Ad Awards open – minus the cardboard!

WE launched our Ad Awards 09 earlier today, and already there has been positive feedback about our new digital method of entry.

By Brett Taylor, PANPA

For years, entering PANPA awards has meant gluing tearsheets to black cardboard and sending a bulky display parcel to PANPA’s offices. By deadline week, we would have every courier in Sydney descending on our doorstep – and we’d know them all on a first-name basis.

This method served us well to a point. It was a comprehensive process and most importantly, it didn’t lack integrity. But there has been a feeling that ‘there must be a better way’.

Which brings us to our Ad Awards 09. We’ve teamed up with Workstream Solutions to deliver a system of online entry that makes participation so much easier.

In the new system, PDFs of your pages and ads are uploaded, and inserted into a digital template that is reminiscent of that good ol’ piece of black cardboard. You type in your statement of purpose and it too is dropped into the design.

A few clicks later and you can enter your payment details through a secure online system – better than putting cheques in the mail.

The system is normally used by real estate agents as a do-it-yourself ad builder. With that in mind, if you have any difficulties with your entry, give us a call or email.

I shouldn’t divert too much attention from the awards themselves. We’ve completely overhauled the categories to cater for multi-platform advertising. The circulation categories have been adjusted to create a fair playing field – this time it’s 0 – 25,000; 25,001 – 90,000; and 90,001+.

The individual awards have been expanded as well. In these tough conditions we feel it is more important than ever to recognise those who are fighting hard for the industry against economic conditions and new competitors.

Head over to our awards page here to see a full list of categories, and download the all-important briefing document for criteria and further instructions.

Awards time is always an exciting time for PANPA – we get to talk to our members and celebrate your brilliant work.

So good luck, have fun digging up your best ads, tell your colleagues about us and enter soon before you miss out!