Digital Communication Awards 2013

DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AWARDS 2013

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DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AWARDS 2013

The Digital Communication Awards exclusively honour achievements in the ямБeld of digital communication. Enter now!

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DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AWARDS 2013

Invitation To thrill consumers or employees requires a great deal of energy as well as ground breaking ideas. The influence of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and so on continues to grow. However mobile and viral communication, online events and competitions are becoming increasingly important. Therefore, the Digital Communication Awards utilised the experience from previous years to review our work. New categories have been created and old ones eliminated. To meet up with the expectations of the “war for talents” we have implemented categories that honour successful recruitment strategies and campaigns. Critically, the campaigns must be presented in an appealing, highly-visual format, as reflected in the new category for online data visualisation and infographics.

Since 2011, Quadriga University Berlin has established the Digital Communication Awards as the leading award in the field of online communication in Europe. It honours outstanding achievements on a European level. More than 500 innovative communication campaigns and technologically outstanding projects are submitted every year to the jury, composed of 31 highly renowned communication professionals and scholars. Never before has the whole range of online communication been taken into account in a single award, uniting leading academic researchers and communication professionals.

We invite you to compete for the Digital Communication Awards 2013 and present your project to our grand jury. Become one of the proud winners this year and celebrate your success with your peers in Germany’s pulsating capital, Berlin. Submit your innovative projects and campaigns in a total of 38 categories online at www.digital-awards.eu until July 4th, 2013.We are looking forward to receiving your inspiring and pioneering work within the field of online communication.

Sincerely,

Prof. Dr. Thorsten Hofmann Chairman of the Jury Quadriga University of Applied Sciences

Award

IDEA Over the last years, the field of professional communication has experienced a significant change: digital communication has become one of the fastest growing and innovative sectors, with companies, NGOs and organisations.

In order to advance excellence in practice as well as academic research in the thriving field of online communications, and to encourage an active exchange between academics and practitioners, Quadriga launched in 2011 a Europe-wide competition for excellence in online communication and social media, both on a practical and an academic level – The European Digital Communication Awards.

In a fair, transparent and independent competition a high-level jury panel formed by leading practitioners and academics rate superior online strategies, campaigns and social media tools from across Europe.

Furthermore, outstanding Bachelor and Master theses dealing with online communication are honoured.

HOST

The Digital Communication Awards are hosted by the Quadriga University of Applied Sciences, an international graduate school for Communication Management and Public Affairs located in Berlin, Germany.

It offers graduate MBA and Master programmes for high-level professionals eager to advance their careers through interdisciplinary, practiceoriented education.

The university is dedicated to promoting the active exchange of research and practice. To this end, Quadriga organises both national and international conferences featuring the participation of leading academics and practitioners.

L O C AT I O N Berlin – loaded with lots of history, monuments and spirit of optimism.

Plunge into a unique and vibrant atmosphere and enjoy one of the most favourite cities in the world.

The venue of the Jury Meeting is the Quadriga Forum, located in the historic district between Friedrichstraße and Unter den Linden in Berlin Mitte and within walking distance from Berlin’s most famous touristic attractions, such as the Brandenburger Tor and Checkpoint Charlie.

The Gala Ceremony takes place next to Potsdamer Platz at the Meistersaal.

This premium Berlin location embodies a neo-classical room with the special tension created when tradition meets popular culture. Today, as in the past, stars such as David Bowie, U2 and Depeche Mode have turned the Meistersaal into a modern legend.

