Award-winning is important in any sector, but for one as unique and essential as the integrated marketing communication sub-sector, every point of recognition and accolade adds to a brand’s credibility and equity. Because many marketing-related industries rely on, or are complemented by awards, entering and winning awards have become part of the elements that contribute to a positive and credible brand image.

An award by any measure is a sign of excellence, an acknowledgment that professionals and peers alike agree that a certain brand or company excels in what they do. For example, awards given by the Academy Awards or the Cannes Film Festival are usually displayed by the recipients as a credible badge of honour.

In the MC industry where services are being offered to almost all sectors of the economy, including the government, clients who put their product and service brands in the hands of agencies and consultancies should be able to trust them and believe that they know what they
are doing. In this regard, it is important for a brand to have the backing of an award to signify their knowledge and understanding. Meanwhile, this does not suggest that brands, agencies, companies and personalities who have not won awards are lacking in professionalism and excellence.

Awards that highlight a company as being a great place to work, or a brand as a hallmark of innovation and advertising, are as important as awards that single out a brand’s know-how in a specific offering. In showcasing that a specific brand, company or personality has been awarded for their work, they stand out from others who have perhaps only won general awards. This specificity creates an expectation and indeed admiration in the consumer/customer or client, building credibility and engendering trust in the long term.

In the highly competitive and multi-billion-dollar Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCGs) industry, this is an outstanding and very advantageous selling point.

Specific awards attract certain brands, personalities and companies, and may help them in attracting more customers, clients and partners who appreciate and patronize their offering. To merit and receive an award, a brand, business or personality must undoubtedly strive to stand out amongst their competitors. The very fact that they have won an award of any kind demonstrates to customers and clients that this company goes the extra mile. Most times, awards are a by-product of a drive for general excellence. It is also not uncommon for a brand to focus more on a specific area in order to win an award and therefore sway public opinion.

The 2022 edition of the MARKETING EDGE Brands and Advertising Excellence Awards may have come and gone, but winners of the awards are still featuring them on their social media handles, emails, Newsletters and promotional materials. This isn’t a new concept – companies have been touting their award-winning products for over a century. But the reason this is such an effective component of a holistic marketing strategy is that awards are a fundamentally limited resource. While any company can send emails, create promotions and run advertisements, relatively few can claim that they’ve actually been recognized by trusted third parties as among the best in their field.

In this well-packaged special edition on MARKETING EDGE Annual National Marketing Stakeholders Summit and Brands & Advertising Excellence Awards, which also coincides with the 10th anniversary of the annual 2 in 1 event, we bring to the reading pleasure of industry stakeholders, a better, bigger and more glamorous offering.

If you’re thinking that your company is too small, your brand too unknown, your personality too young, or your product too new to win an award, you’re selling yourself short. Awards come in many types: industry, niche, product, city, region, nation and so on. To the astute marketer, any type of award can be used to differentiate the brand in communications. You may not have the most popular product in your industry, but if you just won an award for the most innovative and engaging website, that’s news you can use. From press releases and blog posts to social media and ads, your award gives you an important differentiator from the competition – one they can’t easily copy.

Awards aren’t just good for a little visibility through a press release and social media post. Featuring them on the page of your website helps attract visitors who value a company that strives for excellence. And it’s no secret that top-tier talent creates a high- quality product and brand. When you have a strong brand, your products inherit the positive perception.

The strategy also works well for B2C and B2B companies alike. In B2B, companies often prefer partners and vendors who have a track record of recognition for their high standards. In B2B relationships, a brand’s reputation is often judged by the companies it works with, so an award-winning brand can be a major asset in business development. In a B2C setting, consumers are always looking for trust signals – why should they trust your brand and its products, especially if they haven’t heard of you? Third-party recognition in the form of awards goes a long way toward building trust.

Love them or hate them awards are an incredible marketing tool for any brand or business prepared to put themselves out there. Remember, MARKETING EDGE Annual Awards of excellence is a credible platform to leverage your brand recognition, and as such you need to reach a maximum audience to get the best Return on Investment (ROI).

Equally important is that this very robust package does not fall short in all its regular offerings on Local and Foreign news, Features, Spotlights, etc, etc.