Branded Content

Original content created to support the marketing strategy of a brand that engaged, entertained, or informed a target audience, whether to enhance brand positioning or to promote products or services. Any creative content that wouldn’t be viewed as “advertising” is eligible, including TV programming, films, documentaries, online video, games, print, articles, online and offline media, branded entertainment, social content, or other types of content, in any form.

Experiential
(in-person and virtual)

Efforts that engaged with a target audience either live/in-person or via a virtual/on-demand experience. All types of interactive engagement are a fit for this category: exhibitions, trade shows, sales meetings, webinars, samplings, product demos, etc.

Integrated Campaign

Campaigns that utilized three or more distinct marketing channels to engage a target audience with a single unified theme or message. Your submission should show how the integrated strategy used mixed media for maximum impact.

Internal Communications

Communication initiatives that engage and inform employees, providing understanding of company vision, goals, values, work culture, and/or D&I initiatives. All creative formats are eligible: video, print, email, websites, newsletters, magazines, direct mail, etc.

Social Media

Best use of social media to achieve marketing objectives.

Socially Responsible

Entries in this category include all types of creative that directly address current social issues. Efforts that were focused on making a positive impact on society by supporting a social cause, charity, or corporate responsibility program are eligible. All creative formats are acceptable: video, print, email, websites, digital, outdoor, direct mail, etc.

Best Collaborative Effort

Top marketing is reflective of an effective collaboration. This award puts the spotlight on the best collaborative efforts involving in-house teams and their external agencies.

Best Media Plan

Securing just the right formula for when, where, and how a target audience receives a creative message is critical. This category will showcase those in-house media teams who got their formula just right. Entries in this category need to highlight the details of the media insight, the strategy, and the media plan that was implemented.

This specialty honor will go to the team that not only exemplifies excellence in the areas of creativity, strategy, and effectiveness, but represents what it means to be the “best in-house agency."

Fostering the right team dynamic is key to producing work that makes an impact. This award will ask teams to share details on their culture, business impact, and notable accomplishments achieved over the past year.

All in-house agencies - any size, from anywhere around the globe – are welcome to enter.

Requirement: To be considered for the In-House Agency of the Year Award, you must be recognized as an in-house agency that produces award-worthy work in the 2023 ANA In-House Excellence Awards.  In-house agencies winning an award for their work in any category will then be eligible for the In-House Agency of the Year honor.

Significant Results

Entries in this category will need to demonstrate the effectiveness of the work and its positive contribution to building a brand and growth of the business. Providing facts and figures (sales, market share, etc.), your submission should explain why the effort was successful based on effectiveness of the creative execution and its measurable objectives.

NOTE: We understand there may be concerns with sharing actual figures in the entry. Data reflecting the effectiveness of the work can be provided as indices or percentages.

NEW! The In-House GEM Award

Spotlighting the industry's change makers and influencers committed to the authentic, accurate portrayals of women and girls in their marketing efforts.

Gender inequality is the one inequality that is truly global in scope. Yet, we know that marketing and media can create powerful change by addressing how women and girls are portrayed in advertising and marketing content.

The ANA's SeeHer Initiative, which has the mission of driving the accurate portrayal of women and girls in media, advertising, marketing and entertainment, has created a unique opportunity for all In-House Excellence Award applicants: The ANA In-House GEM^® Award.

The ANA In-House GEM Award will honor the top creative and powerful work that exemplifies the best-in-class accurate and authentic portrayal of women and/or girls in campaigns produced by in-house marketing agencies.