Categories

DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AWARDS 2013

ACCOMPLISHMENT

ONLINE STRATEGIES

SOCIAL MEDIA AND COMMUNITY

1 Social Media Campaign of the Year

12 Viral Communication

32 Community Presence

2 Online Strategy of the Year

13 Crisis Communication

33 Twitter Profile

3 Innovation of the Year

14 Internal Communication

34 YouTube Channel

15 Digital Public Affairs

35 Online Competition

16 Digital Monitoring and Evaluation

36 Corporate Games

17 CSR Communication 18 Employer Branding

ONLINE CAMPAIGNS

ONLINE MEDIA AND TOOLS

ACADEMIC RESEARCH

4 Companies

19 Corporate Website

37 Best Bachelor’s Thesis

5 Associations

20 Digital Annual Report

38 Best Master’s Thesis

6 NGOs

21 Intranet

7 Institutions

22 Online Newsroom

8 B2B Communication

23 Corporate Weblog

9 Product Campaign

24 Online Community

10 Product Launch

25 Mobile and Apps

11 Recruiting Campaign

26 Online Event 27 Web Magazine 28 Online Newsletter 29 Image Film 30 Web Video 31 Online Data Visualisation and Information Design

Jury

The entries will be reviewed by a jury of renowned communication professionals and social media and digital communication experts from

academia and business, ensuring a range of expertise covering the entire scope of the discipline and the whole European continent.

The combined expertise of the jury members will contribute to the quality of the Digital Communication Awards.

Strategic approach, creativity, innova-

ANNABELLE AT C H I S O N Social Media Manager Microsoft

ZEYNEP BALIOGLU Head of Web Communications Infineon Technologies AG

SOPHIE BRENDEL Head of Digital Engagement BBC

P R O F. D R . I N TA BRIKSE Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences University of Latvia, Lithuania

P R O F. D R . M I C H A E L BOENIGK Head of Competence Center Corporate Communication Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland

P R O F. F I N N FRANDSEN Director of the Centre for Corporate Communication Aarhus University, Denmark

GUNDEKAR GIEBEL Head of Electronic Media Die Schweizerische Post

P R O F. D R . S E R R A GÖRPE Dean of the Faculty of Communication Sciences European University of Lefke, Turkey

LOREDANA GRIMALDI Head of Branding and Corporate Identity Research Telecom Italia

FLORIAN HIESSL Head of Online Communications Siemens AG

SIMON NICHOLSON Social Media Manager Honda Motor Europe Ltd

MARGARET O‘DONNELL Digital Media Manager British Red Cross

P R O F. S T I L I A - F E L I S I PA U N O VA Professor UNESCO Department of Communications and Public Relations Sofia University

GERARDO PERFORSBARRADAS Reputation Intelligence Officer Volvo Group

P R O F. D A V I D PHILLIPS Visiting Professor of Online Public Relations Lisbon School of Communication, Portugal

DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AWARDS 2013

AS A NOMINEE, YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT YOUR SUBMISSION TO THE JURY IN PERSON. A L L P R O J E C T S T H AT A R E N O M I N AT E D F O R T H E S H O R T L I S T W I L L B E P R E S E N T E D AT T H E JURY MEETING HELD IN BERLIN ON SEPTEMBER 20TH.

tion, implementation and efficiency are the evaluation criteria the jury will use to assess the submitted entries before deciding on the winners.

Chairman of the Jury P R O F. D R . T H O R S T E N HOFMANN Department Politics & Public Affairs Quadriga University of Applied Sciences, Germany

P R O F. D R . U L R I K E BUCHHOLZ Professor of Corporate Communication Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Germany

H U B E R T C A L L AY D A M AT O Director of e-Media and New Tech Mazars

J E A N - PA U L CHAPON Web Governance and Enterprise 2.0 Société Générale

PA U L C O N N E A L LY Head of Communications and Partnerships Division ITU – International Telecommunication Union

FA B I O D E LT O N Head of Group Digital Internal Communications UniCredit S.p.A.

