Categories

Categories

1. Arts Sponsorship – supported by Arts & Business 

This year, Arts Sponsorship is focused more narrowly than previously. It covers sponsorships linked to the traditional arts and culture community; for example - museums, galleries, classical music, opera, theatre. Why not visit the Arts & Business website (www.artsandbusiness.org.uk) to get a feel for what kind of projects our sponsor seeks to promote?  Look for culture-commerce connectivity.

2. Entertainment & Event Sponsorship

This is a new category which is focused on the contemporary music, film and event sectors. It recognises the fact that sponsoring the Mobo Awards, Glastonbury or a new movie release is different to sponsoring the National Theatre or V&A. But don't worry if you're not sure which category to enter. We're happy to discuss it.

3. Charity & Community Sponsorship

This category is the same as before. It is designed to reward campaigns which benefit both the sponsor and the sponsored organisation. Try to make this very clear in your entry.

4.  Education & Learning Sponsorship

We've extended this category so it is not restricted to schools or core curriculum. School-based sponsorships are still welcome, but campaigns which achieve broader learning goals are also welcome. This might mean FE and HE but could also be sponsorships based around re-skilling or adult education.

5.   Green Sponsorship (previously Environment)
This category has not had the support it warrants given the importance of the green agenda. So we have renamed it as Green Sponsorship to inspire a debate around best practice. We're looking for sponsorships with a green ethos running through them. This could be in the context of a new stadium build, stakeholder lobbying, employee activities or cleaning up after a big event.

6. TV Sponsorship
 Given the importance of media sponsorship, we've decided to open this sector up across three categories. TV sponsorship is about partnerships which have TV at the hub. They might be leveraged across other platforms, but the core IP must be a TV show, a TV celebrity or branded content powered by TV. Free-to-air or PayTV deals are the primary but not exclusive target of this category.
 
 7. Print and Radio Sponsorship
 This category is about sponsorships that begin with print or radio. It's designed to recognise great work that is often overshadowed by the big budgets available in TV. Again, the sponsorship can (and should) be leveraged across platforms, but it needs to start with Print or Radio IP. This might be a branded supplement or product placement in a radio show. Cinema-based sponsorships should look to the Entertainment & Events category first.

8. Digital Activation
 This is another new category; designed to reward the most innovative and effective work in online and mobile. Whether it's website-based, mobile-based or via Facebook and Twitter, we want to see examples of how digital is transforming the way in which sponsorship supports branding or corporate objectives.  Please provide clear evidence of success, especially around engagement levels.

9. Sports Sponsorship – supported by Sport England

This category remains unchanged. There are two Awards, one for campaigns valued at £750,000 or more, another for smaller campaigns to recognise the great work done on tighter budgets.

10. Grass Roots Sports Sponsorship – supported by the Sport + Recreation Alliance

Sports sponsorship isn't all about high-profile activation. Grass roots is a crucial component, so this Award is about the way sponsors and partner organisations reach out to local communities. Echoing the Charity and Community Category, we'd like to see how both the brand and audience benefited.

11. Corporate Sponsorship

The primary objective of the sponsorship must be the promotion of a business organisation or corporate entity to business/public sector/governmental stakeholders/businessmen/women and or high net worth individuals.   Some entrants don't make a clear distinction between brand and corporate sponsorships. In this category what we're really after is the way in which sponsorship has helped a business organisation or corporate entity reach out to business/public sector/governmental stakeholders businessmen/women and or high net worth individuals. At the same time, if appropriate,  we'd like to see how it has changed the company's relationship with employees.

12. Brand Sponsorship
By contrast, this category is for sponsorships where the primary objective is the promotion of a brand or a group of brands. So we're looking for sales data and brand image shifts. Like sport, this category is split into two budget bands. Please ensure that you state the budget level on the entry form. 

13. First Time Sponsor Award 

As its name suggests, this category is open to campaigns conducted by companies or brands that have executed sponsorship programmes for the first time in the last two years.

14. Sponsorship Continuity

This category is open to sponsorship campaigns which have been in place for a minimum of four years and have been renewed at least once. Entries are judged on the success of the campaign and how it has been developed year by year. Evidence of how insights have been developed and applied during the course of the relationship is a key consideration. There's no penalty for saying, "X didn't work in year 1, so we did Y in year 2 and boosted sales".

