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Communications and marketing awards

Awards for Communications Excellence

Chambers of commerce are recognized each year for outstanding marketing and communications work through ACCE’s Awards for Communications Excellence program.

ACE submissions are meticulously reviewed by judges – peers from the ACCE community – who select a limited number of entries to be named as award winners. Volunteer judges select Best in Show, Grand Award and Award of Excellence winners.

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Awards presented

Three tiers of Communications Excellence awards are presented each year.

Best in Show
Three awards presented; selected from Grand Award winners

  • Top entry from category one
  • Top entry from category two
  • Top entry from category three

Grand Awards
12 awards presented; finalists for Best in Show awards

  • Category one: Advertising and marketing
  • Category two: Advertising and marketing
  • Category three: Advertising and marketing
  • Category one: Campaigns
  • Category two: Campaigns
  • Category three: Campaigns
  • Category one: Digital
  • Category two: Digital
  • Category three: Digital
  • Category one: Publications
  • Category two: Publications
  • Category three: Publications

Awards of Excellence
A limited number of Awards of Excellence presented; winners are selected from submissions of each entry type, from each category

 

Entry category & type

Each entry is organized and reviewed based on category (annual budget) and entry type (advertising and marketing, campaigns, digital, publications).

Category

  • Category one: Organizations with a total annual budget of up to $1 million (USD)
  • Category two: Organizations with a total annual budget of $1 million to $3 million (USD)
  • Category three: Organizations with a total annual budget of more than $3 million (USD)

Entry type

  • Advertising and marketing: Print, digital, media (ex: television, radio), out-of-home advertising, membership marketing, event marketing
  • Campaigns: Events, advocacy/public policy campaigns, awards programs, economic development campaigns, branding initiatives, membership drives/campaigns
  • Digital: Websites, blogs, apps, social media campaigns, videos, email marketing campaigns
  • Publications: Annual reports, legislative agendas, community guides, directories, magazines

 

Deadlines, timeline

Entry deadlines

  • Early bird deadline: Friday, March 23, 2018
  • Final entry deadline: Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Judging timeline

  • May: Judges meet to review entries
  • Mid-June: Grand Award and Award of Excellence winners announced
  • July 18, 2018: Best in Show winners announced at the 2018 ACCE Annual Convention Awards Show at the Iowa Events Center in Downtown Des Moines.

 

Price

The standard price for each entry submitted is $200. The $200 fee is waived for the first entry submitted by Horizon Investors (Is my organization a Horizon Investor?) and All ACCEss Pass members. The early bird rate (valid through March 23, 2018) is $150 per entry. Horizon Investors and All ACCEss Pass members receive the early bird rate ($150) throughout entry season (ends April 17, 2018).

 

Entry info

Each entry must be submitted separately using the online entry form. All submissions may only be entered once. Your entry must be uploaded to your website or a file hosting service such as Dropbox. You'll share a link to your entry (hosted on your website or file sharing service site) on the entry form. Please note: some entries have a greater impact when presented in hand vs. online (ex. magazines, publications). Although entries must be posted online, you have the option to also submit a physical version of your entry. Entries should be based on work completed between Jan. 1, 2017 and Feb. 28, 2018.

Ship entries to:
ACE Entries
ACCE
1330 Braddock Place
Suite 300
Alexandria, VA 22314

In addition to standard info (organization and contact info, etc.), the following fields must be completed on the ACE entry form:

  • Entry name
  • Entry type
  • Budget (for the entry being submitted)
  • Goals and objectives
  • Results achieved/outcomes
  • Tools used
  • Why does your entry deserve an award?
  • Link to entry

 

Questions

Not sure which category to select? Have other questions about ACCE’s annual Awards for Communications Excellence?
Contact:
Tania Kohut
Manager, Communications & Marketing
Direct: 703-998-3532 
tkohut@acce.org

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