The 2008 ECHO Awards are entered, categorized, judged, and presented by Primary Business Categories. After you have selected the primary business category (See Categories of Entry — Business Category Explanations), additionally please:

Identify the Advertising Media used for your Entry

Submit the Proper Samples with your Entry
To protect the integrity of the judging, creative samples must not have markings that could identify the creative group or agency, including letterheads, visible watermarks, labels, or credits in the code of digital entries. Also, the agency name must not appear in the body text of the entry application. Obviously, self-promotion entries are an exception.

Be sure to Label all Creative Samples
Label and send all creative samples to the ECHO Awards Competition Offices where you submitted your online entry form. Please use labels from your entry form control sheet.

Accepted Formats / Creative Work Advertising Media

Alternative/Insert Media
Non-traditional media and all other forms of media including package inserts, card packs, billboards, transit advertising, take ones, door hangers, kiosks, point-of-sale materials, and all other forms of media. Submit actual samples. If actual samples cannot be submitted due to size or complexity, please send one or more photographs (8 1/2" x 11"). Do not forget to label all creative samples with the labels from your entry control sheet and mail the samples to the ECHO office where you submitted your online entry form.

Catalog
 Promotional piece that includes specific product descriptions of multiple items, designed to generate retail traffic or non-store orders. Includes printed and electronic formats. Submit an actual sample of printed catalog (including order form). For online catalog, upload digital elements to accompany online Entry Form. Do not forget to label all creative samples with the labels from your entry control sheet and mail the samples to the ECHO office where you submitted your online entry form.

Direct Mail
All direct mail either flat or dimensional delivered to home or office by conventional postal services, courier or messenger. Submit one actual sample. If actual dimensional piece is not available, you may send one or more color photographs (8 1/2" x 11"). However, you must send an actual copy of the letter. Do not mount samples. Mock-ups and electronic graphics are not acceptable. Do not forget to label all creative samples with the labels from your entry control sheet and mail the samples to the ECHO office where you submitted your online entry form.

E-Mail and Instant Messaging

E-mail, instant text messaging on pcs (mobile messaging is a separate category). All entries must be self-running applications and must be submitted for review in an appropriate digital form via URL provided on Entry Form or uploaded as an attachment to the online entry form.

  • For "static" executions (with no animation or video), screen shots are acceptable.
  • To save judges' time, submit a list of plug-ins used in any Internet sites (such as Shockwave, etc.) as well as any necessary user names/passwords required to access the websites.
  • If the site is no longer live, a self-contained version of the site should be provided.

Please indicate PC or MAC format.

Mobile

Mobile messaging. Permission based marketing message delivered through a mobile phone, PDA or other mobile device. Submit mobile messaging samples electronically (uploaded with online entry form) in one of the following formats: QuickTime or Windows Media Player. Identify PC or MAC compatibility. All entries must be submitted without agency identification. A copy of the script or storyboard must also be supplied as an attachment.

Print
Space advertisements, including freestanding inserts (FSI) in publications. Submit one actual sample of tear sheet or insert. Please mark clearly whether it is a magazine or newspaper ad and give publication dates. Photographic reproductions are not allowed. For split runs, please state how split was done. Do not forget to label all creative samples with the labels from your entry control sheet and mail the samples to the ECHO office where you submitted your online entry form.

Search Engine Marketing

Search engine optimization (SEO) and paid pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. All entries must be self-running applications and must be submitted for review in an appropriate digital form via URL provided on Entry Form or uploaded as an attachment to the online entry form.

For pay-per-click (PPC) ads, submit screen captures or reproductions posted to a URL or as an attachment. For SEO, please post relevant Web page(s) or site from the ECHO entry time window to a URL and submit associated results (screen captures of search rank, traffic data, etc.) as an attachment so that we may review your use of SEO.

  • To save judges' time, submit a list of plug-ins used in any Internet sites (such as Shockwave, Real Video, etc.) as well as any necessary user names/passwords required to access the websites.
  • A self-contained version of the site from the ECHO entry time window should be provided.
  • Please indicate PC or MAC format for attachments.

For SEO, printouts of Website screens are not acceptable as source code can be important to evaluation. Also, please avoid agency identification as part of the URL.

Telemarketing
 Telephone sales and services programs. For outbound, submit a hard copy of the call guide (script). If available, a recording can be electronically uploaded with the entry form. For inbound, submit source of calls, script, screens, etc.

TV/Video/Radio
 Broadcast advertisements in both spot and program length format. Submit TV and Radio samples electronically (upload with online entry form) in one of the following formats: QuickTime or Windows Media Player. Identify PC or MAC compatibility. All entries must be submitted without agency identification. A hard copy of the script or storyboard must also be uploaded as an attachment to the online entry form. Note: If TV/Video/Radio submission is larger than 25 megs, please submit advertisement on a DVD.

Web Advertising

Web ads and online advertising other than search (search is a separate category). All entries must be self-running applications and must be submitted for review in an appropriate digital form via URL provided on Entry Form or uploaded as an attachment to the online entry form.

  • To save judges' time, submit a list of plug-ins used in any Internet sites (such as Shockwave, Real Video, etc.) as well as any necessary user names/passwords required to access the websites with the ads.
  • If the sites with the ads are no longer live, a self-contained version of a site or sites with the ads should be provided.
  • For "static" executions, like landing pages, screen shots are acceptable.
  • Please indicate PC or MAC format.
  • Please avoid agency identification as part of the URL.

Web Development

Websites, blogs and web development. This is content that is not paid web advertising. All entries must be self-running applications and must be submitted for review in an appropriate digital form via URL provided on Entry Form or uploaded as an attachment to the online entry form.

  • To save judges' time, submit a list of plug-ins used in any Internet sites (such as Shockwave, Real Video, etc.) as well as any necessary user names/passwords required to access the websites.
  • If the site is no longer live, a self-contained version of the site should be provided.
  • Please indicate PC or MAC format.
  • Printouts of Website screens are not acceptable, nor are mocked-up versions of the site, as ease-of-navigation is a vital element in the evaluation of any site. Also, please try to avoid agency identification as part of the URL.
  • For "static" executions, like landing pages or blogs, screen shots or hard copy samples are acceptable.

Other

Non-traditional media not covered by the above categories. Please submit sample demonstrative of the marketing channel used. Do not forget to label all creative samples with the labels from your entry control sheet and mail the samples to the ECHO office where you submitted your online entry form.

NOTE: Videotapes, audiocassettes, and CDs are not accepted! DVDs are accepted for broadcast advertisements larger than 25 megs.

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