P R O F. D R . C H R I S T O K A F TA N D J I E V Professor on Marketing Communications Sofia University, Bulgaria and Tomsk University, Russia

P R O F. D R . P A U L KETELAAR Associate Professor in Communication Science Radboud University of Nijmegen, Netherlands

J U T TA K L A U E R Senior Manager New Media Pfizer Consumer Healthcare GmbH

SEAN MACNIVEN Head of Communications Innovations & Technology SAP AG

IAN MCNAIRN Program Director Innovation & Social Collaboration IBM

JOSEPH PURSE Head of Online Communications MAN Diesel & Turbo

P R O F. D R . M I R O L J U B RADOJKOVIC Professor of Communication Theories University of Belgrade, Serbia

A U R E L I E VA LTAT Head of Digital Communications Council of the European Union

P R O F. D R . A R N E WESTERMANN Professor of Communications & Marketing International School of Management (ISM) Dortmund Germany

ANDREA ZAJICEK Online and Social Media Manager voestalpine AG

The Online Communication Campus September 20th 2013 in Berlin

J U R Y M E E T I N G – P R E S E N T Y O U R P R O J E C T S T O C O M M U N I C AT I O N E X P E R T S The jury meeting will be held on September 20th at the Quadriga Campus in Berlin. It will be a stage for all European actors within the field of online communication to present, discuss and evaluate their work. All submitted

projects which are nominated for the shortlist will have the opportunity, to convince the jury in a live presentation of their project. The jury will vote for the winners after the meeting has finished.

AGENDA

09:00–10:00

10:00–11:00

11:00–12:00

12:00–13:00

Panel 1

Online Campaigns by Companies

Online Campaigns by Associations

Online Campaigns by NGOs

Online Campaigns by Institutions

Panel 2

Community Presence

Corporate Weblog

Digital Public Affairs

Digital Monitoring and Evaluation

Panel 3

Corporate Website

Intranet

Online Newsroom

Mobile and Apps

Panel 4

Best Bachelor’s Thesis

Best Master’s Thesis

Image Film

Web Video

Panel 5

Online Data Visualisation

Twitter Profile

Online Video Channel

Corporate Game

Panel 6

Product Campaign

Product Launch

Crisis Communication

Viral Communication

LUNCH

13:00–14:00

AGENDA

14:00–15:00

15:00–16:00

16:00–17:00 (GRAND JURY)

Panel 1

Employer Branding

Web Magazine

Social Media Campaign of the Year

Panel 2

CSR Communication

B2B Communication

Online Strategy of the Year

Panel 3

Online Community

Recruiting Campaign

Innovation of the Year

Panel 4

Digital Annual Report

Online Newsletter

Panel 5

Online Competition

Online Event

Panel 6

Internal Communication

Nominee presenting her project

Tough descission to make - the jury revises the projects

T H E PA R T I C I PAT I O N IN THE JURY MEETING AND SYMPOSIUM IS C O M P L I M E N TA R Y A N D E X C L U S I V E T O S H O R TLISTED NOMINEES.

DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AWARDS 2013

SYMPOSIUM – LEARN FROM PEERS ACROSS EUROPE Running parallel to the jury meeting on September 20th 2013, the Digital Communication Symposium will take place at the Quadriga Campus. This event is an excellent opportunity to meet other communication experts and to exchange insights and views on both a practical and an academic level. In keynotes and discussion panels, professionals from across Europe will present and discuss different approaches and research results on digital communication.

AGENDA

All participants presenting to the jury are also invited to take part in the symposium, and to contribute to a substantive discourse about online communication and PR. Central topics: • Channels and Targeting • Content and Issues • Controlling and Measurement

09:00–10:00

10:00–11:00

11:00–12:00

12:00–13:00

Arrival and Welcome

Opening and Keynote

Best Case Session

Panel Discussion

Future challenges in online communication

Corporate Communications’ Best Friend: Getting the Best Out of Social Media

A key for building reputation: Online Communication fostering authenticity, credibility and dialogue.

LUNCH

13:00–14:00

AGENDA

14:00–16:00

16:00–17:00

17:00–17:30

Best Case Session

Panel Discussion

Keynote

Racing for Success: Rolling Out Social Media Campaigns

Boisterous, spectacular, flashy: Which organisations use viral campaigns, online competitions and corporate games? How do they work and why?

