Rules and Guidance

A guide to entering the Awards

Review the guidance and rules on this page thoroughly. Failure to do so may attract a penalty.
Decide which category you wish to enter by visiting our categories page.
Ensure you allow enough time for any internal or client sign off
Complete the entry offline and convert to PDF format
Return to the website, complete the online form and upload your PDF & supporting evidence (if applicable) by 31st January 2012.
Complete your payment details. Cost per entry is £95 + VAT
If you miss the deadline of the 31st January, it will still be possible to enter until the 6th February subject to a £50 + VAT surcharge for each award entered. Submissions will not be accepted after midnight on the 6th February.
Ensure you have received your personalised receipt and entry number via email.

Any queries should be relayed to Hannah Langfield on +44 (0)117 203 3011

Who can enter?

The awards are open to Advertisers, Publishers, Agencies, Networks, Start-ups, Providers or Individuals who operate in the Performance Marketing sector. Entry may be made directly by the company or via an authorised agent such as their network, agency or PR agency.

Entry may be for multiple categories subject to an additional entry fee. Each submission however, must be tailored to fit the category.

Entry Fees

Entry for each category is subject to a fee of £95 + VAT.

Payment must be made online with a Credit or Debit Card at the time of submission. (We are unable to accept American Express). All entry fees are non-refundable.

If you miss the deadline of the 31st January, it will still be possible to enter until the 6th February subject to a £50 + VAT surcharge (£145 + VAT) for each award entered. Submissions will not be accepted after midnight on the 6th February.

Eligibility

Submissions should relate to activity within the eligibility period of 1st January 2011 — 31st January 2012. Please note that entries which have been submitted for the 2011 a4uAwards cannot be submitted in 2012, unless it can be proved that substantial developments have taken place.

The entry must attract an element of revenue based on performance. Hybrid or Tenancy type campaigns can be entered on condition there is some CPA / Performance based commission attached.

Submission format

All submissions must be submitted online by the deadline. Once your application has been received you will be emailed confirmation of entry along with a VAT receipt.
Your written entry must be no more than the equivalent of two sides of A4 in a minimum of 10 point type, and must be saved in .pdf or .doc format; the file size must not exceed 8MB.
Entries which do not adhere to these rules will automatically face a penalty deduction from the judges.
The completed entry may be accompanied if desired by a single piece of supporting evidence if you feel it adds value to your entry. This could be in the form of an image, PowerPoint file or PDF.
If part of your entry contains video, they must be uploaded to your server and the login details contained in your executive summary.

Withdrawing an entry

An entry may be withdrawn for any reason up until 2nd April 2012 upon written request; however the entry fee is non-refundable.

Commercial Confidence

For your entry to be fully assessed it is extremely important that you provide as much detail about your performance as possible. In particular, figures relating to the ROI of your activity / campaign. Greater transparency with the judges will enable them to score you fairly.

All judges sign an NDA before participating and judges will not be involved in any categories where a commercial conflict could arise. We will use snippets and summaries from entries for publication in the winners guide which is published after the event. If you prefer this not to occur it's essential that any information that is commercially sensitive be clearly marked as 'Judges eyes only'.

If you have any questions regarding commercial confidence please call the chair of the judges Matthew Wood on +44 (0) 1172 033009

Important deadlines

16.11.11 - 31.01.12 / Entry submission period
07.02.12 / Late entry submission deadline*
13.02.12 / Voting Open for Nominated Awards
27.02.12 / Shortlist Announced (week commencing)
15.05.12 / The Awards

_{*Surcharge applies to late entries}

Hot Shot Rising Star Award

Entries submitted for the Hot Shot Rising Star award require specific information. If you are submitting an entry for this category, your entry documentation must include the information listed below for your entry to be valid and eligible for consideration.

Remember that any information you wish to remain confidential must be stated: "for Judges eyes only"

NB: All questions relate to the individual being nominated. If you do not know the answers to any questions please state "not known"; this will not affect the judging.

Name
Date of Birth
Company Name
Job Title
Relationship to you
How long have you known and/or worked with this person?
Nominee’s area of expertise
Years in the industry (if known)
Tasked objectives (if known)
Management of how many people and/or brands and/or clients? (if known)
Please illustrate where and how your nominee has made a discernible impact on their company in the past year
Please demonstrate how your nominee has gone above and beyond the basic requirements of their job description
Please provide examples of your nominee’s broader industry contribution. For example, blogs, councils, events, conferences, panellist, speaker, trade publications, etc.
What has your nominee done in the past year to make him/her stand out from the crowd?
Please provide an example of a situation where he/she has demonstrated initiative and / or innovation:
Example of similar praise/testimonials from colleagues/business associates/clients:
Can you give examples where this person has increased turnover, ROI or profitability or managed extensive budgets successfully?
In your Executive Summary, please indicate (max 200 words) why you think this person deserves to be 2012's hotshot

Please remember that all answers must relate specifically to the period 1st January 2011 to 31st January 2012

Download the entry template for this award (Word format).

Best Agency Award

Entries submitted for the Best Agency award require specific information. If you are submitting an entry for this category, your entry documentation must include the information listed below for your entry to be valid and eligible for consideration.

Agency Name
Annual Agency Turnover
Annual Agency Turnover dedicated to Performance Marketing activity only
Total Number of Clients
Number of Clients with a Performance Marketing element within your business
Total Number of Staff
Number of Staff dedicated to Performance Marketing activity
HQ location & other offices within the UK
Three words that you feel sum up your Agency
Three words that your clients would say about you
Please demonstrate how you met a particular clients’ objective to drive significant ROI (max 400 words)
Please demonstrate how, as an agency you have assisted with the development and growth of the Performance Marketing Industry over the last 12 months (max 200 words)
Please demonstrate an example of where you have met/surpassed client objectives in 2011 (max 200 words)
Please sum up the achievement/s you are most proud of in 2011 (max 200 words)
How do you ensure your communication with affiliates is effective? (max 200 words)
What have you done in 2011 that is new and/or innovative (ie technology, strategy etc)? (max 200 words)
Please outline company net gain/loss of Staff, Clients and Offices (with regards to Performance Marketing Activity only) in 2011. (max 200 words)
What sets you apart from other agencies? (max 200 words)
Any other information to support your entry that has not been mentioned above. (max 200 words)
Please include two testimonials from clients/business associates
Any other supporting material (max 1 page)