Excellence in Communications Awards Program

Entry Submission Questions 

The questions below accompany each submission you enter online. For a more streamlined experience, please prepare your answers prior to logging into the online submission portal.

1. State your strategic marketing objectives and goals or intended outcomes.  (1,500 characters)
   Jurors will be looking for a clear marketing strategy and goals.
2. Outline the planning that took place for this piece or program. (1,500 characters)
   Jurors will be looking for methodology for collecting and evaluating results, target market, specific tactics and strategies, strategic constraints.
3. What is the intended messaging of this entry?  (2,000 characters)
   Jurors will be looking for a clear marketing message for the intended audience, that the piece or program reflects the COM’s strategic direction, that appropriately conservative or innovative approaches are taken to meet the overall marketing objectives and that the writing is clear, error-free and targeted to the intended audience.
4. Describe how the entry conforms to the overall branding of the school or initiative. (2,000 characters)
   

   Jurors will be looking for how design, graphics, typography, and other branding elements are effectively leveraged to create interest, engagement, or otherwise meet the objectives of the project.

5. Explain the thought process used to make your piece or program stand out from other communications aimed at your target audience. (2,000 characters)
   Jurors will be looking for an entry that effectively uses COM resources, supports the overall goals and objectives of the project and exhibits an innovative approach or breakthrough idea.
6. What actions did the target audience/s take after receiving your materials? Did you achieve your intended goal? What were the overall results?  (1,500 characters)
   Jurors will be looking for ROI, testimonials (if applicable) and lessons learned.

Judging

Awardees will be notified in early April. The panel of judges will be composed of volunteers submitted by applicants, as well as AACOM staff. Judging scorecards will not be made public.

Submissions will be adjudicated by the panel using a point system. The judging panel will review and assess each submission using a 10-point rating scale. Submissions will be judged on the following criteria: Objectives, Planning, Messaging, Branding, Deliverables, Results

Judge Recommendations

This year AACOM is providing the judges for the awards. However, if you would like to nominate a judge, please include them in the online application or contact eicawards@aacom.org.

Judges must be:

• Unbiased (does not work for any college of osteopathic medicine)
• A professional in marketing, communications, publishing, design, journalism, or a related field
• Available to serve as a judge if selected. Judging will be virtual and judging will take place between March 1 and March  25, 2021.

Submitting Your Entries

Each entry must include the following to be considered for judging:

1. Completed online entry form.
   You will need to create an account. We recommend preparing answers to the questions in advance.
2. All submission requirements
3. $50 submission fee payment per entry.

Payment can be made online through the AACOM online store (Visa, MasterCard, and American Express). If submitting the same item in more than one award category, a separate fee is required for each additional submission.

To pay online by credit card (MasterCard, Visa, American Express) : Go to AACOM’s online bookstore, fill out an order form, and then select ‘Add to Cart.’

If you are purchasing multiple submissions, add the first submission by clicking "Add to Cart" and, in the shopping cart screen, adjust the quantity to the number of submissions you wish to purchase. Be sure to keep your payment confirmation number, as it is required on the digital submissions form.

Questions?

Email eicawards@aacom.org