New publics – new rules? Changing communication processes in organisations and their impact on the principles of professional communication

Members of the jury discussing the latest developments of online communication

Discuss recent challenges with your peer

Gala Ceremony

JOIN US FOR AN EXCITING EVENING FULL OF SUSPENSE AND C E L E B R AT E Y O U R SUCCESS AMONG YOUR PEERS.

Studying the programme of the Gala

Jury-Members Aurélie Valtat (l.) and Inta Brikse (r.)

Guest of the Gala Ceremony in 2011

Winner 2011 – MSL Amsterdam

DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AWARDS 2013

CEREMONY The Digital Communication Awards ceremony will take place on September 20th 2013 in Berlin. Shortlisted applicants, jury members and other leading communication professionals from across the continent will gather for what will be both a fantastic networking opportunity and a celebration of Europe’s finest PR achievements.

Celebrating their success – Akzo Nobel, Winners 2012

Receiving congratulations – happy Winners 2011

L O C AT I O N The winners will be chosen after the shortlisted entrants in the 38 categories have presented their projects in person to the jury. The jury meeting on the 20th of September is therefore the decisive element of the decisionmaking process.

Centrally located right next to the Potsdamer Platz , the Meistersaal is a firmly established part of the MediaCity-Berlin. Today, as in the past, stars such as David Bowie, U2 and Depeche Mode have turned the Meistersaal into a modern legend. Heavily charged with inspiration, the Meistersaal is the venue of choice for all types of events.

Spectacular venues – the Gala of the DCAs

Aftershow Party at the nhow Hotel Berlin

Award Categories ACCOMPLISHMENT 1 S O C I A L M E D I A C A M PA I G N OF THE YEAR Professional social media campaigns use selected digital communication channels to place their messages where their target groups will see them, increasing their online presence and reputation. The Digital Communication Award will honour the campaign which stands out from the crowd for its exceptional and innovative concept in this category. The Social Media Campaign of the Year offers authentic and transparent communication, as well as professional campaign planning and objectives and evaluative evidence assessing its performance.

2 O N L I N E S T R AT E G Y O F T H E YEAR

exploit the potential of digital media, fearlessly taking the road less-travelled, taking communications into uncharted territory and contributing to the development of online communication.

ONLINE CAMPAIGNS

7 INSTITUTIONS 4 C O M PA N I E S With social media campaigns a company can scatter focused and clear messages to their target groups using strategically selected digital communication channels. It is important, however, to maintain a uniform appearance and to actively engage with users. The Digital Communication Award in this category rewards the campaign which uses online tools to keep varied target groups well informed and mobilised.

5 A S S O C I AT I O N S

Modern online communication has an almost inexhaustible supply of instruments, tools, apps, games and channels. This Digital Communication Award will honour a strategic concept in the digital domain which has managed the digital and media diversity in the online sector meaningfully and rigorously, from the planning stage through to implementation and evaluation to achieve value creation.

3 I N N O VAT I O N O F T H E Y E A R Without innovation nothing happens. Even if the technical possibilities of online communication seem almost infinite, creative and courageous thinkers are required to drive forward developments in the digital sector. This award honours ideas that

directly with their online audiences.

The Digital Communication Award in the NGO category will be given to the online campaign that informs, mobilises, interacts and best succeeds in promoting their message both virtually and concretely to the public.

Organisations earn political and social influence by bringing their issues onto the public agenda; the Internet facilitates this process by serving as a communication space that allows for the specific targeting of different segments of the public. In this category, the Digital Communication Awards will reward the online campaign that serves to educate, inform and mobilise its audience and succeeds in combining the individual spirit of the message with the approach used.

6 NGOS Campaigns by nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) have become an important strategic instrument, as NGOs increasingly use high-profile campaigns to engage directly and in-

Governments, ministries, authorities and administrations work in the public interest. Digital media channels open up a variety of possibilities for it. This category honours the online campaign which has best utilised the possibilities of digital communication for the purpose of enlightening the public debate.

