Award Categories

  • Best Branded Content

    This category recognises the best content created for a brand. The content should authentically align
    with the brand values and strategy which resonates clearly with the target audience. Judges will evaluate
    the content creation and creative execution, with additional credit given to storytelling across media
    channels, as well as the customer experience as evidenced by consumer engagement metrics.
    Examples can include but are not limited to videos, articles or publications, podcasts, radio shows, video
    games and live event content directly made for the brand.

  • Best Campaign for a Holiday or Celebration

    This category will reward campaigns that have used a holiday or celebration day as the focal point of
    their strategy to generate results for their clients. Campaigns should make excellent use of audience
    insights around habits, activities, and preferences around the event, which are specific to the target
    market. The jury will also be looking for campaigns which have demonstrated how clever planning and
    strategy leading up and during the occasion have been crucial to their success.
    Examples include, but are not limited to Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, Eid, Passover, Dia de Muertos,
    Kwanzaa, Diwali, Easter, New Year, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, and Halloween.

  • Best Campaign for a Local Brand

    This category rewards campaigns for local brands that are specific and exclusive to a certain country or
    region. The campaign will be implemented locally and the entries will be able to demonstrate how the
    project has helped a local brand fulfil its targets and reach KPI’s. Entrants should outline the challenge
    for the brand within the market, and how they worked to overcome them.
    This is an amazing opportunity for entrants to showcase campaigns for smaller, countrywide brands that
    are producing amazing work. Campaigns for global brands that are widely available to multiple
    countries should not be submitted in this category.

  • Best Campaign for an Awareness or Observance Day, Week or Month

    This category is for campaigns which have focused on, celebrated, promoted or incorporated cultural
    and awareness moments as the core of their strategy to generate results for its clients. Campaigns
    should make excellent use of audience insights around habits, activities, and preferences around the
    event.
    The jury will be looking for campaigns which have demonstrated how clever planning and strategy have
    led to success and driven sales, but also had a significant impact, or drove further awareness of the issue
    the Awareness or Observance Day, Week or Month is focusing on.
    Examples include, but are not limited to LGBTQ+ month, International Women’s Day, Black History
    Month, Mental Health Day and Disability Awareness Week.

  • Best Campaign Led by Cause

    This category is reserved for campaigns that demonstrate how it led with a purposeful cause- addressing
    a social, ethical and/or environmental issue. This can be CSR focused, marketing for brands, charities,
    not-for-profits, social movements or inclusion and diversity initiatives.
    Winning entries will be able to demonstrate positive and measurable impact in the world, how it has
    raised awareness of an organisation’s values/initiatives, or made constructive changes to cultural and
    social perceptions, while also delivering on its marketing objectives.

  • Best Campaign led by Independent Agency

    This category is reserved for independent agencies who are executing outstanding campaigns and
    making their stamp on the industry. Entrants should detail the challenges they face as an independent
    organisation, and illustrate how they used their independent capabilities, tools, resources, and
    community to generate impressive results and develop business for both the brand and the agency
    itself. When evaluating the work, judges will be looking for creativity, solid insight and how the
    campaign met, or surpassed the client objectives.
    To be considered an independent agency 51% of its ownership should be independent inclusive of
    private equity and have no affiliation with one of the six holding groups WPP, OMG, Havas, Publicis, IPG
    and Dentsu. The agency – big or small – needs to be the lead on the campaign.
    For this category, the entry price will remain at £415 throughout the entire entry period to allow
    better access for independent agencies with restricted budgets.

  • Best Communications Strategy

    This category celebrates campaigns that demonstrate a brilliant communication strategy. Judges will be
    looking for a clear narrative in the brand’s storytelling across all elements of the activation, a compelling
    use of messaging in its aims and authentic methods of communicating whether that be the use of
    existing channels, or the creation of new ways of engaging.
    The winning campaign must demonstrate clear consumer insight and connectivity with the target
    audience via the development of a fertile strategy and precise execution. This can include any form of
    media used, whether a single or multi-platform campaign. Judges will favour work that pushes
    boundaries and is at the forefront of innovation.

