There’s no hiding the fact that agencies love winning awards. And the industry certainly has plenty. Some of the most prestigious awards include the Effie Awards, the Drum Awards, the B2B Marketing Awards, the Clios, the Digiday Content Marketing Awards and the Hermes Creative Awards.
It’s no surprise that an industry that smugly refers to itself as ‘creative’, now has nearly as many awards as it has egos. But are awards merely self-indulgent, worthless social proof? Or are they essential in helping clients find new agencies, and in allowing agencies to big-up their talent? It’s a debate that still polarises opinion.
We aren't against awards in general. Most industries have awards to celebrate success, recognise talent, reward diversity and praise workplace experiences. All of which are positive.
However, we are anti-agency awards. This isn’t because of the effort involved or the relatively expensive entry fees. It’s not because they are extremely competitive, or because they tend to be dominated by the bigger agencies. No, it’s because many agencies take awards to a whole new level, with an obsession on winning awards as a vehicle for excessive self-promotion.
Nevertheless, it would be wrong to dismiss awards completely.
The advantages of awards
Serial award-winning agencies will argue that they are a great way for an agency to build its reputation and showcase its work. And that’s undeniably true. It’s also true that award dinners are attended by industry influencers and senior decision-makers. Such ceremonies therefore present great opportunities to get successful case studies in front of the right people, and to network and make new connections.
Working with a client on an award submission, and celebrating together, can do wonders to strengthen a relationship too. If nothing else, just spending time as a team at a ceremony more than pays for the table of ten.
Entries can also provide inspiration to others, especially when they showcase innovation and break new ground. There are some great agencies doing great work, which should be celebrated.
These are all strong arguments for entering awards. And if the industry wasn’t so fixated on what awards supposedly represent, all would be fine. But that isn't the case.
There is nothing wrong with awards and every other industry takes them for what they are. Yet most agencies use awards differently. In the absence of anything formal, some agencies almost regard an award as highly as a certification. But it's a real stretch to propose that an award is a kitemark guaranteeing results in the field every time. It’s fair to say that no other industry leverages awards quite like agencies to celebrate achievement - or promotes them so vociferously after the event.
No other industry leverages awards quite like agencies to celebrate achievement - or promotes them so vociferously after the event.
Just how valid are awards?
On the whole, awards are typically based on case studies showcasing excellent work, which are then judged by a panel of experts. Awards are therefore less about whether an agency is able to do great work - a happy client willing to approve a case study is evidence enough of that.
Instead, an award really comes as a result of the brave decision an agency makes to take the risk of committing significant resources, money, and endeavour on entering an award process.
But are awards a fair representation, conducted on a level playing field? We don’t think so.
Some agencies are very experienced in creating powerful award submissions, often with a dedicated team that knows how to win. Another group of agencies will hire external companies that specialise in writing award entries. Others will sponsor different awards or take advantage of the promo opportunities available as part of the awards campaign, which may also help improve their odds.
To win an award in a fiercely competitive field will also often hinge on results, and there is no doubt that there will be a tendency to exaggerate or even fake performance. Yet, how would the judges ever know?
This all arguably calls into question the validity of some agency awards.
Furthermore, awards aren’t representative of the market, as not all agencies or clients submit entries, resulting in a limited pool of work to judge. It means that an agency with a long list of awards isn’t necessarily more capable than one without any awards. It just means they were more willing to invest in the process.
‘Awards Gone Wild’, a video from US ad agency Zulu Alpha Kilo, brilliantly challenges the validity of agency awards and condemns the lengths some agencies go to.
More awards puffery
Some agencies still live off awards that were won over 3 years ago. But just how long is an award still valid? Is it within one year, two, three, or more?
The chances are in 3 years or more, the agency will have changed significantly with different people, clients, and strategies. To headline yourself as an award-winning agency for something you won in 2019 is, frankly, nonsense.
Look deeper and often the award itself is not for winning, but just for taking part. ‘Shortlisted’, ‘Finalist’, ‘Runner-up’ - you can basically get an award logo for just showing up.
Awards are also very much geared towards large enterprise clients and larger, often global, agencies, so they aren't really helpful for small or mid-sized clients.
What do clients think?
It would seem the primary reason why agencies enter awards is to help them win new clients. But while awards can clearly help agencies generate awareness and get themselves on the map, I doubt many clients would hire an agency based solely on their list of accolades.
What evidence do we have of this? We don’t. Only the fact that not once has a client or potential client ever asked for our list of awards.
The real question is whether a monumental list of awards is testimony enough that an agency is going to be effective working for you. On the flip side, if an agency has no awards, is this enough to rule them out?
If your number one priority is to work with an agency with a long list of awards, then we’re definitely not the agency for you.
The good news is that you won’t have to look too hard to find one elsewhere. Just type, ‘award-winning agency’ into Google and you’ll find more than enough.
Our awards shelf may resemble the trophy cabinet at Birmingham City FC, nevertheless we're confident that we can help you run a winning marketing programme. Contact us to learn more.
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