Digital marketing awards recognize campaigns that combine creative excellence, strategic thinking, and measurable business impact. This guide shows you how to present your work to maximize your chances of winning.

What Judges Look For

ECDMA marketing categories are evaluated on five criteria. Understanding these helps you structure your entry:

CriterionWeightWhat Judges Want to See
Results & Performance35%Quantifiable outcomes: ROI, ROAS, conversion, revenue, engagement metrics
Creative Execution25%Originality, quality, brand alignment, audience resonance
Strategy & Objectives20%Clear goals, target audience insight, strategic rationale
Audience Engagement15%Reach, interaction, sentiment, community response
Innovation & Impact5%Novel approaches, industry influence, learning value

Structuring Your Marketing Award Entry

1. The Challenge (10% of your entry)

Set the stage:

  • What was the business or marketing problem?
  • What were the market conditions?
  • Who was the target audience and what insights drove the strategy?
  • What constraints did you face (budget, timeline, competition)?

Explain your approach:

  • What was the core strategic idea?
  • Why did you choose this approach over alternatives?
  • What channels and tactics did you select, and why?
  • How did the creative concept connect to business objectives?

Show the work:

  • Creative assets — images, videos, copy examples
  • Campaign timeline and key milestones
  • Channel mix and integration
  • Budget allocation (percentages if exact numbers are sensitive)

This is the most important section. Include:

  • Primary KPIs: Revenue, ROAS, CPA, conversion rate
  • Secondary metrics: Reach, impressions, engagement rate, CTR
  • Comparative context: vs. previous campaigns, vs. benchmarks, vs. targets
  • Business impact: Market share, customer acquisition, brand metrics

Examples of Strong Claims

WeakStrong
“Campaign performed well”“Campaign achieved 4.2x ROAS, exceeding target by 68%”
“Significant engagement”“2.1M video views with 8.3% engagement rate (industry avg: 3.2%)”
“Drove sales”“Attributable revenue of €1.2M with 23% lower CPA than previous campaigns”
“Creative was innovative”“First brand in [industry] to use [tactic], generating 340 media mentions”

Category-Specific Tips

Performance Marketing Campaign

  • Lead with ROAS/ROI and CPA metrics
  • Show optimization journey — how performance improved over time
  • Include testing methodology and learnings
  • Focus on engagement, time on page, shares
  • Show content quality with examples
  • Demonstrate SEO impact if applicable
  • Emphasize engagement rate and sentiment
  • Include UGC and community response
  • Show creative innovation in the platform
  • Focus on open rates, CTR, conversion
  • Show segmentation and personalization strategy
  • Include A/B test results
Nominate Right Now!
Nominate Right Now!
Nominate Right Now!
Achievement * E-Commerce Business * Digital Marketing & Strategy * E-Commerce Platforms * MarTech and E-Com Tech Solutions* E-Commerce & Digital Marketing Professionals * Team Excellence * Agencies & Integrators * Content & Media * Events & Conferences * Learning & Education *
Achievement * E-Commerce Business * Digital Marketing & Strategy * E-Commerce Platforms * MarTech and E-Com Tech Solutions* E-Commerce & Digital Marketing Professionals * Team Excellence * Agencies & Integrators * Content & Media * Events & Conferences * Learning & Education *
Achievement * E-Commerce Business * Digital Marketing & Strategy * E-Commerce Platforms * MarTech and E-Com Tech Solutions* E-Commerce & Digital Marketing Professionals * Team Excellence * Agencies & Integrators * Content & Media * Events & Conferences * Learning & Education *