DMA Awards â A Judgeâs Perspective

As our thoughts turn to warmer weather, BBQs, vacations or just how to entertain the kids for that long holiday another summer tradition is also now upon us, the call for entries for the 2015 DMA Awards.

At the Email Council we were reflecting, with some pride, at the record number of entries in the ‘Best use of email’ category last year and some of the great work in the channel that was showcased. However in an effort to help exceed last year in number and quality of entries the Council is going to run a series of articles to highlight various aspects of the awards.

In this first piece I will focus on another aspect where you can get involved, being on the judging panel. Be one of those who give up their time to participate, whose professionalism, expertise, and impartiality have long given the winning of a DMA award such a cache. (Disclosure that I have been an Awards judge a few times over the last 6 years!)

The DMA is always looking for new people to be judges so I thought it would be useful to share some thoughts from some previous judges and what they, and I, got out of the experience, and hopefully encourage you to apply.

As we reflected on our experience a couple of common themes came to mind

What most surprised you about being a judge?

For most, including me it has been the increasing volume & variety of entries and the depth of material that is supplied by each participant. It has been obvious over the last few years that the bar has been raised in quality of entries but also the number of entries across lots of different sectors, with differing cmapign aims and objectives

However there was also a feeling that amongst those entries there was still a wide range from the truly innovative to those that stuck to a tried and tested formula. Indeed it was a hotly debated topic in the judging room around rewarding entries, just for following a best practice but safe approach.

Although also a cautionary note that those entries that didn’t adopt best practices were quickly called out and rejected!

What did you get out of being a judge:

Getting to see, and having the time to reflect on, a wide range of campaigns was a common theme here. A great experience and useful insight into what different industries are doing and how they were collaborating with their customers.

The actual experience of being in the judging room was also highlighted, with a number of different types of people, from creatives to the data geeks and all with obviously different perspectives about what makes a great use of email. This variety of perceptions has, for me, left a lasting impression that allows for a greater appreciation of the different aspects of what makes an email great.

It also proved a great networking opportunity and all conducted in very professional but lively, passionate and engaging way. The calibre of the judges also meant it felt a privilege to participate. So advice for this year, try to leave any natural biases at the door, come ready to listen, debate and learn and have some fun!

What do you think are the key takeaways for potential entrants this year:

Going back to the wide participation, one of the key messages is don’t assume everyone is already doing something better than you. Don’t worry about what other people are doing, if you believe you have a good email / campaign that has captured the intended audience and provided demonstrable results then enter! It is an award that anyone can win (big brand, little business, huge campaign or single email),

But a couple of watch outs were highlighted. Ensure you give the judges everything they need to make the right decision, including the strategy and the results (remember that the entries are all confidential) but do read all preparatory material in advance, it is very frustrating especially if it appears like a good piece of work but without supporting evidence an entry can’t be judged effectively

So sounds like a great experience and valuable use of your time? Then please visit the site to find out about any aspect of the awards and if the above has inspired you then sign up here to be a judge for this year or go to

http://www.dmaawards.org.uk/2015-judges-application-form

Happy judging and with thanks for the input from my fellow former judges, Saima Alibhai, Anthony Wilkey, James Bunting

Matt Simons

Email Council