2024 Categories

The Elevation Awards 2024 categories recognize the full breadth of the B2B industry, covering program mechanics, brand marketing programs, growth marketing programs, audiences & objectives, and teams & practitioners. 

 

The Awards are open to inhouse or brand marketers, or marketing agencies who conducted programs targeting audiences located in the US - either as the sole focus, or as part of a wider regional or global campaign.

A: PROGRAM MECHANICS

This category is designed to reflect campaigns using a variety of different channels or media, in an omnichannel or multichannel framework, for a clearly specified objective. Submissions must explain the mix of channels utilised for the campaign, how the brand and/or agency ensured the various techniques complemented one another and worked together, and demonstrate how success or effectiveness was measured against objectives.

The use of events (of any format) to achieve specific marketing objectives is the focus of this category. This could encompass physical or ‘real-world’ events of any reasonable type, including exhibitions, conferences, launch parties/events, seminars, roundtables, awards ceremonies, etc., or digital events such as webinars, etc. These events could be created solely for the specific purpose or objective of this campaign, or the brand could be leveraging an existing event, including one organised by a third party (e.g. an exhibition or conference). Submissions must explain how communications and messaging around the event or events were managed, and (where appropriate) event activity fitted into a wider programme of activity. Critically, submissions must clearly specify objectives, and how measurement was used ot demonstrate success.

Submissions must focus on the creative work used to deliver a message or messages, regardless of media, channel or format. Entrants must explain how the creative solution to the campaign was developed, and how it was applied to different media or marketing channels, and potentially developed to encompass different sub-messages or elements of the campaign, including both text and image-based executions. An explanation of the creative process employed by the agency or inhouse team to develop the campaign would be helpful for the judges.

This category focuses on the use of one or more content assets as part of a B2B marketing campaign - either as the primary focus of the campaign, or as just one component of a wider suite of activities. Any format of content is applicable here, or combination of formats, including (but not exclusively) email newsletters, whitepapers, video, webinar, interactive reports, podcasts, etc. Submissions must explain how content outputs were devised as part of campaign development and planning, how outputs were tailored to the specific audience, the objectives that were set and how effectiveness was calculated.

This category recognises the best use of paid, third party media by an agency or an in-house marketing team for brand building, demand/lead generation or otherwise. All media channels (on and offline) are accepted in this category. Submissions should demonstrate why a particular media format, mechanic or partner was used for a given campaign, how the targets were set, what the outcomes were, and how success was measured. Judges will want to understand how the media bought or partnered with was selected, and how its use fitted into a wider program and leveraged other mechanics or channels. Where appropriate, submissions must demonstrate how the program sought to innovate or push the boundaries of the format

This category is designed to recognise excellence in the the use of social media and/or influencer marketing, where used either as primary focus of a marketing program, or just one of many aspects to a broader program. Submissions must explain the particular relevance of social or influencer marketing for this program, how the social channels used were identified and/or the influencers selected. Where relevant, submissions must also outline social or influencer activity fitted into a wider marketing program, or how this activity related to the wider context of the brand's messaging and communications. Objectives must be clearly outlined, as must metrics for success.

This category recognises the role of AI in delivering marketing success, and demonstrating how AI has enabled advantages over conventionally managed or delivered activities. This could be in terms of speed of delivery, creation of insight, reduction in costs, or any other advantage to be specified. As with other categories, submissions must explain the objective of the marketing initiative or campaign, the target audience, media used, and budgets. However, it must also provide more detail about the AI solution utilised or developed, and how/why this particular solution was identified and selected. Please also identify any challenges faced in utilising AI for this initiative, and how these were overcome. Where a submission originates from a vendor of an AI-empowered marketing solution, please try to write the submission from the point of view of the brand which conducted the initiative.

This category recognises how digital experience was used to deliver marketing success - either in combination with other on or offline channels, or in isolation. Relevant channels may include websites, apps, Saas marketig platforms, AR/VR devices, etc. Program objective could be for new customer recruitment, retention or customer growth - or any combination of the above. Submissions should detail exactly which technologies or techniques were used, and how these were deployed to build a great experience for the audience. Submissions should clearly outline objectives, explain how success was due to be measured and state what results were achieved.

B: BRAND MARKETING PROGRAMS

This category is designed to recognise excellence in the creation and utilisation of thought leadership programs to create genuine standout for a brand within its B2B market. Submissions must explain the challenge, opportunity or context faced by the organisation, and why thought leadership was considered to be the most effective way of addressing that - as well as objective in terms of desired outcome and how it was intended to measure that. The techniques or process used to create the thought leadership positioning message or assets must be explained, as well as how these were deployed in communications to activate the campaign, engage the audience and deliver the messages. If the program extended into demand generation, ABM or sales enablement, this should be mentioned also, as well as any results available that specifically related to this activity.

This category is designed to reflect marketing programs focused around achieving a key purpose-based, and/or social responsibility, objective(s). The origins of the brand’s purpose or its relationship with social responsibility cause must be outlined within the submission, as well as (critically) how the campaign in question was designed to further and achieve these. As ever, measurement is critical, but in this context submissions must explain what was achieved by this specific campaign within or around timeframe specified, rather than outline the achievements of a potentially longer term brand alignment. Metrics used must relate back to meaningful business objectives.

