The following categories will be broken down by the below business type and individually awarded;

• Consumer Media
• Customer Publishing
• Business Media

Editorial Leader of the Year

Honouring an individual who has a strong editorial vision and delivers compelling content that captures their target audience. The judges will be looking for a leader who can demonstrate a strong understanding of editorial content that drives the relationship with their audience and how to deepen that engagement; strategic thinking; good use of data and tools; an audience development plan which encompasses all relevant platforms to grow the relevant audience. Evidence of this leader’s adaptability, resilience and support for their team and company will be considered by the judges.

Commercial Leader of the Year

Honouring an individual who has shown clear strong leadership, leading to proven commercial success for their brand or brands, and resilience during the pandemic. The judges will be looking for examples of innovation and brave decision making. Evidence of this leader’s adaptability, ability to manage commercial challenges, and support for their team and company will be considered by the judges.

Business Leader of the Year

Honouring an individual who has shown clear strong leadership and built a strategic vision for the development of their brand or brands making it fit for the future. This strategy will have translated to proven commercial success and innovation for their brand or brands as well as strong audience development and outstanding content. The judges will also be looking for examples of transformation, cultural change and brave decision making. Evidence of this leader’s adaptability, ability to manage business challenges, and support for their team and company will be considered by the judges.

Rising Star

There has never been a more vibrant time for content teams, with content creators needing to be diverse and agile in order to make content travel across platforms, fit for purpose and with a sharp focus on maintaining quality. This award recognises the most promising and talented content professional who has made a clear impact on their business and added significant value through their input. Evidence of this rising star’s adaptability, resilience and support for their team and company will be considered by the judges.

Rising Star Commercial

This award recognises the most promising and talented commercial professional who has made a clear impact on their business and added significant value through their input. An individual who has driven commercial success through their drive and ambition to be the ‘best in class’. Evidence of this rising star’s adaptability, resilience and support for their team and company will be considered by the judges.

Editorial Team of the Year

There has never been a more vibrant time for content teams, with content creators needing to be diverse and agile in order to make content travel across platforms, fit for purpose and with a sharp focus on maintaining quality. This award recognises excellence and innovation in the creation and promotion of content cross-platform including the use of new distribution channels and social media, and forward-thinking editorial premise which places users at its core. Evidence of this team’s adaptability, resilience and willingness to collaborate and support each other will be considered by the judges.

Note: This category will be broken down by the below business type and individually awarded;

• Consumer Media
• Customer Publishing
• Business Media

Commercial Team of the Year

The face of media sales has changed drastically with the evolution of advertising and the rise of consumer revenue, meaning that teams are rapidly evolving to include creative and consultative solutions which consider multi-platform solutions to meet clients’ needs. This award recognises the very best in industry sales teams and will honour teams who have a history of excellence in customer service, a commitment to exceeding commercial targets and evidence of great teamwork. Evidence of this team’s adaptability, ability to manage commercial challenges, resilience and willingness to collaborate and support each other will be considered by the judges.

Note: This category will be broken down by the below business type and individually awarded;

• Consumer Media
• Customer Publishing
• Business Media

Marketing Team of the Year

The role of marketing is one of the fastest evolving functions in media and with more platforms to deliver on, and the role of content changing, marketing teams consistently deliver high-performance and innovative strategies to deliver on KPIs. This award recognises excellence and innovation in marketing strategy, practice and delivery, and is open to all media marketing teams. The judges will award innovation, development year-on-year, delivery on targets and a sharp focus on delivering on brand. Evidence of this team’s adaptability, ability to manage business challenges, resilience and willingness to collaborate and support each other will be considered by the judges.

Note: This category will be broken down by the below business type and individually awarded;

• Consumer Media
• Customer Publishing
• Business Media

Content Studio of the Year

Native is not new, however recognising this as an integral part of your advertising offering, media organisations are bringing these skills in-house and developing innovative new formats to improve user engagement and experience around advertising. This award recognises excellence in the consistent creation and distribution of compelling content on behalf of clients, which engages users, provides measurable ROI and delivers on brand for both client and publisher. Evidence of the content studio’s adaptability, ability to manage business challenges, resilience and willingness to collaborate will be considered by the judges.

