World Media Awards 2019 Open for Entry with New Category Launch

Entry for the World Media Awards 2019 – the only awards that celebrate the effectiveness of cross-platform, cross-border, content-driven advertising - has opened today, with the announcement of a brand new category.

The new “Content Leadership & Innovation Award” will be awarded to the individual recognised by peers for their talent in creating exemplary content-driven campaigns with brand bravery, creativity and innovation.

The independent World Media Awards (WMAs) are now in their fourth year and are hosted by the World Media Group, a strategic alliance of global publishers which aims to promote award-winning journalism and the role of international media. The Awards are unique in that all winners not only walk away with a trophy and kudos on the night but are also featured in a world-wide winners’ ad campaign, valued at €500,000, which runs across member brands comprising The Atlantic, Bloomberg Media Group, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, National Geographic, Reuters, The New York Times, Time, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and Smithsonian Media.

Emma Winchurch-Beale, President of the World Media Group and International Sales Director at the Washington Post commented, “The World Media Awards and World Media Group continue to go from strength to strength.  This success stems from the rise in the importance of good quality journalism and the realisation that branded content is both elevated and absorbed more when positioned within a contextually relevant environment.   Context and trust are essential components that help to both disrupt and engage consumers, who are subjected daily to a blizzard of information.”

The winners at the 2018 WMAs included Grand Prix Winner, Shell, along with The Barilla Foundation, E.on, Hennessy XO, Porsche, UBS, Visit Faroe Islands and Warner Bros.

How to enter: Entry to the WMAs is via their new website, http://world-media-group.com/awards and is totally free, although entrants can make a voluntary donation to Reporters Without Borders. Campaigns must have intentionally targeted audiences in at least four countries and 75% of activity needs to have been implemented in 2018. Whilst PR and viral marketing may have added impact, campaigns must have been reliant on a strategic media spend.

There is no requirement for campaigns to have run in any of the World Media Group brands. The closing date for entries is Thursday 7^th February 2019.

Judges: The judging panel will number over 20 heavy-hitters from across brands, agencies and media owners to reflect the vital importance each plays in collaborating to create successful international, content-driven advertising campaigns. It will be presided over by Co-chairs Caroline Foster Kenny, CEO EMEA at IPG Mediabrands and Jim Piercy, Creative Director, Custom Studios EMEA/Asia at DOW Jones.  The full list of judges can be seen here.

Foster Kenny comments, “The World Media Awards are an integral part of the advertising industry calendar and they continue to adapt and innovate to reflect the rising importance of content in the advertising armoury. I’m excited about the Content Leadership & Innovation Award as creating cross-border content campaigns is not easy. Those who excel at managing the complexities of multiple markets to create something that connects with, what can be, extremely different audiences, deserve to get recognition.”

Categories: This year there are nine Award categories and a Grand Prix selected by the jury from amongst the category winners, as follows:

·         Financial Services

·         Travel & Tourism

·         Technology and Telecoms

·         Lifestyle, Luxury & Fashion

·         Automotive

·         Corporate Influencer

·         Media & Entertainment

·         Brand/Media Partnership

·         Content Leadership & Innovation Award (NEW)

The new Content Leadership & Innovation Award is not open for public entry. The jury and key industry influencers will be invited to make their nominations for the client-side marketer who they believe has led the way in building brand awareness and profitability by engaging audiences in branded content. The final winner will be selected by the Jury.

Awards event: The winners of the Awards will be announced at the exclusive World Media Awards Reception at the Ham Yard Hotel in London on 4^th April 2019.  All shortlisted entrants will receive two free tickets to join the celebration as guests of the World Media Group, and additional tickets will be available for purchase