  • Best Distribution and Amplification of Content

    This category recognises campaigns that were successfully boosted by the distribution, amplification,
    and presentation of its content. The content could be existing, user generated or newly created and can
    be in any format including, but not limited to, video, print, OOH, audio, native advertising.
    Campaigns in this category will be specifically judged on their content strategy, which will include
    identifying the target audience and how effectively the placement of content was planned and
    implemented to engage with those consumers.
    We encourage entries from both media owners and media agencies.
    Examples include distributing and amplifying user generated content, social media content, third-party
    generated content, brand-specific content, such as videos, articles, podcasts, radio shows, video games
    and live event content.

  • Best ecommerce Campaign

    This category is looking for the best campaigns which have used ecommerce to help drive awareness,
    purchase intent, click through rates and conversions for brands across all sectors.
    Judges will be looking for how the campaigns have interacted across devices, platforms, and channels
    with the right audience in the right space at the right time, how they have combined data and creativity
    to drive sales and increase ROI and achieved the campaigns’ objectives.
    Please note this category is open to online retail brands that have used their ecommerce and social
    commerce tools and resources as part of their campaign, as well as other brand campaigns that have
    used ecommerce sites as part of the media strategy.

  • Best Engagement Strategy

    This category recognises the campaign that can demonstrate the most successful consumer
    engagement showing tangible target audience related results. The campaign can have used any media
    channel so long as it can prove engagement with either wide-scale or niche consumer groups. The jury
    will be looking for audience related results and proof of engagement through metrics such as ‘time
    spent with brand’, ‘number of interactions with the brand’, ‘number of downloads’, ‘number of comments’
    and other key engagement metrics

  • Best Event or Experiential Campaign

    This category recognises physical, virtual or hybrid experiences that deliver an effective event or
    experiential campaign for consumers. The case should be clear on its results and be focused on the
    event / experience itself. The jury will expect to see how the brand has developed its interaction with the
    consumer, created a number of key touchpoints and brought to life the brand's values and identity. The
    winner will be able to demonstrate the tangible benefits for the brand ideally including business results
    as well as impressive campaign metrics.
    Examples can include but are not limited to- pop-ups, stunts, guerrilla marketing, projections, ambient
    media, digital simulations and virtual events

  • Best Integrated Campaign

    The winner of this category must have combined two or more platforms, such as mobile, OOH, social
    media, technology, TV, cinema, radio, print or other mediums. The successful multi-channel campaign
    must show an effective use of various mediums in a creative and engaging way to obtain great results on
    clear objectives. The decisions behind the varying platform choices should be clear.
    Note that the campaign can be solely implemented using digital media, or solely implemented using
    traditional media, as long as there are two, or more platforms used successfully.

  • Best Launch or Relaunch Campaign

    The winning campaign will demonstrate the most successful strategy created to launch or re-launch a
    new or existing product, service, or brand. Judges will look for proven understanding of the target
    audience and marketplace, which is incorporated into the strategy and execution.
    Entries focusing on a relaunch should be able to present a significant and obvious update or change to
    the product, service or brand in question. It will also be advantageous to compare previous results to
    those that have been achieved since the relaunch.
    Please note - the launch or relaunch of a marketing campaign will not be suitable within this
    category, judges will specifically be looking for the launch or relaunch of a product, service, or
    brand.

  • Best Local Execution of a Global Brand

    This award will recognise the creative and strategic media approach that results in a qualified brand
    impact on a local audience. The winning work could be a local execution for a global brand, product or
    service; or a global brand campaign, which has been adapted for local execution, as long as it shows
    how it was adapted specifically for the local audience, recognising cultural nuances.
    Judges will look for great insight, execution including the use of appropriate media channels, and
    strong results such as increases in brand perception, customer engagement and sales.

  • Best Music Marketing Campaign

    This category is open to campaigns which have tapped into the world of music as the main driver of their
    strategies and success.
    This could be campaigns that have curated musical experiences, are focused on, or incorporated the
    use of a licensed, or original piece of music, or collaborations with music acts/artists, or organisations
    such as, but not limited, to music publishers, licensors or distributors, record labels and music streaming
    platforms.
    Judges will be looking for an authentic connection between the music and the brand, and how music
    has been leveraged to communicate and resonate with consumers, while delivering or surpassing its
    client objectives and generating awareness, product or service uplift and key amplification to current
    and potential customers.