8 B 2 B C O M M U N I C AT I O N While the use of social media in B2C communication is recognised today as compulsory for any business, social media in B2B has not yet reached the same level of ubiquity. The formulation of strategic goals, the implementation of creative ideas, continuous optimisation and intensive evaluation are therefore crucial. B2B communications which best meets these criteria will be honoured with the Digital Communication Award 2013.

9 P R O D U C T C A M PA I G N The infinite amount of channels and opportunities presented by web 2.0 offer surprising new ways of communicating products, whether you choose to focus solely on digital tools or develop an integrated product campaign. This category aims to honour innovation and success in communicating your existing product to a new target group.

DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AWARDS 2013

10 PRODUCT LAUNCH A few years ago, the importance of communicating a product launch online was often ignored. Today, it is standard. Viral campaigns, full width presence in social communities, and digital exploration of new potential target groups are all key elements to a successful launch campaign. This category is aimed at the most innovative introduction of a new product, using the full scope of digital media.

1 1 R E C R U I T I N G C A M PA I G N A successful recruitment strategy has a huge impact on a company‘s reputation. Innovative ideas and appropriate formats are key factors to a well thought-out ‘war for talents’ to attract future employees. The efficient implementation of such an online strategy will be honoured with the Digital Communication Award 2013.

ONLINE STRATEGIES 1 2 V I R A L C O M M U N I C AT I O N Efficient viral communication campaigns take place outside the limits of traditional communication solutions.

Viral communication requires analytical consideration on the consequences of interaction with different segments of the public, and effective strategic planning as to how social media is to be used. The winning campaign will have succeeded in achieving an exponential distribution of messages within the relevant networks.

1 3 C R I S I S C O M M U N I C AT I O N Social media channels provide new opportunities for stakeholders during

a crisis situation. This category seeks to reward the campaign that most effectively used online tools and digital crisis strategies during an acute or emerging crisis, providing an exceptional and transparent communication performance.

14 INTERNAL C O M M U N I C AT I O N Strategic employee communication in the digital age is increasingly done online, using in-house networks, Wikis, internal blogs and social media channels to create a wide range of possibilities. The Digital Communication Award in this category will honour holistic and sustainable internal online communication that is oriented to the web-skills of employees, is accepted by the workforce and has an obvious efficiency advantage.

1 5 D I G I TA L P U B L I C A F F A I R S The public affairs profession is currently facing a crucial challenge: IT-based methods are playing a major role in professional representation.

This category will reward the digital public affairs approach that successfully serves the online world, combining the political and media space with the necessary expertise, experience, finesse and precision needed for the political process.

1 6 D I G I TA L M O N I T O R I N G A N D E VA L U AT I O N The systematic evaluation of online communication provides insights into the communications habits of segments of the public and is an indispensable part of digital public relations. The evaluation of online

communication activities – and especially of social media activities – is a key challenge for professional communication management. The Digital Communication Award in this category will honour the monitoring and evaluation strategy which selects and evaluates online movements and opinions professionally and with the utmost flexibility in order to achieve effective reputation management.

1 7 C S R C O M M U N I C AT I O N Society’s acceptance of businesses is increasingly linked to their social activities. Corporate social responsibility practices give companies, and also non-profit making organisations, an opportunity to contribute to the design and improvement of their societies through their social and environmental commitment. This award will honour special communication in this field. It is not concerned with the actual measures undertaken, but with having a credible, comprehensive and innovative communications approach.

18 EMPLOYER BRANDING Employer branding has been defined as the active management of a company’s image as seen through the eyes of its associates and potential hires. Successfully transporting this traditionally offline field to the digital world is rewarded by the Digital Communication Awards in this category.

