Writing Your Entry

 Entries consist of a 1000-word submission, answering seven key questions. There is an optional opportunity to provide 250-words of background information or summary to frame the context for the market or industry that you are operating in. This is particularly encouraged if you work in a niche that may not be familiar to all judges.

 It is expected that all submissions will include both quantitative and qualitative material to demonstrate effectiveness and success. It is the combination of robust quantifiable data, judged by a panel of senior industry figures, using transparent scoring guidelines focused on the real effectiveness, insight and delivery of true added value that set our awards apart.

 However, the judges recognise that in a few categories it is much more difficult to provide realistic and meaningful quantitative justifications, and where this is the case (noted in the relevant category descriptions, below) well-argued qualitative submissions are welcome.

 Clarity and brevity are important throughout, but in terms of assessing the entry, some answers are more important than others. This is reflected in the maximum possible score for each question. Further details of the judging criteria and the score weighting are available on request.

 Entering Multiple Categories

Please note that it is not necessary for each entry to be completely different, but it is important to ensure that the answers to each question are fully appropriate in each category. The judges will rate each entry on the basis of what is written rather than what they might infer.

 Judging

 Every entry will be carefully reviewed by a panel of judges. Shortlisted entries will then be debated, discussed and assessed by all the judges at a full day judging event.

The shortlist will be available 13 September 2024.

 Supplying Additional Information

 Graphs and images may be uploaded as a PDF or media format in conjunction with the core 1000-word submission to clarify data and make the paper engaging. Additional material should be legible, clearly explained, and meaningful.

 Please note that any additional information is not formally marked and it is not essential to supply additional information to achieve a high scoring entry. The judges will focus their attention on assessing the core responses.

 In particular, please do not answer any question by writing only “See attachment” in response to the question.

 Eligibility

Our awards are open to all financial services brands, technology groups, or their agencies, based anywhere in the world. It is not necessary for anyone in your organisation to be a member of The Financial Services Forum to make an entry.

 Entries must focus on recent initiatives, which we define as having been brought to market no earlier than 1 January 2023.

 It is also important that projects have been “live” for long enough to demonstrate real effectiveness. This means that most initiatives launched after October 2023 would be better entries in our 2025 awards. But this is not a firm rule – if you feel able to demonstrate convincingly the effectiveness of a more recent project, the judges will assess it with the same fairness and rigour as any other entry.

 Confidentiality

No material used to answer the seven questions will be published or disseminated in any form without prior approval from the entrant.

 If you require that a particular judge does not view industry-sensitive data, please mark your entry accordingly. We and our judges will absolutely respect commercial confidentiality. All supporting information supplied with your entry will be securely destroyed once it has been considered by the judges.

 Entry Costs

Entries to the core brand and campaign categories will be charged at £300 (+VAT) per category for one category - and £250 (+VAT) for every entry thereafter.

Payment under £500 (+VAT) must be made by credit card. There is the option to pay by invoice if your entry fees are over £500 (+VAT). There is also the option to add a purchase order number to your invoice.

 Additional fees are payable if you submit the same entry in more than one award category.

 Entry cost for Agency of the Year is £350 (+VAT) and this is not included in the deal for 'second entries'. So, you will not receive a discount on this category regardless of how many other categories you have entered.   

Entries to Marketer of the Year and Young Marketer of the Year are free.