The IPM COGS Awards 2015 Categories

Categories for Entry  

We have several categories that you are able to enter. Below, we have detailed the categories that you can enter, what's expected and how we judge the entry you submit.  

Categories  

1. Coupons 
2. Print Management
3. Risk Management  
4. Mobile 
5. On-line  
6. Promotional Merchandise 
7. Experiential & Event 
8. Handling & Fulfilment  
9. Staffing  
10. Direct Marketing 
11. Loyalty  
12. Prize, Incentive & Reward 
13. Creative 
14. Innovation 

What makes a winning entry? 

The winner in each category will have demonstrated an understanding of the commercial aims and an excellent working relationship with their client (whether this is an agency or a promoter) and executed the campaign with efficiency and cost effectiveness, hitting and exceeding the targets and service levels set for the campaign.  

1. Coupons: Will be awarded to the campaign that demonstrates the best work by a provider of either physical or on-line coupons. 
2. Print Management: Will be awarded to the campaign that demonstrates the best work by a supplier of printing services of all types and sizes, and which manages print sourcing and buying.  Areas covered by these companies include printing on paper, card and other services and media, the use of specialist inks, security printing, the use of specialist techniques (e.g. scratch-off coverings, promotional packaging). 
3. Risk Management: This award recognises outstanding work by a risk management provider.  For example, a company providing either fixed fee services (typically where they assume all the risks in the management of a promotion) or promotional risk management or promotional risk insurance services. 
4. Mobile: This award recognises outstanding work by a provider of specialist mobile services for promotional campaigns.  For example, text-to-win, mobile couponing, mobile barcode scanning, SMS and MMS messaging, instant messaging, mobile games, augmented reality, NFC and GPD related systems and mobile video. 
5. On-Line: This award recognises outstanding work by a provider of specialist online and/or social media services for promotional campaigns.  For example, website build and development, search engine optimization, pay-per-click, usability, online games, online couponing services, video and rich media, ad servers, viral marketing seeding and management, social media consultancy, social reputation management, social/viral games creation, profile building on social media platforms, e.g. Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest.  
6. Promotional Merchandise:  This award recognises outstanding work by a provider of promotional merchandise for any campaign whether, in pack, on-pack, free mail in, gift with purchase, direct mail, experiential event, giveaway, sampling campaign or self-liquidating promotion. It can be a consumer based or business to business campaign.
7. Experiential & Event: This award recognises outstanding work by a provider of services to support an event or experiential campaign whether it is a public event, in-store, pop-up, shopping centre or away from point of purchase. 
8. Handling & Fulfilment:   This award recognises outstanding work by a provider of handling and fulfilment services.  For example, picking, packing and distribution of rewards, handling promotion responses via phone or online, etc.   
9. Staffing:  This award recognises outstanding work by a provider of temporary staff for promotional campaigns.  For example, recruiting, managing and training temporary staff for experiential campaigns, compliance audits, mystery shopping, etc.   
10. Direct Marketing:  This award recognises outstanding work by providers of direct marketing services, such as mailing houses, outbound and inbound telemarketing, door-to-door delivery, etc.  These companies may also provide other services, such as handling and fulfilment and customer relationship management (CRM).    
11. Loyalty:  This award recognises outstanding work by providers of services, to support long term consumer or business to business loyalty campaigns. The services can be of any format, digital, physical, creative services, handling and fulfilment, provision of prizes or merchandise. The campaign may be long term or newly established but must have been in operation for significant amount of time during the year and must clearly have been aimed at driving loyalty amongst its target audience.    
12. Prize, Incentive and Reward:  This award recognises outstanding work by a company which sources products and experiences for use as premiums, prizes, or incentives in consumer promotions, or as rewards in staff and employee motivation programmes.  These include physical items, holidays, event/concert tickets, and activities such as hot air ballooning.  Companies eligible to enter this category may offer a range of services, including consultancy (helping craft premiums or rewards to meet business objectives) or prize and rewards management (not just sourcing, but taking responsibility for handling the winners/recipients all through the process).   
13. Creative: This category recognizes exceptional original creative work by a service provider to either an agency or directly to a promoter.  The creative work can be copy, design, artwork or any other creative aspect of the campaign. The work submitted must be wholly that of the entering company, however it is permissible to enter executions of existing creative campaigns provided that the entrant is able to clearly demonstrate the original input they have had into their aspect of the campaign. The judges will not accept entries unless it is clearly the original work of the entering service provider.    
14. Innovation:  This category recognises innovation by a service provider in their input into a campaign to either an agency or directly to a promoter.  The innovation can be of any nature, new techniques, digital, technological, promotional premium, on pack, print, sampling experiential etc etc. Entrants must be able to demonstrate why their work is innovative and why it was effective in the context of the campaign.