ONLINE MEDIA AND TOOLS 1 9 C O R P O R AT E W E B S I T E The website provides the communication backbone of a company, associa-

Award Categories tion or institution. In the digital space, an organisation without a website cannot have online communication, regardless of scope and design. This category will reward an excellent website, whose content, navigation, functionality and design meet the highest standards, and fit perfectly into the organisation’s communications goals.

2 0 D I G I TA L A N N U A L R E P O R T Annual reports have evolved from the traditional printed format to digital publications which use modern, mediafriendly technology to awaken emotions and set the scene for the readers. The award in this category will go to an innovative report that possesses a variety of interactive options, never sacrificing quality and outstanding design, to actively involve its readers.

21 INTRANET Online communication and its instruments play an important role in internal communication, which is most often based on an intranet site.

This category searches for a perfectly manageable user interface, high speed and optimised internal information flows and organisational processes. The winning intranet presence is adjusted to individual needs and ensures transparency in all functions.

22 ONLINE NEWSROOM The traditional press room is now increasingly becoming a social media newsroom. Multi-media offerings, including videos, podcasts, vodcasts and news in various formats can be subscribed to via RSS feeds, replacing a collection of press releases.

This category will reward the online

newsroom which best presents to its relevant reference groups, taking advantage of user-oriented content in a simple, well-structured digital form.

2 3 C O R P O R AT E W E B L O G Corporate weblogs live through the personality of their authors and the creative freedom available for targeted information and opinion exchange.

The prize in this category will be given to a weblog that has managed to walk the fine line between blogging and representing the brand, either internally or externally. The winning blog will create credibility and authenticity, and construct a stable relationship between sender and receiver.

24 ONLINE COMMUNITY Vibrant online communities include a number of members who feel part of the virtual community and connect and interact with each other on an independent level. The winner of this category will present an online community that is based on a functioning infrastructure, promoting a team spirit within the community and taking into account the needs and wishes of the members.

25 MOBILE AND APPS Smartphones play an increasingly important role in digital communication: they ensure continuous availability and the ability to intervene in digital events at any time. Apps offer extensive functionality and enable efficient use of various web applications. The Digital Communication Award in this category recognises outstanding and pioneering innovation in the field of mobile and Apps.

26 ONLINE EVENT Events in the virtual world are increasingly important, benefiting from the distribution of digital communities, which are unlimited by space.

This category seeks to honour the series of online events that stand out from the crowd for their creative planning and implementation, and the high levels of involvement of their participants.

27 WEB MAGAZINE Web magazines win over their readers with professional content. They can be specialised, aiming at specific groups or professionals, or more general in nature, addressing a larger section of the public. The winning web magazine will impress with its integrated strategy and manage to secure a permanent place in the competitive media landscape.

28 ONLINE NEWSLETTER The appearance of newsletters can vary greatly, from the classic text mail with a teaser text and links, to digital and animated magazines. Much is possible and diversity is common.

The main factor in the success of a newsletter is how it tailors its content and purpose to its audience, and this category will recognise creative and innovative achievements in this area.

29 IMAGE FILM Image films can achieve unexpected popularity on the Internet. The aim is to increase the profile and presence of its sender, which it can do through pictures and music, inspiring positive emotions and building confidence

DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AWARDS 2013

and curiosity. The prize will go to the submission which, by considering its use of modern digital features and high technology, rises above the other entrants with its original content and thematic approach.

30 WEB VIDEO As internet users are less and less willing to read long texts, videos are an excellent way to bring one’s message across. Be it a testimonial or demonstration of a software, a filmed lecture or something funny or intriguing, people enjoy watching movies. Realising this is crucial for companies. The Digital Communication Award will go to the video which convinces the jury with such qualities as a great story, strong pictures and surprising elements.

3 1 O N L I N E D ATA V I S U A L I S AT I O N A N D I N F O R M AT I O N DESIGN A concept that can be understood at first sight - that is the goal of welldesigned graphs and figures. Given people’s reluctance to read lengthy texts, visualisation of the key content of websites or articles are becoming more and more important. The Digital Communication Award goes to the project/campaign which works with appealing elements of data visualisation and information design, which provides the reader with a variety of attractions.

munication strategy, and characterised by inclusiveness, authenticity, credibility and transparency. The prize in this category will go to the online community presence which, in the context of individual communication and against the backdrop of target group needs, engages in dialogue with its community while presenting adapted and attractive messages to expand its influence.