Brand of the Year

This award will honour the most innovative and exciting brand of the year, awarding bravery, editorial innovation and the most strategically sound, and forward thinking brand in the sector. This award is open to all media brands and titles within the sector. Judges will make the award to the brand which demonstrates clarity of strategy with demonstrable achievement against growth metrics, innovation in editorial output and commercial excellence. Evidence of this brand’s adaptability, ability to manage business challenges, resilience and support for the wider industry and society will be considered by the judges.

Note: This category will be broken down by the below business type and individually awarded;

• Consumer Media
• Customer Publishing
• Business Media

International Brand of the Year

This award will honour the most innovative and exciting international brand of the year, awarding bravery, editorial innovation and the most strategically sound, and forward thinking brand in the industry. Judges will award the brand which demonstrates clarity of strategy with demonstrable achievement against growth metrics, innovation in editorial output and commercial excellence. Evidence of this international brand’s adaptability, ability to manage business challenges, resilience and support for the wider industry and society will be considered by the judges.

Launch of the Year

Media owners constantly have to revise their product mix to keep users engaged and to keep up with the rapid pace of growth in the industry. This means different things to different organisations, but the goal remains - to keep ahead of the curve and deliver innovation for users and clients. This award recognises the best in launch during the eligibility period for submissions, January 2021 – December 2021, on any platform, in any format, whether standalone or as a complement to an existing product or product mix. The judges will make the award based on the commercial objective of the launch, progress made, quality, innovation, pushing the boundaries and evidence of results. 

Business of the Year

This award will honour the most innovative and exciting consumer media/customer publishing/media business of the year, awarding bravery, editorial innovation and the most strategically sound, and forward thinking brand in the sector. This award is open to all media businesses within the sector. Judges will make the award to the business which demonstrates clarity of strategy with demonstrable achievement against growth metrics, innovation in editorial output and commercial excellence. Evidence of this business’s adaptability, resilience and support for their staff, the wider industry and society will be considered by the judges.

The following categories will be broken down by the below business type and individually awarded;

• Consumer Media
• Customer Publishing
• Business Media

International Business of the Year

This award will honour the most innovative and exciting international business of the year, awarding bravery, editorial innovation and the most strategically sound, and forward thinking business in the sector. This award is open to all media businesses within the sector. Judges will make the award to the business which demonstrates clarity of strategy with demonstrable achievement against growth metrics, innovation in editorial output and commercial excellence. Evidence of this business’s adaptability, resilience and support for their staff, the wider industry and society will be considered by the judges.

Commercial campaign of the Year

The industry has by-and-large transitioned as a collective to include new advertising formats and consultative selling as media owners are tackling increasingly complex client relationships. In order to meet commercial objectives, teams are stepping up their creativity and using audience development expertise to include new formats and platforms. This award honours the most sophisticated, creative and effective commercial campaign of the year, and which delivers on commercial objectives for clients through medium of delivery, concept and audience engagement. Evidence of how this campaign was adapted to suit business conditions and any contribution to the wider industry and society will be considered by the judges.

Editorial Campaign of the Year

Editorial campaigns across media are as diverse as they are creative, from social awareness campaigns to pop-up properties. Increasingly, maintaining a unique editorial narrative and staying true to brand has delivered innovative, high-quality and well- executed campaigns which deliver a real impact for the target audiences and which raise the bar for journalism in the UK. This award honours excellence in innovative, effective and unique editorial campaigns which provide tangible impact on target audience and which push the boundaries of modern journalism. Evidence of how this campaign was adapted to suit business conditions and any contribution to the wider industry and society will be considered by the judges.

Event of the Year

This award recognises innovation, creativity and commercial excellence in live events, including creativity in format and execution, and which deliver on a commercial goal. There has been extraordinary innovation in virtual events, along with a return to face-to-face / hybrid events that have once again started to take place during the judging period from January to December 2021, all are eligible. Evidence of how the event was adapted and/or innovated to suit business conditions and any contribution to the wider industry and society will be considered by the judges.

Note: This category will be broken down by the below business type and individually awarded;

• Consumer Media
• Customer Publishing
• Business Media

Best Commercial Use of Data

Data is arguably one of the central growth drivers in media, with technology and digital products becoming more sophisticated, using data to drive your commercial and editorial strategies has never been more important. The principle is simple – give users what they want. This award recognises excellence in the commercial use of data which delivers on user insight and impact, effectiveness of application and which has significantly contributed to one area of or the business as a whole. Evidence of how the use of data was adapted to suit business conditions will be considered by the judges.

