Entries consist of a 1000-word submission, answering seven key questions. 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, well-argued qualitative submissions are welcome.
Entry cost in the core brand- or product-related awards is £300 (+ VAT) per category.
Entry for the Agency of the Year award is £350 (+ VAT)
Young Marketer of the Year and Marketer of the Year awards are free of charge.
**Please note we are currently running a promotion for the core brand or product related awards, for each entry placed you will receive £50 off the second entry, excluding Agency of the Year.**
**Please note we are currently running a promotion for the core brand or product related awards, for each entry placed you will receive £50 off the second entry, excluding Agency of the Year.**
Submissions are open to financial services brands and technology groups, or their agencies, worldwide.
You do not have to be a member of The Financial Services Forum to enter.
Marketing projects frequently have elements that are relevant to two or more of our award categories. Multiple entries are welcome in these circumstances. Please note that it is not necessary for each entry to be completely different, but it is important to ensure where necessary that the answers to each question are fully appropriate in each category – as the judges will rate each entry on the basis of what is written rather than what they might infer.
All entries are automatically considered for Judges' Special Awards;
Most Effective Data and Analytics, Consumer Insight, Brand Consistency and Marketing Excellence
2025 Awards Categories & Criteria
2025 Awards Categories & Criteria
2025 Marketing Team of the Year
We’re looking to celebrate the inspiring teams responsible for driving exceptional marketing campaigns.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a team of two, three or two hundred; we want to hear your story.
This award asks you to consider the role of culture, creativity, innovation and collaboration in your marketing team.
2025 Agency of the Year
Agencies make an enormous contribution to the success of marketing activities.
This award rewards standout agencies doing remarkable work in the financial services sector, both for their clients and on a wider industry level.
As an agency, you can nominate yourself or be nominated by a client or peer.
2025 Marketer of the Year
This award is the jewel in the Awards for Marketing Effectiveness crown. We are looking to celebrate the exceptional senior marketing leaders in the financial services industry.
You can nominate yourself, a colleague or a client for this award.
In view of the depth of experience and the sustained marketing success that the judges are looking for, it is unlikely (but not unheard of) that individuals with less than ten years of experience will be able to demonstrate the required combination of outstanding marketing ability and long-term performance.
Please bear this in mind when considering your entry.
2025 Young Marketer of the Year
This category recognises a rising star within the financial services industry, who has already demonstrated they are an exceptional and innovative marketer.
Those nominated must be under 30 years of age on 31 December 2025.
Most Effective Customer Retention Initiative
This award asks you to demonstrate how your customer strategy – or a single standalone initiative – has improved customer retention in 2025.
The best entries will be able to explain the impact the initiative had as part of a cohesive overriding strategy, alongside a set of metrics that demonstrate it’s effectiveness.
Most Effective Personalisation
This award recognises the impact of personalisation to align communications or a customer journey to an individual’s needs and preferences.
We’re looking forward to hearing about the personalisation methods you have utilised in your business, and how they’ve resulted in an uplift of engagement or sales.
Most Effective Sustainability Campaign
This category focuses purely on the strategy, tactics and execution of marketing sustainable financial services products or services.
This might include, for example, a fund investing in renewable energy, pensions or a ‘green’ mortgage.
Most Effective Brand Strategy
Branding has become increasingly important for financial services companies in recent years. Larger providers must fend off challengers through continuous investment in brand awareness, whilst smaller businesses use brand strategy to carve out a space in a crowded market and create differentiation.
No matter the company size, the ability to demonstrate effectiveness is key in this category.
We will consider only the performance of the campaign discussed in each entry, as opposed to favouring large budgets or existing share of market.
Most Effective Use of a Small Budget
Marketing success does not require sizeable investment, as has been demonstrated by many of the winning entries in the twenty-two years of these Awards.
‘Small budget’ is a relative term, depending on the size of the company, but we define it here as any execution involving expenditure of no more than £100k.
The category is open to any company regardless of size that can demonstrate quantifiable success from its campaign.
Most Effective Content Marketing Strategy
Content marketing remains a crucial tool in a marketers toolkit, encompassing podcasts, editorial features and video amongst other new formats.
In this category, we’ll be looking for content strategies that can evidence quantifiable results with a direct impact on the business, customer or wider industry.
As campaign effectiveness is the key metric of success, both big and small companies will compete and be considered equally in this category.
Most Effective Integrated Campaign B2B
This category looks specifically at the most effective use of an integrated marketing campaign targeting business to business, which may encompass social media and digital advertising, as well as more traditional formats such as television, print and outdoor.
Most Effective Use of Social Media
A number of campaigns now take place purely on social channels, including influencer marketing, customer service initiatives and content campaigns.
We’re looking for campaigns that have yielded impressive results and demonstrate engagement on social media.
Most Effective Customer Event
Sponsored by: 
In financial services, customer or client events remain an important channel for acquisition and retention, as well as building brand equity. This category welcomes entries discussing an event series or a single standalone conference.
The highest marks will be awarded to those who can demonstrate impressive KPI performance as a direct result of their programme.
Most Effective Integrated Campaign B2C
This category looks specifically at the most effective use of an integrated marketing campaign targeting direct to consumer, which may encompass social media and digital advertising, as well as more traditional formats such as television, print and outdoor.
Most Effective Attribution Strategy
This award recognises the best use of an attribution strategy model that shows how marketing activity can be optimised to drive increased effectiveness.
Judges are looking for a model that has proven it can improve effectiveness by optimising what’s working across channels and touchpoints. The best entries will show how attribution has proven impact
Most Effective International Campaign
This award recognises the additional challenges in market conditions or customer expectations that are involved in running a single campaign or initiative across several countries.
The judges expect the same rigorous analysis as in the other categories but would welcome also a few background comments (in the summary section – not part of the overall word limit) about non-UK markets with which they may not be fully familiar.
Contacts
For sponsorship enquiries: