Meet the judges: Automotive Marketing and Communications Awards

Are you thinking of entering our Marketing and Communications Awards? Here’s what the judges will be looking for

Autocar Business has launched a new awards initiative to recognise the work and contribution of in-house teams and supporting agencies in the automotive marketing and communications sector.

As we edge ever closer to the deadline of 2 December 2021, the judges give their thoughts on what they hope to see from entrants and reveal their top tips for delivering a winning presentation.

*David Amstel*

Head of campaigns, cabinet office

Great ideas - they are always at the heart of any award-winning campaign.

Top tip: keep a really clear focus on the role and impact of communications and your campaign on the end results.

*Jack Carter*

Automotive brand partnerships lead - UK, TikTok

Creative that drives change, in whatever form that may be. An award-winning campaign should inform, engage and, fundamentally, entertain.

Top tip: think about how your campaign has made a difference and identify exactly what it has done, creatively, that moved it from good to great.

*Michelle Davis*

Head of automotive, LinkedIn

I like to see the value of combined efforts, bringing different teams, technology and skills together to create real magic. Challenging at the best of times, anyone achieving this over the past 18 months deserves high praise.

Top tip: do it! Marketing teams need a boost right now following such a challenging year. Don't let the need to demonstrate innovation hold you back. Innovation can be found in lots of different places.

*John Gardiner*

Executive director, communications, Ford of Britain & Ireland, and corporate communications, Ford of Europe

I’m looking for strong resonance with the target audience; creativity resulting in an unexpected moment that makes you stop and look twice, perhaps even making the recipient think afresh about the brand; an element of emotion and/or humour that connects at the individual level.

Top tip: go for it! Use the awards as an opportunity to reflect on your own work and to be proud of what you and your team creates. Who knows, you may even go home with an award in your hands!

*Mark Harrison*

Managing director, Praga Cars Ltd

Did your campaign really achieve what you set out to achieve? That's good, but what surprised you or moved it up a level against your objectives to something worth celebrating?

Top tip: look for creativity, pragmatism, teamwork and genuine benefits for the target audience in what you are delivering: achievable commercial goals and the honesty to look at what didn't work as much as what did.

*David Parkinson*

CEO and MD, Brave & Heart

Customer- and results-focused campaigns are always the ones that make the most impact on me as a judge. Is it a one-off stunt, or is it a real project that will deliver results outside of the awards industry?

Top tip: be focused on what you did, why you did it and the insights that led to the campaign. Then detail the results - not just in money but across all your key customer metrics.

*Michelle Roberts*

Marketing director, BMW UK

I'm looking for emotion and storytelling. Award-winning campaigns make people feel something about the brand. Successful campaigns must be innovative in some way and integrate through all customer touchpoints and media channels. Sometimes it is the simplest and smallest ideas that create the best work.

Top tip: my advice would be to definitely enter: give it a go! These new Autocar Business Automotive and Marketing Communication awards will be great acknowledgement of campaigns and approaches in automotive for this year. With limited ability to do this over the past 18 months, now is the time to celebrate the great work happening in the category and recognise the brands and people behind these amazing ideas.

*Hamel Soni*

Senior industry heads, automotive at Google

In a world where consumer demands of businesses and their privacy continue to increase, being smart and conscious with data, tech and creativity has never been more important. The winning campaign will be thinking about all of these - together.

Top tip: it's about time that the industry has an awards ceremony that celebrates the amazing marketing that we see happen day in, day out. Over the years, there have been some standout campaigns that have also stood the test of time. This is an opportunity to be recognised for the great work that you have done with other friends and colleagues across the industry.

*Gabi Whitfield*

Director, Gabi Whitfield Ltd

I want to see creativity that breaks through to both the heart and mind. How are you creating standout? Why should people care? What noticeable difference did you make with this campaign? Creative, smart, focused activity with clear objectives and measurable outcomes will win out. This is not about the big budgets. It's about recognising great ideas that deliver great results.

Top tip: there is so much talent in the automotive industry and so much great work that deserves to be recognised. Let's showcase who we are and what we do. Remember, this is not about big budgets: it's about creativity and demonstrable results. If you've delivered a piece of communications work that you're genuinely proud of, then simply submit your entry and let's celebrate that work as a community.

The inaugural Automotive Marketing and Communications Awards powered by Autocar Business will take place in spring 2022, with winners recognised across 16 categories.

With annual spend on marketing and communications only behind retail in the sector, the awards are open to a range of companies and agencies, from digital marketing operators to software and data intelligence specialists.

The Automotive Marketing and Communications Awards powered by Autocar Business will recognise winners in the following categories:

· Best Online/eCommerce Experience
· Event (Digital or Physical) of the Year
· Best Use of Data
· Branded Content of the Year
· Digital Marketing Campaign of the Year
· Influencer Marketing Campaign of the Year
· Social Media Campaign of the Year
· PR Campaign of the Year
· Retail/Dealer Marketing Campaign of the Year
· Product or Service Launch of the Year
· 'Making A Difference' Societal Campaign of the Year
· SEO Campaign of the Year
· Media Agency of the Year
· Communications Team of the Year
· Creative Team of the Year
· Small Budget Campaign of the Year

For full terms and conditions, as well as entry details, visit here.