33 TWITTER PROFILE Microblogging has successfully found its way into online communication.

Subtle, authentic communication over this channel requires both an awareness of the needs of the target group, and an awareness of sentiments conveyed. The most innovative and efficient microblog, using straight-to-the-point information, will win the prize in this category.

34 ONLINE VIDEO CHANNEL (YOUTUBE, VIMEO ETC.) With the help of the world’s largest video community, international companies are able to both communicate online and increase their visibility. The Digital Communication Award winner in the Online Video Channel category will be the company that engages their audience with high quality content, characterised by popularity in terms of subscribers and views, unique design and interaction with viewers via online comments.

35 ONLINE COMPETITION

SOCIAL MEDIA AND COMMUNITY 32 COMMUNITY PRESENCE A target group-oriented community site is part of a modern online com-

Online competitions promote a hands-on approach to creating or fostering identification with the sender, and to supporting brand and image building. This category will seek an

online competition that fits seamlessly into the overall strategy of the company, fully exploiting the digital possibilities in this area in a creative and innovative way.

3 6 C O R P O R AT E G A M E S Online games have always been enormously popular, and are therefore the ideal tool for the furtherance of a corporate identity online. The Digital Communication Award for Corporate Game will honour the game that most effectively manages to blend information into their offering while using the latest standards of web development.

ACADEMIC RESEARCH 37 BEST BACHELOR’S THESIS Bachelor’s dissertations which focus on online or digital communication, while displaying an academic approach and clear practical relevance, can be submitted in this category.

The professional relevance and innovative nature of the thesis, coupled with a sound evaluation of performance, will be the key factors in the assessment of the entries.

38 BEST MASTER’S THESIS Submissions in this category should contribute to the clarification of scientific theory or application-related problems and gaps in research in the field of online communications or PR management. The honoured entries will provide a thorough academic treatment of the subject, including a consideration of the current state of research in the area and a strong and clear focus on application.

Application Information

The following are eligible to enter the Digital Communication Awards: agencies and companies, associations and NGOs, political parties, institutions and individuals in the field of online communication.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS Any project created or published between July 1st 2012 and June 30th 2013 may participate in the competition. Some of the work must have occurred during this time frame, but it is not necessary for it to have been completed during the eligibility period. The submission deadline is July 4th 2013.

Applications to the Digital Communication Awards must be purchased.

The first application costs 240 Euro plus VAT and each additional application costs 190 Euro plus VAT. Invoices will be issued upon receipt of the completed application documents.

SUBMISSION Either the client or the implementing agency can apply. Should a client and its agency submit the same project, the submission will be considered as a joint application. All entries must be submitted in digital format. Applications and all required documents should be uploaded on www.digitalawards.eu. All information and materials that should be included with each submission are briefly outlined below:

1. Application For each application general information about the submitter and submitted work are requested.

2. Summary Furthermore a short description of no more than 2,000 characters (including spaces) must be provided including the following: • Reasons for the initialisation/ starting situation • Objectives of the project • Strategic considerations • Details of the implementation • Summary and evaluation of results achieved 3. Main Features of the Project Each submitted entry should entail the following information: • Time frame of the project • Budget (if this information is confidential, please mark “not to be published”) • Number of employees who worked on the project • Online link to the project (if applicable) • Summary of the project at a maximum length of 400 characters (including spaces) 4. Additional Material and Weblinks Accompanying materials are limited to three documents. Therefore, additional illustrative material should be carefully selected.

Examples of possible illustrative documents are planning documents,

press releases, images, PowerPoint presentations (no more than 10 slides) and movies. One document equates to one file.In addition, you can specify up to six links to websites, social media platforms, intranet sites, or online videos.

