The annual Performance Marketing Awards is set for a huge 11th year as new categories, judges and entry procedures provide the fuel for 2017.

Hosted by PerformanceIN, next year’s celebration of excellence in results-based marketing is the very first after our 10th anniversary, where comedian Katherine Ryan entertained a sell-out crowd at the Grosvenor House Hotel. 

This time there are plenty of big announcements, as highlighted by PerformanceIN founder Matthew Wood.

“We were astounded by the industry’s appetite to provide ideas to evolve the awards and we’ve responded with a suite of changes. I’m particularly excited to be including a category for FMCG and recognising the great work brands and agencies are doing in this space.

“Mobile is now central to all campaigns. However, we have introduced a new category to recognise smartly executed cost-per-install campaigns that drive measurable value and ROI post-install.

“The vertical categories have all moved to a campaign focus, therefore we are not looking for how great you are as a company within a vertical, but your performance with a specific, smartly executed campaign.”

To guide you through the most notable happenings, here is what you can expect out of what’s set to be a very special PMAs.

The categories

Based on your feedback we’ve added a small selection of new categories to the list of existing awards, but the number has been reduced from 32 to 25. This is a reflection of your own views on what we should have in addition to industry trends. 

Newbies include Most Creative Performance Marketing Campaign, where entrants will be able to demonstrate their lateral thinking within a performance channel, and Affiliate Marketing Innovation, which will drill into the creativity of efforts within the affiliate space.

There’s also Best Mobile User Acquisition Campaign for those who have performed wonders in getting their apps to the top of the charts, and best FMCG campaign for high performers in the fast-moving consumer goods sector. 

The full list of categories can be downloaded below, and for those wanting to sponsor any of these, sales@performancein.com are awaiting your message.

The process

There have been slight alterations in the ways we process certain submissions, which again come as a result of feedback from our attendees and entrants. 

This year all categories will have a specific entry form to use. Companies are welcome to use their own template but we request that the same structure is observed to make it easier for the judges to score.

These will be supplied via an application pack and released on the official PMA site on October 3 when entries open and will include a sample entry from the Grand Prix winner as well as a link to each specific form, entry deadline and prices.

We are also revamping the process for our coveted Rising Star prize. It’s business as usual with people nominating who they feel should deserve the mantle, after which we’ll be conducting interviews with members of the shortlist and requesting their input for content on this very site. 

With an even greater batch of evidence to inform their decision, we’ll be asking the public for their top pick.

Further change impacts those submitting for Most Effective Agency (previously Best Agency), where shortlisted companies go through a second step of public voting. 

For information on the criteria and process of your chosen award, please review the list of categories.  

The judges

As the above will outline, the judges are set to play a key role this year in shaping the winners of our prizes.

We’re recruiting a whole new judging panel for next year’s ceremony and with the help of a respected Chair of Judges, Squawka’s Leo Harrison.

If you would like to put yourself or a colleague forward for a role on our esteemed panel, please email kezia.mcauley@performancein.com. Find out what’s required here. 

Tables

As shown by this year’s sell-out audience, a seat at the PMAs is a coveted object. 

New packages include an Eagle’s Nest mezzanine table overlooking the Great Room. We have a few more options to cater for specific requirements, which will be announced in the coming weeks. 

Key dates

The PMAs will roll into the Grosvenor House Hotel on April 25 and there is still plenty of time to grab your table before everything gets booked out. Remember, the earlier you book, the better the seat.

What’s even closer is the process of selecting the new winners, which starts as early as October 3 with our entries opening. 

Here are the key dates for your calendar:

  • Entries open – October 3
  • Regular entries close – January 20
  • Late entries close (submissions incur surcharge) – January 27
  • Shortlist announced – March 1 
  • Performance Marketing Awards 2017 – April 25