This category could be appropriate for brand relaunch/refresh activity, repositioning or general brand awareness work, with a focus on customers/prospects only, or employees only, or a combination of the two. If the campaign was designed to communicate a change in the branding or positioning, the submission must explain why this change was undertaken and what the activity was designed to achieve. If the campaign was focused around general brand awareness, the submission must explain why it was considered necessary. Measurement techniques must be explained in detail, together with an explanation of pre- and post-campaign brand awareness/strength. Finally, submissions must demonstrate how internal and external audiences were engaged by this campaign, as appropriate.

C: GROWTH MARKETING PROGRAMS

Activity designed to generate 'demand' (typically in the form of marketing qualified leads, or MQLs) is the focus of this category, with programs focusing specific individual buyers rather than a broader buying group (which would fall into the ABM category). For the purposes of this category, this can include programs that deploy either or both inbound and outbound techniques, and including both new business and existing customers. As well as outlining the context and business objectives for the program, submissions must explain how the program and different elements were constructed, and how these contributed towards driving individual buyers from prospects through to sales enagagement. Where possible, information about key martech solutions used in order to deploy this particular program should be provided. Insights on engagement rates at key stages, and conversion rates, must be provided, as well as information on revenue attribution, where available.

This category reflects excellence in marketing to buying groups at a particular organisations, rather than purely to individual buyers, and can include any very focused activity to a single company or group of similar companies, or at scale to a larger number of companies (in otherwords, it can include so-called 'strategic' ABM, 'lite' ABM or 'programmatic' ABM). Critically, the submission must explain how account planning and customer insight were conducted, and how this influenced development of messaging and communications strategy. It also is critical that the submission explains how sales were involved, engaged and aligned at every stage to ensure success of the initiative. Finally, use of martech platforms that was key to the success of this campaign must be listed in the submission.

This category reflects any initiative focused on providing the sales organization with information tools and content that it needs to help salespeople sell more effectively, throughout the buyer process. Submissions must outline the specific sales challenge that the enablement initiative was designed to address, and how the activities developed addressed this. Metrics included must demonstrate how this initiative directly contributed towards improved sales performance, as well as the extent to which salespeople themselves were engaged by the program, and utilized the materials or resources created within their activities.

Marketing focused on delivering growth in revenue (ideally) or pipeline is the focus of this category, with programs focused on either new customers or existing customers via cross-sell or upsell. Submissions must explain how customer/prospect groups were identied, researched and targeted with relevant messaging based on status. If growth marketing is a new definition for how marketing is conducted or structured within the organisation, the submission must explain the changes that were made in terms of team structure, gotomarket strategy or anything else relevant in order to enable success through this initiative. An explanation of how marketing aligned with sales and provided relevant enablement material would be helpful, as well as information on alignment with other stakeholders, such as customer success.

B2B marketing programs aimed at engaging with a volume audience is the focus of this category, and it would consequently suit program mechanics designed to appeal to a broad and diverse customer group. A high level of automation is likely, although not essential, as is the use of programmatic techniques and ecommerce. Given the nature of the engagement, it's likely that there will be a strong onus on customer experience considerations to drive conversions. Submissions must explain how the campaign was strutured (and adapted where necessary) to maximise impact and effectiveness. Where specific martech platforms that were critical to the delivery of this campaign, these should be listed in the campaign.

D: AUDIENCES AND OBJECTIVES

Marketing activity targeted at decision-makers in large or enterprise-level organizations (1500-plus individuals, or over $38.5 million in revenue) is the focus of this category, by definition addressing the concerns, issue, priorities and opportunities that companies of this size face. Elidgable activity could include programs targeted at either individual decision makers or larger buying groups comprising multiple individuals. Submissions must explain how messaging and communications was designed to stand out to the target audience and respond to the decision making process in these large organisations, and (where relevant) overcome inherent obstacles such as the requirements of procurement and sheer complexity of organisational structure.

Marketing both to and through resellers or distributors (or other intermediaries) in any sector is the focus of this category. Submissions must explain the context of channel partnership, how this fits into the brand's overall gotomarket strategy, and how this may be evolving in response to shifting market dynamics, such as buyer sentiment or new customer opportunities. Submissions must also outline dynamics and characteristics of the specific channel partner group or groups involved, and how they are selected or managed for mutual success. The role of the brand/vendor in enabling channel marketing activity (through the provision of things like funding, collateral support, sales incentives, etc.) must also be explained. Finally, submissions must outline how objectives were set and intended to be measured and how success was ultimately quantified.

E: TEAMS AND PRACTITIONERS

This category is intended to recognise a single outstanding individual, at whatever level in the marketing team, who has made a demonstrable difference to their organisation during the qualification period. Submissions must explain the role and remit of the individual, and the context of that role within the organisation and/or department, plus any external factors impacting on it. Where possible, the submissions should state any noteable projects that the individual in question has undertaken - this could include internal transformation or campaign execution, amongst other things. In the most appropriat way, submissions must demonstrate success against stated objectives, and include testimonies from contemporaries, direct reports and/or senior management.

This category recognizes US-based B2B marketing agencies that have proven themselves to be outstanding in this highly competitive sector over the qualifying period, demonstrating excellence across their organisation. This will include information on outstanding campaign success, new client wins, satisfaction/retention of existing customers, staff satisfaction and loyalty and (of course) profitability. Other achievements, such as expansion and development of new areas of expertise, or awarding of external standards etc., will also be considered. Where possible, submissions should demonstrate how the agency has succeeded in standing out and differentiating itself. Submissions must also state whether the agency operates only from a US HQ, or whether it has registered offices in other geographical locations. At least three client testimonials must be included.