  • Best Response Campaign

    This category is open to campaigns that have tactically responded to the cultural, economic, social,
    political, health and community landscape in a creative and resourceful way. Judges will look for brands
    that have developed their campaign strategy in reaction to the changes within these environments and
    adapted their media and marketing strategies to deliver the best possible results and effective change.
    Examples include but are not limited to inclusion, political policy, cultural shifts, health crises and social
    change response campaigns.

  • Best Use of Audio

    This category will be looking at how a brand has successfully used audio as it’s main driver to deliver
    its ROI. Judges will be focusing on the innovation, creativity, planning and the business results
    achieved through the campaign.
    The campaign could have been executed through traditional audio media, digital audio media or a
    combination of both.
    Examples can include, but are not restricted to, the use of Podcasts, radio, streaming platforms or other
    channels in the audio space such as: WTOP FM, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, Apple Music,
    Soundcloud, NTS, Bandcamp, Internet Radio.

  • Best Use of Data Award

    The winner in this category will demonstrate the best use of data and will have effectively reached
    consumers with a successful campaign that has been notably enhanced, or even made possible through
    learning and insights gained from the data.
    Campaigns can range from social media to e-commerce, as long as they have data at their heart. The
    winning entry should prove the best use of small or big data, which has ultimately improved results, as
    evidenced by metrics, increases in the average order value, a reduction in online CPA or increase in ROI.
    Pre- and post-campaign statistics will be another useful benchmark for judges.

  • Best Use of esports or Gaming

    This category is open to any campaign that has used gaming, gamification or esports as a media
    channel for the focal point of its strategy. The submitted work will have to demonstrate how it engaged
    with the esports and/ or gaming eco-systems taking advantage of its audiences, reach and network to
    add value and deliver fantastic results for the client’s brand. This could also include partnerships with
    esports teams and tournament organisers, gaming groups, games publishers, or bespoke gamification
    developers.
    esports examples include, but are not limited to: Fortnite, Guild, Twitch, Fnatic, G2 esports, Team Liquid,
    FACEIT, ESL

  • Best Use of Mobile

    This category rewards brand communication that has understood and used mobile to make a success of
    the campaign. Entrants should be clear on how and why mobile was used and should demonstrate how
    it played a critical role in achieving the client objectives and great results.
    Examples include, but are not limited to apps, mobile websites, mobile games, and mobile based
    advertising.

  • Best Use of Online

    This category rewards campaigns that have used the web/online landscape effectively and as its primary
    marketing tool. The jury will be looking for creative implementation, great examples of interaction and
    successful results which only web could have achieved.
    Examples include, but are not limited to, content produced for the online landscape such as websites;
    landing pages; video ads; display ads; microsites; apps; SEO; banner ads and pop-ups.

  • Best Use of Out of Home

    This category is open to all campaigns which have used Out of Home as the primary media channel to
    amplify a product, service, or brand. Judges will be looking at how the OOH campaigns delivered the
    clients’ objectives, showcased interaction, innovation, and excellence in the medium.
    Examples can include but are not restricted to digital and non-digital billboards, posters, bus shelters,
    sports centres, building wraps and small and large sized ambient media.

  • Best Use of Print & Publishing

    This category will be celebrating the best use of Print and Publishing to drive awareness, sales, and to
    meet objectives for the client. Judges will be focusing on how the client has utilised the publishers’
    media, networks, audiences, tools and portfolio of products and the results these delivered. Entrants
    should be clear as to why Print and Publishing was chosen and integral to the success of the campaign.
    The campaign could have been executed through traditional print or digital publishing, or could have
    used both.
    Examples can include, but not restricted to campaigns utilising publishers’ magazines, newspapers,
    leaflets, and other digital or non-digital content outlets.

