1. Is the ECHO the "results award?"
No, not exactly. The DMA International ECHO Awards recognize the total package:
brilliant strategy, breakthrough creative, and phenomenal results. All three matter
in the real world, so all three are considered here. We judge these criteria individually
and as a whole to determine the best of the best.
Some campaigns are out-of-sight and get awards. Others are like a bad trip and
must go back to the drawing board. Because ECHO is the only award in the industry
that considers results in the judging, many tend to think of it as the "results
award." But that doesn't begin to tell the whole story. You need more than
that to win an ECHO.
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2.
Must I use the official entry form?
Yeah man – filling out the entry form will not only give you good karma,
it’s the only way you can compete for an ECHO. Therefore, we have made getting
and using the official form easier than deciding which color tie-dye to wear.
Just click here and you'll be connected
to our Official Entry Form page. Just download it, fill it out, and mail it in
along with your payment and creative sample.
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3.What do I do if I'm not sure what business
category to enter?
Don’t freak out -- just relax. But if you can't decide which business
category is best for your aura, just read the descriptions of categories preceding
the entry form. The general rule is to try to match your skills to the category
and media that most narrowly define your industry, product, or service. If you
are having trouble finding your niche (story of your life?), call us and ask for
the ECHO department at (212) 768-7277, fax us at (212) 719-5106, or e-mail your
questions to echo@the-dma.org.
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4. Why has "Automotive" been separated
from manufacturing to
form a new category?
 Over
the past several years, the DMA ECHO committee has noticed a substantial increase
in entries representing automotive products. These campaigns typically have larger
average budgets and somewhat unique response criteria relative to longer sales
cycles and lead management strategies. Thus, to ensure that these entries are
judged most fairly, and that other entries in the manufacturing category are not
inappropriately compared, a separate category was created.
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5. Is my package still eligible if my target
audience was very small?
Absolutely. It doesn't matter how big the audience, as long as you’re at
the show. Your entry will be judged on its overall merit in achieving your strategy
and objectives, regardless of audience size. Indicate your target audience where
prompted, and be sure to provide as much additional information as you can to
demonstrate the unique effectiveness of your work.
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6. Do I have a chance entering a piece that had
a low cost-per-unit,
that isn't sexy, yet produced dynamic results?
Of course! Equal rights for everyone man! Every piece has a chance at an ECHO
depending on its successful execution of the total package: brilliant strategy,
breakthrough creative, and phenomenal results. And creativity is judged for the
originality, effectiveness, and professionalism of the copy and graphics, not
the price tag. Just because you're thrifty doesn't mean you're not with it.
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7. What will happen if my entry is chosen for
an ECHO Award?
You will receive your invitation to the big demonstration in the mail no later
than August 29, 2002 and are welcomed to participate in the 2002 ECHO Awards Ceremony,
October 20, 2002 at the DMA's 85th Annual Conference and Exhibition in San Francisco.
Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners will receive two trophies each, with additional
ones available (at a reasonable cost) from the DMA. In many cases, ECHO winners
get invited to speak at DMA conferences and have their entries featured in trade
publications and local press. But after you relax and enjoy the fanfare for a
while, it will be time to get back to the drawing board and start working towards
next year's show.
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8. How are ECHOs judged?
To win, your entry must pass three rounds of brutal judging. First, DM professionals
with at least seven years of experience in the category you have entered score
your campaign for strategy, creativity, and results. If your project passes round
one, you will need to re-submit your entry in a portfolio format along with an
additional fee of $150 for round two. In round two (the semi-finals), five industry
professionals scrutinize your entry, and your cumulative scores from both rounds
determine if you are a finalist for an international ECHO award. By the time this
round is done, only the best entries will be left. In round three (the finals),
an elite panel of judges, each with fifteen years experience, will make the final
decisions about who gets ECHOs and who doesn't. Of course, the score each entry
receives also has to exceed a certain minimum benchmark. If no entries meet this
standard, then an ECHO is simply not awarded.
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9. Did the deadline change? Can I still enter?
Well, the deadline is April 15, 2002 but if it's past April 23, 2002, you are
out of luck. If it's before then, start getting your entries together and zip
on over to our Official Entry Form page for the
form you need.
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10. Do you have to be a member of DMA to enter
the competition?
No, but don't you want to be? This competition is open to anyone who feels they’re
cool enough to win. But DMA member or not, make sure you submit your best work,
because our judges are tough.
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