Why We Enter Award Shows

When you’re setting the criteria for your ideal advertising agency, does “wins awards” make the list? For some clients, it’s at the top. Others may not care one way or the other. For those of us in the advertising agency business, such validation by industry peers can be valuable – whether we like to admit it or not.

Winning awards gets agencies noticed.

Let’s be real, everyone likes to win. And creatives seem to hunger for validation more than most. But beyond the ego-boost, awards can give an agency a nice little PR bump. Clients looking for a new agency keep their eyes on the trade feeds and notice if those same names show up on an RFP list.

Plus, winning gives an agency a legit reason to socialize the work – no one will fault you for a humble brag. (At least I hope not since I plan to be doing a little of my own later on in this post.)

Competition is good.

Agencies that enter award shows foster a competitive environment internally. Account teams want to be the ones at the agency whose work gets recognized and knowing the work will be considered for entry is a factor in pushing for the best. At least, that’s the theory.

Interestingly, a great many of our team members have spent years under our roof – and those who leave, often return. So, Mike’s philosophy seems to work in our favor.

Awards remind clients they’re working with the right team.

An IPA study conducted in London over 10 years states that award-winning ads do their job 11 times more effectively. And while, clearly, award judging is a subjective business, (and maybe even too much of a popularity contest sometimes), clients have bosses, too. And when the work they oversaw takes home a trophy, it looks just as good on their shelf as the agency’s.

Keeping it all in perspective.

All that said, award-winning work is just part of the equation. Smarts, dedication, tenacity, and chemistry are also essential elements to consider when choosing an agency partner. LOOMIS has that to offer as well.

So, allow me a quick shout out to our team who took home a Bronze last night at the Dallas AAF Addy Awards. The spot “Girl Power” for our client United Methodist Communications won in the Online Film, Video & Sound (Public Service) category – a compilation of girls talking about their hopes and dreams and how their faith supports that. Receiving the accolade on the eve of International Women’s Day felt appropriate.

KIM SMITH is a creative director at LOOMIS, the country’s leading challenger brand advertising agency and a top Dallas advertising agency for digital, social, mobile and user experience. For more about challenger branding, advertising and marketing, leadership, culture and other inspirations that will drive your success, visit our blog BARK! The Voice of the Underdog and catch up on all of our posts.