The following formats are acceptable: • For texts: pdf • For images: jpg/jpeg, gif, png • For videos/movies: mov, flv, avi, mpg/mpeg (in the highest possible quality, maximum 50 MB, or as a link to a website where the movie can be seen) • For presentations: pdf, ppt SELECTION PROCESS After the application deadline has passed, the jury will review all submissions and determine a shortlist of three to five nominees in each category. The nominees will be informed immediately. In an all-day jury meeting held on September 20th 2013 in Berlin, the shortlisted entrants will present their projects in a 10 minute oral presentation. The presentation is an integral part of the application process, and is therefore a prerequisite for winning the Digital Communication Awards. Should it not be possible to present your project in person, the jury will choose the next best-rated application from the pre-shortlisted entrants. The award ceremony will take place on the same evening at the gala event in Berlin.

DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AWARDS 2013

SELECTION CRITERIA

ACADEMIC ENTRIES

The jury will judge the applications on the following criteria:

Special conditions apply to the submissions for Academic Research categories. Please visit our website for more information.

For questions please contact:

Main Idea: The jury will consider the authenticity and credibility of the project in general.

Strategy and Integration of Communication Tools: The jury will assess the strategic approach of each entry and the fit between the chosen strategy and the development of the project, as well as the intermeshing of the various online tools.

Innovation: The jury will assess the question of whether new technical or strategic methods were pursued.

Creativity: The jury will judge the creativity of the project both in concept and implementation.

Results and Efficiency: The jury will consider the results of a project in relation to the stated targets, as well as the resources used towards achieving the results. (e.g. coverage, sales and user numbers, evaluation and survey results)

Helge Schlüter helge.schlueter@digital-awards.eu helge.schlueter phone +49 (0) 30/84 85 91 24 fax +49 (0) 30/84 85 92 00 www.digital-awards.eu

Reasons to take part 1 STRENGTHEN YOUR PROFILE IN THE ONLINE FIELD The Digital Communication Awards are the only European awards that honour services in the field of digital communication. As a prize winner, your skills and competencies in online communications are certified by a competent and prestigious jury.

2 COMPETE WITH ONLINE C O M M U N I C AT I O N PROFESSIONALS The competition shows the status quo in online communication and summarises and presents the latest technologies and achievements. By entering the competition, you have the unique opportunity to compete with other professionals and leading industry players.

3 PRESENT YOUR WORK TO THE JURY AND TO A LARGE AUDIENCE The Digital Communication Awards give you the opportunity to present yourself and your work before a prestigious jury. During the awards ceremony you can position your work before a large audience at the heart of the communications community.

4 M O T I VAT E Y O U R T E A M A Digital Communication Award is recognition of the work of your employees in the digital domain. The prize, awarded by renowned experts, honours your team as experts in the field of social media communication and acts as motivation for future projects.

5 PUBLICISE YOUR SUCCESS A nomination for – or win at – the Digital Communication Awards will inform your stakeholders of the success of your work in digital communications. Your participation at the award ceremony will become a topic of conversation throughout the online and communications industry.

6 DISCOVER YOUR POTENTIAL The awards are a seal of quality awarded to leading personalities in the communication field. In this respect, winning an award will give you self-confidence and security in the quality of your work that will withstand the highest criticism.

7 C E L E B R AT E S U C C E S S WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES Take part in the Digital Communication Awards ceremony and celebrate the growth and prestige of online communication with leading industry actors. Take the opportunity to maintain contacts, meet new colleagues and discuss innovative ideas with likeminded people.

8 COMBINE BEST PRACTICES WITH SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH The Digital Communication Awards foster the dialogue between practitioners and academics and strengthen the links between communication practices and scientific research.

Winners 2012 The proud winners of the Digital Communication Awards 2012 present their trophies.

Will you be standing on the stage this year?

DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AWARDS 2013

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