A] Single [B] Campaign Flat, 2-D direct mail requesting follow-up, a meeting or more information
Catalog Traditional catalogs, magalogs or other creative interpretations of a catalog
Beat the Control Here’s your chance to show how smart creative, whether it’s glitzy and glammy or down and dirty, took down a control package.
Integrated/Multi-Media Campaign Consists of a single campaign theme executed across two or more different media channels (i.e. mail, print, web and e-mail, etc.). Submit one mounted sample (can be a photograph of entire campaign) and one hard copy of each component of the campaign.
COMBINED CATEGORIES
Dimensional Direct Mail 3-dimensional direct mail (i.e. sent via non-flat carriers such as a box, tube, bag, stuffed envelope, etc.)
Digital Marketing
(web, e-mail, online ads, mobile/text) Submit CD/DVD of digital work and/or provide URL as applicable
TV/Infomercial
(must have offer and call to action and be measurable) Submit two copies of storyboard AND a clearly labeled DVD of your spot
Radio
(must have offer and call to action and be measurable) Submit two copies of script and a CD of your spot(s)
Telemarketing
Submit two copies of script and results of campaign.
Print
(must have offer and call to action and be measurable) Submit one stand-alone tear sheet/reprint and one mounted sample of ad(s)
Loyalty/Retention Can be any type of ongoing CRM program designed to provide points, increase level of activity or provide a rewards/incentive program to existing customers
Wild Card Here’s your chance to enter great response-generating work that defies categorization—whether you did it with skywriting, on a fence post, in the street, up the side of a building… well, you get the idea
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
The following new categories have been added for consideration of our judges. All or none of these awards may be bestowed the night of the ARC Awards gala event. These awards will be determined at the sole discretion of the judging panel.
Courageous Client Award This exciting new category has been included to honor one single entry (or campaign) that is so different, innovative, out of the ordinary, bold and daring that no other competitor would do or has done anything remotely similar. It’s an award that demonstrates how a client took a creative and/or marketing risk to do something really unique, powerful and effective. During the judging process, ARC judges will be asked to evaluate each entry to determine if it should be considered for this prestigious award. At the end of regular judging, one entry will be chosen from the select few set aside during the regular judging process for consideration.
Killer Idea Award Some ideas are just, well, killer. This award recognizes a single completely unique, original idea that drove the creative to its success. During the judging process, ARC judges will be asked to evaluate each entry to determine if it should be considered for this prestigious award.
Best Of Show Award This is our most coveted award, awarded to the highest-scoring entry using any direct marketing medium.
7 SECRETS TO WINNING AN ARC AWARD
1
Don’t hide the name of your Agency anywhere on the piece (including CDs, DVDs or file names). Judges need to be objective. So don’t be clever. We’ll find out and bust you. And you’ll be out the entry fee and have bad karma to boot.
2
Make sure your entry is in the right category. Every year somebody messes this up. Don’t let it be you. We’ll start naming names if it gets bad.
3
Call to action: Have one. If the entry doesn’t clearly have a call to action and a specific offer, it will be tossed. Period. This is supposed to be direct marketing, remember? (Note to art directors: A phone number buried in 8-point type or a URL tucked neatly at the bottom of the page does not constitute a call to action.
4
State your insights about the target and how it relates to your creative solution. This sets up the case for evaluating just how innovative your solution really is and whether you win a special award for a Killer Idea, Courageous Client or Best Of Show.
5
Make your concept strategy understandable. This is probably one of the most important points on this list. Think about what you’re writing. Have somebody else read it. Make sure they understand it. Judges are people, too, and they want to know what the heck you’re talking about. Remember, they didn’t see the brief. Besides, this is just common sense.
6
Multimedia entries: Be specific about the role and sequence of each communication. Let us know what messages were seen when and by whom in order to achieve your marketing objective. And report RESULTS, or your entry gets tossed.
7
It’s all in the write-up. Spend time writing up the problem and presenting your solution. Sure, all the judges like a great execution. But this is about ideas first, execution second. Like Ogilvy said, write until you think you’re done; then count the pages. Just don’t write a book. Brevity and clarity are your friends. And you must never, ever, ever use the words “exceeding” and “expectations” … and most certainly not together. Don’t break this rule. Ever.
2010 ENTRY FORM
Complete your entry form online. The form will allow you to upload the GIF or TIF digital image of your entry (required for the audio/video award show presentation).
Midwest Direct Marketing Association
1821 University Ave W, Ste S256 | St. Paul, MN 55104
Phone: (651) 999-5351 | Fax: (651) 917-1835 mdma@mdma.org
