AV Awards 2009
Entering the AV Awards 2009
Who should enter?
Entry is open to any company that is involved in the a-v industry, from manufacturers of any kind of equipment or software used in a-v communication to media production companies. You will find more in-depth information in the category definitions.
Eligibility
All product launches and innovations, manufacturer’s information, project and company information should relate to the 15 month period from 1 April 2008 until 30 June 2009. If the same entry was made for the 2008 Awards it will be disqualified and any fees forfeited.
When will the entries be judged?
Judging will take place during August 2009, as soon as all entries have been processed and the judges have read the folders of submissions.
Who will judge the entries?
The judging panels will consist of senior representatives from user companies and key industry players. The judges will have the knowledge and experience to assess each entry according to its objectives, available budget and market background. The judges will ensure that success goes to achievement and goals of effectiveness rather than big budgets. Any judge who has been involved with a project is not allowed to lobby the other judges, or vote for that project. An average based on all the other judges’ marks will be awarded to the project concerned.
The judges will have the right to move entries between categories if they feel they have been entered into the wrong category.
What the judges will look for?
Overall, the judges will be looking for entries that meet the following criteria, as appropriate to the entry categories:
• Demonstrable commitment to, and pursuit of, the future development of a-v communications
• Achievements that benefit a-v sector clients and users as well as the entrant
• Proof of market development initiatives
• Proof of company performance in terms of market share, turnover or margin increases
• Proof of benefit to clients
• Evidence of technical innovation and creative solutions to communication problems.
How will the entries be judged?
The judges will study all the submissions received, looking for examples of excellence that counted towards the overall success of an activity. They will then vote for those that will form the short-list of finalists, scoring them each out of 100.
How to enter
You may submit entries in any number of appropriate categories. A completed entry from (downloadable at the bottom of this page) must accompany each entry, even when it has been entered in any other category. If you wish to submit multiple entries, you may make photocopies of this form.
Entries must include:
• A completed entry form plus three additional copies
• 12 copies of a single-page 300-word management summary (please note: the 300 words do not include the company performance summary to be filled in for the Company Awards)
• 12 copies of further information about the company or project and its performance against the criteria given
• Three copies of any supporting a-v or graphics material
• A completed company performance summary for Company category entries
Hints and Tips
These notes will help entrants make better entries into the AV Awards 2009:
Answer the exam question
It’s stunning how many entries don’t answer the right questions, all of which are explained in more detail below.
Bear in mind the judging process
Two panels of judges vote on the entries. One panel judges the Manufacturer and Company categories. Another panel judges the Product Innovation and Project categories. The judges are totally independent, industry representatives. They cannot be sponsors of the awards competition, and we make sure that they judge the evidence in front of them, not hearsay or prior knowledge coming
from outside the judging room.
Bear in mind what the judges are looking for when you are putting your submission together
It’s vitally important to state your case clearly and unambiguously, and important to avoid any confusion about market or company data. Remember that the first thing the judges read is the management summary.We ask for a management summary so that judges can quickly see what an entrant has to offer, before they go on to read or watch the supporting material. The format of
that supporting material should be as clear as possible (gimmicky formats like mock newspapers tend not to work). But the support material must also be deep enough to strengthen the case.
The idea is (say) that the management summary might include a bullet point saying that ‘new marketing plans put in place during the year showed good results’. The support material should then have a section that describes what those marketing plans were, what results were achieved etc. Points made in the management summary should be backed up in the full submission. Exactly what all those points are will depend on the entry and the category entered.
Later in the entry form, the categories are listed describing what they apply to, who should enter, what form the entry should take, and the most important criteria that should be taken into account. Please read the category descriptions with care!
Support materials
Digital copies of videos or stills to support your entry must be supplied for use within AV Magazine or at the Awards ceremony, as well as during judging. Video or multimedia materials must be accompanied by screening notes and any relevant password information must be included. Stills must be provided as
high-resolution Jpg files with a resolution of 300dpi x 8" (20cm) minimum horizontal dimension.
How much does it cost to enter?
The fee per entry has been reduced for 2009 to £60.00 plus VAT (£69.00) – as a well known supermarket says, every little helps! A cheque covering any entry fees must be sent with the entries, made payable to AV Awards. No fees are refundable but any entry may be withdrawn before 4 July 2009 without penalty. Thereafter, an additional withdrawal fee of £50 plus VAT (£57.50) will be charged, to cover the cost of extra administration and revisions to the judging packs.
There is also a penalty for late entry. If any entry is received after the official closing date for entries, without prior agreement, the organisers reserve the right to charge £30 plus VAT (£34.50) per late entry.
Closing date for entries
The closing date for entries is 19 June 2009
