announcing the comms2point0 unawards

We've been thinking for some time that we are in a rather privileged position in geting to see some of the very best comms and digital work being delivered across the sectors in the UK. So a while back we floated the idea of running some awards to highlight and celebrate the great things we know you do. There was a lot of interest. So, we got our shizzle together and organised some shiny new awards.

by Dan Slee, Darren Caveney & Emma Rodgers

We're rather pleased to be able to announce the comms2point0 UnAwards 2014. And they are going to be held in the ultimate month for celebrations - December.

Now we don’t mean those awards that cost a fortune to enter, require tedious and overly complicated 1,000 word submissions and then see you spending a fortune on attending a formal awards bash. We mean something a little different. Actually, very different.

That’s where the comms2point0 comms UnAwards come in. We know that you do great things and we’re inspired on a daily basis by what you do. That’s why we want a way to recognise the great people up across the UK (and beyond) doing brilliant, creative things, day in, day out.

Free and simple to enter, the winners will be announced at a fun, alternative awards bash on 11 December at the uber cool Electric Cinema in Birmingham. Even better, if you win, you’ll receive a suitably comms2point0-ish award and hold the title of comms2point0 winner for a year – that’s 12 whole months.

So you’re interested, what next?

All you have to do is tell us - in 400 words or less - why you deserve to win. That’s it. No attachments, no entry fee, no complications. Just be creative and convince us that you’re the best and we’ll do the rest. Of course, you can use images for the best creative image entries but we don’t expect it for the others. Unless you think without it you won’t win. Don't send anything in the post, everything has to be submitted electronically, and CD Roms are NOT accepted ;-)

Send all entries to us by close of play on 12 November and we’ll take it from there. Email both Dan@comms2point0 and Darren@comms2point0.

The categories

There are 14 lovely categories you can enter – most of which have been put forward by our brilliant comms2point0 twitter followers. And, because we like the word best, it’s in nearly all of them:

1. Best communications team  chosen by the overall awards sponsor
2. Best communications officer (this includes digital too) public vote
3. Best small team (from one-man band up to three people max)  public vote
4. Lifetime achievement to comms  public vote
5. Best post on comms2point0 in 2014 public vote
6. Best internal communications campaign
7. Best communications for change activity
8. Best piece of creative comms
9. Best freebie or low cost communications campaign
10. Best email marketing campaign
11. Best social media campaign
    
12. Best private sector/agency comms campaign or initiative
13. Best ‘Worst comms’ (this can be anything from use of clip art, worst poster, silliest random request - feel free to be creative)
14. Best collaboration

We think they’re pretty straightforward but if you’ve got any questions on any of the categories, get in touch email or tweet us.

Who can enter?

We’re thinking public sector peeps and people who work with public sector peeps. That means if you work in local government, central government, housing, nhs, fire, police, voluntary sector or you provide services to people in any of these areas, then these awards are for you.

But if you are flying high in the private sector, or doing good things in an agency, there is a category for you too.

How will we decide who wins?

It won’t just be us deciding who the best are – you will too by way of a public vote in three of the categories. We’ll be asking people to join our judging panel for eight categories, plus the best comms team award will be chosen by the overall event sponsors.

The Unawards Ceremony ...

We’ll be announcing the winners at a special unawards event at the oldest working cinema in the UK – The Electric, Birmingham on 11 December between 10 – 2pm.

And, there's more - the event will be rounded off with a special viewing of one the best comms-related film ever made - In the Loop.  Film snacks will be provided.

I want to come...

Ahhh we want you to come too. And you can. It will cost you the small sum of £20 for a ticket to the best alternative awards around.

All you have to do to snaffle a ticket is sign up at our Eventbrite (you can pay there too). You don’t even have to submit an award to come (although we’d like you to) But, you’ll have to be quick. We’ve got a feeling they’ll sell out quick.

Enter now or buy a ticket

That’s it. Simples. Go on - do it. Either put in an award and snap-up a ticket or buy a ticket to come. Even better, why not do both. We’d love to see you there at what we think will be one of the best gigs of the year.

Ticket releases

There's a launch release at £20 and then once the shortlist has been made in mid-November a second release at £25.

Interested in sponsoring?

Then come and speak to us quick sharp. We’ve had quite a lot of interest and don’t want you to miss the boat.

To get in touch, email us at both Dan@comms2point0.co.uk and Darren@comms2point0.co.uk or tweet us at @comms2point0

What happens when?

20 October – awards open

12 November – awards close

13 - 16 November - we look at the entries to put our faourites into shortlists

17 November - the public vote opens

30 November - public vote closes

5 December – judges make their final decisions

11 December – Comms unawards gig takes place at the Electric in Birmingham

You can buy tickets anytime between 20 October and 30 November.

So there you go. It'll be fun, we'll celebrate, we'll watch a great film and have a bit of nosh.

We hope you'll join us

Dan, Darren & Emma x

Dan Slee and Darren Caveney co-founded comms2point0. Emma Rodgers is a communications manager in local government.

UnAwards image designed by the fab Russ Winston