2012 SMPS Marketing Communications Awards Submission Requirements

Entry Instructions Burn 1 copy of the PowerPoint (in PDF format) on a CD. The envelope in which you mail your entry should contain the labeled CDs and a separate sealed envelope with the printed PowerPoint pages with firm information, the application form, and payment. Please include 4 hardcopies of all marketing collateral (ads, mail pieces, etc.) submitted with your entry. If you are submitting more than 1 entry, staple the information for each entry in the sealed envelope.

Entry Instructions, cont’d Mail your entries to: Jonas Foster DLR Group – Regional Brand Communications & Graphics Manager 3130 Wilshire Blvd., 6 th Floor Santa Monica, CA All entries must be received by 5PM on Friday, November 9 th. Entries should be clearly marked as “SMPS/LA MCA Entry” on the label.

Naming Your Entries Your PowerPoint file shall be titled with Category first and then the Name of the project. Example: Milestone Recognition – 50 Year Anniversary.ppt On the envelope you mail your entry in, state the Category, Project Name, and then firm name only. Example: Milestone Recognition – 50 Year Anniversary – ABC, Inc. The CD on which you burn a PDF copy of your PowerPoint should be labeled similarly to the envelope with Category, Project Name, and then the firm name.

File Sizing Please do not exceed a total of 15MB on the PDF file. Each slide should be approximately 1MB. The pixel dimensions of a full size image on a slide should not be smaller than 1920 x 1440 pixels. If there are multiple images per slide, scale the images down accordingly or compose them into a single image file. It is recommended that you use jpg format for these images, with a compression factor of 10 in recent versions of Photoshop.

Payment Cost per entry is $75 for SMPS members/$100 for non-members. Include your payment in your submission envelope – if you paid by credit card, include your payment confirmation. NOTE: There is a surcharge on credit payments through EventBrite. If you are paying by check, please make payable to “SMPS/LA, Frampton Avenue, Torrance, CA 90501” NOTE: This is NOT the address you send your submission to! If you are submitting multiple entries, a single check may be provided, please just include a copy in each submission.

Categories/Requirements 1. Website Provide complete web address and color image of the home page. Jurors will interactively peruse the website online. 2. Corporate Identity Submit digital images which represent a sampling of images of the materials that most effectively convey your firm’s brand. Images of website pages may be provided to illustrate the overall branding program. 3. Direct Mail Campaign Provide an image of the ad, or each ad in a series. Provide hard copies of printed materials you deem relevant.

Categories/Requirements, cont’d 4. Milestone Recognition Submit images of packaging (where applicable) in color. For electronic communications submit digital images. Provide hard copies of printed materials. 5. Advertising Provide color images of the ad or each of the ads in a series. For online advertisements, also include web address and electronic images. Provide hard copies of printed materials.

Categories/Requirements, cont’d 6. Media Relations Supply images of published features, articles, and press releases supported by list of media outreach history and associated hits that demonstrate campaign effectiveness. If available online, please provide link. Provide hard copies of printed materials. 7. Project Pursuit Provide detail on who was involved in pursuit efforts, including external and internal team members. Also indicate if multiple offices were involved. You can show the detail either in a write-up or excel sheet/graph illustrating the process and people. Include digital images of pursuit materials such as proposals, leave behind materials. Provide hard copies of printed materials.

Judging Criteria Following Directions: 10% How complete is the response to Entry Criteria? Idea: 30% Is the content creative? Is there a definite objective? Has a target audience clearly been identified? Process: 30% Was adequate research conducted? Why was the medium selected? Is the message distinctive? ROI: 30% Were desired results achieved?

Quick Tips from the Judges! Make the presentation professional and easy to understand. Use clear photographs that are clear and sharp and show your project/submission in the best light. Please use point font. Clearly describe your objectives/results as detailed in the directions above. Good luck! We look forward to all of your submissions!

Guide This is a guide of the exhibits of your submission: Application Statement (Objective, Content, Results) Cost Data Images Complete all tribute/firm information (submit printed pages in separate envelope with payment)

Sample Submission The following slides illustrate a template of what your PowerPoint (and PDF) submission should address, directions on what specifically to discuss, and the order in which to do so. Be sure to note on each page, the category and campaign/event name. NOTE: On the following example, we utilized the SMPS logo in place of our sample piece/program; please do not include your firm’s logo but rather category/name only.

CATEGORY/ EVENT NAME Campaign/Event Name

Marketing Goals GOALS: Clearly state your marketing goals. What did your firm hope to achieve with the piece or program? How did you intend to measure your results against the goals? What was the intended shelf-life/lifespan of the piece or program? TARGET/AUDIENCE: Who was the audience for this piece or program? Characterize the composition/size/location of your target audience (i.e. Facilities Managers of 200 community colleges in the Inland Empire). RESEARCH: What market research was conducted prior to the planning of the piece or program? Describe production and delivery method. Was an outside consulting or design firm used?

Content MESSAGE: What is/are the key message(s)? DISTINCTION: Explain your thought process in making your piece or program stand out from the crow. Why did you choose the selected medium? How did the piece or program reinforce your firm’s unique value proposition?

Results Illustrate measurable results and their correlation to the marketing objective. Possible metrics include: What metrics were used to determine effectiveness of the piece or program? What was your response rate? How does this rate compare to projections? What actions did the target audience take upon receiving your communication(s)? Did you meet specific sales goals? Did you gain new clients? Were you awarded a project you were pursuing? What was your break-even goal for profit/loss and did you achieve it?

Cost Data Provide the following information: Budget amount Total Final Cost inclusive of labor, printing, delivery, etc.

Images Add more slides as needed. Include brief subject under the image if needed (i.e. client mailer, website, etc.)

END SAMPLE SUBMISSION

Tribute Pages As previously mentioned, there are three (3) slides submitted separately from your PowerPoint with you payment in a sealed envelope. The following 3 slides shall serve as a guide for the submission(s).

Please provide the following: Firm Name Address Contact Person Telephone Number Address Category Submission Description/Title Create copies of this slide if necessary to enter all relevant information.

Tribute Page Please provide a full bleed image that is best and most representative of your campaign. You many use 2 to 3 images to fill the page, or one on each slide. State the category and name of the campaign/event on this page as well.

Certificate Information Please provide your firm name and client name (if applicable) as you would like to see it in your award certificate. This information and spelling will be used to create the award certificate. Names will be printed in plain English with NO diacritical marks or logos. Include the following information on the slide: SMPS LOS ANGELES 2012 MCA AWARDS Campaign/Event Name Company Name

Questions? If you have any questions regarding your submission, please feel free to contact: Juanita Martinez We will contact you if we did not receive your submission on time, or if a problem arises with your submission.