  • Best Use of Real-Time Marketing

    This category is open to campaigns that have successfully engaged with their customers utilising realtime
    information. The strategy may be planned or be more spontaneous/reactionary, so long as the
    entry showcases how the brand created relevant messaging and reacted with audiences in real-time by
    responding to current data, trends, news or events.
    Judges will be looking for how the time-sensitive content, amplified interaction with their audiences,
    drove brand awareness, increased conversion, and enhanced the brand’s image.
    The range of real-time work judges will consider includes, but is not limited to, marketing automation
    such as triggered emails, response to timely news, trends or events, engaging with customers on social
    media, personalised digital content based on interactions, live event promotion, or location-based deals
    through emails or apps. Platforms could include X (Twitter), TikTok, Snap, WeChat, OOH, digital displays,
    or Instagram.

  • Best Use of Social Media

    This category rewards campaigns that has used social media as its core driver of success. The jury will be
    looking for great examples of interaction and results which only social media could have achieved.
    Examples of the use of social media channels can include but are not limited to– organic, sponsored and
    paid-for content, blogs, social video, social posts, video-sharing sites. This could include campaigns
    using platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, X (Twitter), Twitch, Pinterest, LinkedIn,WeChat, Facebook
    and TikTok.

  • Best Use of Sport

    This category has been created to celebrate media campaigns, which have used sport as a vital
    component of their strategies to drive results, resonate with consumers and communicate the client’s
    key messaging. This could include working or partnering with sports teams, organisations, communities,
    individuals, and associations within any sport around the globe, or an activation at a sports event - local,
    regional or global - which allows key touchpoints for the client’s target audiences and is part of an
    overall media strategy.
    Judges will be looking at the results the association with sport has achieved, how it met and surpassed
    the client’s objectives and used sport as a key communicational tool.
    Examples could include but are not limited to- innovative sponsorship activations at sporting events like
    F1, FIFA World Cup, NBA playoffs, Super Bowl, Cricket World Cup, Rugby World Cup, or the Olympics
    and working with sports teams, clubs or organisations- such as the IOC, PGA, Manchester United, Real
    Madrid, New York Kicks. LA Lakers and Denver Broncos.

  • Best Use of Talent

    This category rewards the campaigns that have best leveraged a strategic partnership between a brand
    and talent(s) as part, or as the whole of its activation. The talent may be a celebrity, sports star, leading
    industry figure, social media influencer, esports star, brand ambassador, or other notable character, real
    or fictional, who has directly tapped into their own following to benefit the brand. The activation may be
    part of a planned campaign using the talent or used more spontaneously in real-time marketing.
    Overall judges will look for authenticity between talent and brand.

  • Best Use of Technology

    This category rewards campaigns that have understood and used technology as the primary
    amplification tool to deliver on the objectives of its clients. The winning work will be able to demonstrate
    why/how the technology was strategically selected and used and how the brand and technology worked
    seamlessly, to engage, target, and resonate with the right audiences. Jurors will be looking at how only
    the use of technology made all of the former possible.
    Examples could include but are not limited to the use of- programmatic, first and third-party data tech,
    realtime marketing, AR, AI, Chatbots, IoT, Metaverse, software, wearable tech or a custom-made
    technology solution.

  • Best Use of Video

    This category will be amplifying the best campaigns which have used TV, streaming TV services, Video
    channels and Cinema as their key media channel. Judges will be looking at how the campaigns met the
    client objectives with engaging and creative content in one of more of these mediums.
    Examples can include but are not restricted to the use of Television channels, Streaming services,
    Television Networks, Cinema operators/Chains or Broadcasting companies such as: Netflix, Amazon,
    YouTube HBO, China Global Television network, CJ CGV, Wanda, Disney, Sun TV and ABS-CBN.

