The World Media Awards 2018 (WMAs) have now opened for entry, offering eight categories that will celebrate the best in cross platform, cross border, content-driven advertising.
The free-to-enter awards are now in their third year and offer the winners the opportunity to be acknowledged as global leaders in international content-led advertising. The WMAs are unique in not only giving recognition of the category winners’ work through the trophy on the night, but by also celebrating all winning campaigns in a world-wide advertising campaign valued at €500k.
The winners’ ad campaign runs across leading international media brands The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Time, The New York Times, National Geographic, Newsweek, Fortune, The Economist and Bloomberg – all members of the World Media Group which runs the WMAs.
Emma Winchurch-Beale, President of the World Media Group and International Sales Director at the Washington Post commented, “Last year we were delighted to see a significant increase in entries with an impressive array of submissions from all over the world. We were blown away with the quality of entrants who demonstrated to us the power that content has to tell a brand’s story across multiple channels and borders. We hope that in 2018 we will see even more great campaigns from around the world that disrupt and amaze us.”
Winning entries at the 2017 WMAs included Grand Prix Winners, Tata Motors, along with Shell, UBS, Bet365, Universal Pictures and Visit Faroe Islands.
How to enter: Entry to the WMAs at www.wm-awards.com is totally free, although entrants can make a voluntary donation to Reporters Without Borders. All categories can be entered by advertisers and their media, PR and creative agencies while media owners are only permitted to enter two categories directly: Media & Entertainment and Brand/Media Partnership. Campaigns must have intentionally targeted audiences in at least four countries and 75% of activity needs to have been implemented in 2017.
There is no requirement for campaigns to have run in any of the World Media Group brands. The closing date for entries is Thursday 25th January 2018.
To reflect the vital importance of collaboration in creating successful international, content-driven advertising campaigns, the independent jury will number over 20 heavy-weight judges from brands, agencies and media owners and is presided over by three Co-Heads: Arif Durrani, Executive Editor for Europe, Middle East & Africa at Bloomberg LP, John Rudaizky, Partner, Global Brand & Marketing Leader at EY and Jodie Stranger, CEO UK Group & President Global Clients EMEA at Starcom, Publicis Media. The full list of judges can be seen here.
Stranger (pictured) comments, “Having been both a judge and also a category winner for these awards I know first-hand not only how hard fought they are, but also the kudos they bring to the winners – our client especially loved seeing their winning campaign lauded around the world through the winners’ ad campaign in the World Media Group titles. Who wouldn’t?”
Categories: This year there are eight Award categories and a Grand Prix selected by the jury from amongst the category winners, as follows:
- Financial Services
- Travel & Tourism
- Technology and Telecoms
- Lifestyle, Luxury & Fashion (new)
- Automotive
- Corporate Influencer
- Media & Entertainment
- Brand/Media Partnership (new)
The new Brand/Media Partnership category recognises that, when brand and media owners work together on content initiatives, special campaigns, events, or other partnership-based promotions, the effective uplift for both brands can be powerful.
Awards event: The winners of the Awards will be announced at the exclusive World Media Awards Receeption at the Ham Yard Hotel in London on Thursday 22nd March 2018. All shortlisted entrants will receive two free tickets to join the celebration as guests of the World Media Group, and additional tickets will be available for purchase