This year marks a momentous milestone—the 40th anniversary of The Marketing Society Awards. For four decades, these prestigious awards have set the benchmark for marketing excellence, celebrating the boldest ideas, the most innovative strategies, and the leaders who shape our industry.
What makes The Marketing Society Awards truly special is the calibre of our judging panel. Your entries will be seen by industry luminaries—leaders who have set the standard and redefined what’s possible in marketing. This is your chance to showcase your work on a global stage, inspire your peers, and prove why marketing matters more than ever.
As we confirm our judging panel we ask them to share their insights, tips, inspiration and thoughts on marketing and we will be creating Q&A sessions like this one:
Why are awards important?
Ellie Norman, Chief Marketing Officer, Formula E
Awards are important for a number of reasons, including the impact they have internally within your organisation at contributing to attracting and retaining talent. Externally, I'm a believer that award-winning campaigns that focus on impact and outcomes often achieve greater success and improved marketing ROI. With these considerations I've seen the pursuit of awards foster a culture of creativity, innovation and continuous improvement within organisations.
Michael Inpong, Chief Marketing Officer, Valeo Foods UK
To inspire. To inspire by rewarding, by showcasing, by creating a positive competitive spirit to raise the bar.
Tamara Rogers, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Haleon (Consumer Healthcare)
Awards enable great work to be recognised on a wider stage and this inspires others to aspire to raise the bar for their brands - which is good for business and the marketers that deliver!
Katharine Joy Newby Grant, VP Marketing, Estee Lauder Companies
To recognise the very best work, to socialise best practise, to keep raising the bar of excellence each year.
Margaret Jobling, CMO, NatWest Group
The awards play a critical role in the industry because they recognise excellence which sets the bar for everyone else to learn from. They inspire innovation and creativity and often highlight new ways of doing things which help the industry continue to thrive.
What is your top tip for brands entering the Awards?
Ellie
The Marketing Society Awards are all about celebrating marketing excellence that deliver tangible results. It's of course important to showcase your creativity and innovation, but ultimately as judges we're looking for demonstrable impact and outcomes.
Michael Inpong
A quality articulation of context/action/results to bring the jury with you.
Tamara
Story & Substantiation: We need to understand the what and the how - what is so good about what you did and how do you know it was that good. Tell the story in a simple, focused and clear way - padding it out smells of a thin case. Be bright, be brief, be gone!
Katharine
Be results focused.
Margaret
Simple story well told - demonstrate a straight line from strategy to execution to true business impact (not vanity metrics). And for goodness sake spell check.
Why are you proud to be a judge of The Marketing Society Awards?
Ellie
I'm super proud to be a Marketing Society judge because marketing presents the opportunity to have a profound impact on the world. It's not just about selling stuff and fuelling economic growth, it shapes our culture, perceptions, desires, values, drives innovation, progress, and can contribute to social good. When marketing is effective we build strong brands that people trust, and that's essential for a functional marketplace and allows businesses to thrive.
Michael Inpong
The Marketing Society is a remarkable and leading edge institution - so being asked to help their awards is a humbling and exciting task, especially for their 40th edition.
Tamara
The work we do in marketing matters. We are behaviour change experts and that comes with huge responsibility to do the right thing - to understand a need and to help satisfy that need for the better. We can, with the right work, make a significant difference. The right work is not the easy work and I'm proud to be a judge, a position of privilege, asked to review the results from the blood, sweat and tears put in by talented people, to recognise where that has resulted in meaningful outcomes, worthy of celebration!
Katharine
I believe that Marketing is critical because when done well it fuels business growth. It keeps brands consumer centric and relevant through-out time and it can help shape a more positive world. This is why I am so proud to be a judge and believe these awards are so special.
Margaret
I love working in marketing - we reflect popular culture, we’re at the forefront of bringing innovation to customers, we grow businesses and we increasingly have to move at the speed of life. The Marketing Society Awards showcases the best examples of all of the above which inspires us all to rise up. That keeps our industry relevant and fun to work in today.
What are you looking for as a judge?
Ellie
As a judge I'm looking for a compelling story with disciplined thought, from a disciplined team with disciplined action. Essentially clarity around objectives, audience insights, a sound strategy, creativity in execution and of course tangible impact and outcomes achieved.
Michael Inpong
Delighted consumers. Case studies that have clearly sought to serve and delight the consumers.
Tamara
I am looking for impact. The world we operate in today is as complex as it has ever been and making a mark, a difference has never been harder. What problem have you solved, how did being great at marketing result in an outcome being achieved that you had dared to dream about, and your dream came true?
Katharine
Bold and brilliant ideas that have made a big difference to their business and beyond.
Margaret
I’m looking for a clear objective solved through creativity and innovative thinking that actually delivered commercial impact.
Why does marketing matter to you?
Ellie
Marketing matters to me because it influences each and every one of us daily in the choices we make and even our identity.
Michael Inpong
Because it drives business growth
Tamara
In my view, marketing is where creativity and design are put in service of opportunity. The difference makers.
Katharine
Marketing matters to me because when done well it fuels business growth. It keeps brands consumer centric and relevant through-out time and it can help shape a more positive world.
Margaret
Marketing is all about people and through people we do amazing things - we connect with customers, communities, each other in the industry, grow businesses, change perceptions, kill stereotypes, change behaviours. We use data, insight, creativity and innovation to make it all happen and we never stand still because the world around us keeps moving. What’s not to love.
The Marketing Society Global Awards are now open for entries - find out more on our Awards page and grab your entry kit - good luck!
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