  • Best Viral Campaign

    This category is open to campaigns that have utilised viral marketing tactics to generate engagement
    around a product, service, or brand, to generate maximum positive coverage and consumer interaction.
    Judges will be looking for campaigns which have been amplified by the power of peer
    recommendations or references across social networks and other online channels.
    The activation should have employed one, or a number of the following viral marketing tactics- a
    message which instantly translates as relevant, bold, funny or awe-inspiring to the right target audience;
    content which has a call to action or is instantly shareable; the use of emotive content that encouraged
    its audience to take action and an overriding short and simple message for the brand, service or product
    being marketed.
    The jury will also be looking for metrics such as level of reach, connectivity with the audience, the
    number of shares the campaign achieved across its different channels and its overall impact of the
    brand, service, or product it was amplifying.

  • Better Media Practice Award

    This category has been set up to encourage the industry to partake in creating campaigns that can
    demonstrate an innovative approach to media that is intentionally considered - from planning to
    implementation - to drive better media results for advertisers.
    Entrants in this category should demonstrate how the campaigns have been curated to do one, or a
    combination of any of the following: combat ad fraud, reduce environmental impact, simplify the
    complex, making social media a safer place for young and funding independent journalism. Ultimately
    the jury will be looking to award campaigns which are striving to make media practice better for
    advertisers and improving the marketer experience.

  • Collaboration Award

    The winner in this category will showcase the value a collaboration can deliver for a campaign.
    Collaboration should be between a minimum of two organisations, and they should have equal billing in
    the curation and execution of the campaign. It could be a partnership between the client and the
    agency, the agency and the media partner, or the agency and other involved parties, such as a tech
    company, the creative or the PR agency. The winning entry will highlight how collaboration was at the
    heart of the project and integral to the campaign’s success.
    Judges will be looking for collaborative relationships that go beyond a traditional sponsorship
    agreement

  • Inclusive Campaign of the Year

    This category will champion campaigns that have focused on or highlighted the topic of
    inclusion/inclusivity. The jury will be looking to award a brand that has positively represented or
    contributed to individuals or communities from various; backgrounds, experiences, capabilities, and
    perspectives who are usually excluded, unrepresented or marginalised.
    Entrants should demonstrate an authentic and effective campaign that delivered impact for the groups
    that it is representing, alongside fantastic marketing results.
    The campaign must focus on a topic of inclusion, examples can include, but are not exclusive to- work
    based around gender, age, race, sexual orientation, or disability.

  • The Bravery Award

    This category will celebrate agencies or clients who have courageously stepped outside of the comfort
    zone to create a gutsy, head turning campaign that has sparked conversation and been rewarded with
    impressive results. This could be campaigns that have ripped up the industry rulebook and made
    unconventional media and marketing choices, or deviated from cultural norms and/or tackled taboo
    subjects.
    The jury will be looking for entrants to demonstrate how and why they pushed the boundaries into
    unknown or uncertain territory, the risks at hand and how they overcame marketing challenges to
    achieve success. These campaigns can cover any medium.

  • The Creative Use of Media Award

    This category has been curated to celebrate ground-breaking creativity within the media industry.
    Entries should demonstrate how their campaigns have been propelled to new heights, whether that be
    through innovative ideas, clever use of media channels- existing, as well as the creation of new, or a
    game changing strategy.
    Judges will be looking out for cut-through or pioneering campaigns, that skilfully navigates but also
    transcend the media landscape. Please note whilst results will play a role in the judging of this award, the
    jury will be focused on creativity itself.

  • The ROI Award

    This category will focus primarily on the return-on-investment campaigns delivered for their clients. It
    means results against key business objectives, which have driven sales and awareness will be critical for
    the judges’ evaluation. These results could be part of an econometrics model implemented by the
    creator of the campaign, or from a variety of other trusted measurement platforms.
    Judges will also be looking for the impact of the campaign over a two-year period to ensure there is
    sufficient time for the results to deliver positive ROI for the client.
    This category is open to both B2C and B2B campaigns and judges will carefully consider the
    effectiveness of the results and the ROI they delivered during implementation.
    This category will allow a two-year eligibility period, with campaigns that ran between 1 January
    2022 and 31 January 2024.

FOM Global Awards Entry Kit
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Support

Awards Support

Our dedicated Awards Experts are on hand to offer guidance on any queries you may have.

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Leah Mellard

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FOM and M&G Global

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Holly Lee

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