15. The ESA International Sponsorship Award - sponsored by the European Sponsorship Association
A sponsorship, for brand or corporate entity, which is targeting/ has targeted audiences in three or more countries. We've increased the number of countries to discount situations where a sponsorship spills over a border or is only bi-lateral (eg England vs France).

16. Best Use of Research in a Sponsorship Campaign - sponsored by Marketlink Research and SMG Insight
Entries should include: Objectives of research programme; budget level; methods and implementation; quality procedures; integration within sponsorship programme; how research was used to measure success, add value to project, attract new sponsors, etc. Emphasis should be placed on how the research was used to alter and develop the sponsorship. Email info@sponsorship-awards.co.uk for full details.

17. Best Use of Public Relations in a Sponsorship Campaign – sponsored by Hollis PR and supported by the Public Relations Consultants Association.

This category attracts two kinds of entries: PR stunts or PR as a piece of integrated strategy. Both can win and have won. But we are more interested in well-thought strategies than a stroke of luck. If stunt-based, try to show us how the stunt came about and how you managed to leverage the impact it generated, not just the number of column inches and bulletin mentions it achieved.

18. Special Award for the Best Low Budget Sponsorship (under £50,000)

Anther category designed to recognise the great work being done with reduced means. Usual criteria apply but we are conscious of the fact that less budget limits what can be done in activation. 

19. Sponsorship Consultancy of the Year – sponsored by ICON. 

We have broken this particular category into two categories - one for large consultancies and one for small-to-medium or boutique consultancies. Large consultancies, for the most part, will be agency-owned and have a turnover in excess of £5 million. However the final decision as to which category a consultancy falls into will be down to the judges. Judges will receive all entries in one group and then filter them into two sub-groups, awarding a winner in each. Their decision is final. This approach is to make sure we are measuring like with like and not unfairly penalising SMEs.

1. Entries for this category need to offer:
   
   • Evidence of success over the past 12 months – indicators: revenue growth, profit uplift, new business wins, client retention
   • Examples of creativity and innovation
   • Examples of campaign success within the industry
   • New initiatives within industry
   • Staff motivation and training
   • Client testimonials
   • PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ENTRY FORM IS THE SAME FOR ALL CATEGORIES THEREFORE SOME INFORMATION REQUESTED IS NOT RELEVANT TO THIS CATEGORY.  PLEASE TYPE N/A IN ALL IRRELEVANT BOXES - I.E., SPONSOR NAME, MISSION STATEMENT, ETC.

20. Sponsorship Innovation Of The Year
Another new Award, to be decided by judges based on the campaigns shortlisted in the above categories. This one will go to the agency, rights holder or brand behind an eye-catching innovation. For this category, we will take a slightly softer line on objectives and evidence but will not reward innovation for innovation's sake. The winning campaign will be one which, in the judges' opinion, introduces a solution which benefits the sector. It does not need to be a winner in any of the above categories.

THE HOLLIS SPONSORSHIP OF THE YEAR TROPHY
The top prize will be awarded to one outstanding winner chosen from the winners of the individual categories.

Sponsorship Personality of the Year 2012
The winner will be deemed to have made the most significant contribution to the sponsorship industry. Nominations will initially be sought from the industry at large and the final selection will be made by the Awards judging panel. Please email rosie@sponsorship-awards.co.uk with your nomination and reasons why.  Last year's winner was James Cracknell MBE.

The Barrie Gill Award for Most Promising Young Executive– sponsored by the European Sponsorship Association
This award recognises young executives (must be under 27) working within agencies, client companies or rights holders who are making a significant impact within their organisation and the sector at large.  Please send a maximum of 300 words outlining what in particular makes this candidate exceptional, how he/she has impacted on your business, exceeded expectations on particular tasks and campaigns and how this translates into future career development. Email rosie@sponsorship-awards.co.uk. A judge will then contact you to discuss the candidate in more detail.

Ideally, nominees should be registered for the ESA Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Programme which recognises and rewards commitment to ongoing learning. Registration is easy and at minimal cost – for more detail, please call ESA on +44 (0)208 390 3311 or visit www.sponsorship.org/cpd.asp