Industry Partner of the Year

This award recognises those suppliers to our industry who have really gone the extra mile in their partnerships with media businesses. Any organisation that supplies a product, platform or service to the industry can enter, from distribution and fulfilment, to digital publishing, training, subscription management, printing, marketing, paper, event services. . . and beyond! Our judges will be looking for evidence of outstanding service levels, surpassed objectives and expectations, genuine partnership with clients to find innovative solutions, as well as evidence of real work towards sustainability alternatives, and best working practices. Evidence of this company’s adaptability, resilience and support for the wider industry and society will be considered by the judges.

Podcast of the Year - Consumer Media

Podcasts have become a growing and important part of editorial strategy for many consumer media companies and, in a crowded market place, publishers are becoming increasingly innovative as far as format, topic and delivery. This award recognises innovation, creativity and commercial excellence in consumer media podcasting, including creativity in format and execution. Please include details of any commercial goals and results, audience figures and evidence of growth and/or added value for the editorial brand. Evidence of how the podcast team adapted and/or innovated to suit business conditions will also be considered by the judges.

Podcast of the Year - Business Media

Podcasts have become a growing and important part of editorial strategy for many business media companies and, in a crowded market place, publishers are becoming increasingly innovative as far as format, topic and delivery to serve B2B audiences. This award recognises innovation, creativity and commercial excellence in business media podcasting, including creativity in format and execution. Please include details of the publisher’s commercial aims and results, audience figures and evidence of growth and/or added value for this B2B editorial brand. Evidence of how the podcast team adapted and/or innovated to suit business conditions will also be considered by the judges.

Podcast of the Year - Branded Content

Podcasts have become a growing and important part of a branded content/customer publishing strategy and, in a crowded market place, brands are becoming increasingly innovative as far as format, topic and delivery. This award recognises innovation, creativity and commercial excellence in branded content podcasting, including creativity in format and execution. Please include details of any commercial goals and results, audience figures and evidence of growth and/or added value for the sponsor/advertiser. Evidence of how the podcast team adapted and/or innovated to suit business conditions will also be considered by the judges.

Paid Content Strategy

This award looks to recognise a brand, campaign or portfolio that has maximised revenue through effective implementation of a new or enhanced paid content strategy.

Entries should demonstrate:

• Innovation and creativity
• Understanding of the target audience
• Effective use of data to drive conversions
• Strong commercial results

Best Audience Development Strategy

This award looks to recognise a brand, campaign or portfolio that has enjoyed consistently high audience engagement and a strong sense of community built around its content through effective implementation of a content strategy to increase engagement with it’s existing audience or by developing a new audience to join it’s existing community. 

Entries should demonstrate:

• Innovation and creativity
• Understanding of the target audience
• Effective use of data to drive engagement
• Strong audience growth

Best Ecommerce Strategy

This award looks to recognise a brand, campaign or portfolio that has maximised revenue through effective implementation of a new or enhanced ecommerce strategy.

Entries should demonstrate:

• Innovation and creativity
• Understanding of the target audience
• Effective use of data to drive sales
• Strong commercial performance 

Best DE&I initiative

This award seeks to recognise a brand or company that is championing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion within their business, or to their audience. This may be via a new product, campaign, brand extension, podcast, event or anything else that enhances or promotes DE&I across the business and beyond.

Entries should demonstrate:

• A focus on making the Media industry more inclusive & accessible
• The impact it has had within the company and/or the wider media community
• The long term plan to make this sustainable

Best Sustainability Initiative

This award looks to recognise and reward a change, campaign, project or event (internal or external) that has enhanced the environmental credentials of the company.

Entries should demonstrate 

• An understanding of the company’s responsibility towards the environment
• The impact of the movement on the business
• The success in relation to the objectives and expectations.

Best Well Being Initiative

This award recognises and celebrates the achievements of organisations for an outstanding contribution to, and promotion of, health and wellbeing through activities, strategies and policies that empower their staff.

Entries should demonstrate 

• An understanding of the company’s responsibility towards the health & well being of their staff
• The impact of the initiative on the business
• The success of the initiative in relation to the objectives and expectations.