Can You Supercharge Your Brand by Creating Your Own Awards?

by Brian Jowers · June 19, 2024

Forget the red carpets and acceptance speeches – the next big marketing tactic might be right in your own hands. Creating and giving out your own awards can be a surprisingly powerful way to generate buzz for your brand.

Why Give Out Your Own Awards?

Take Emily Writes, a blog known for its witty takes on motherhood. Their “Steve Awards” – celebrating the worst Mother’s Day marketing campaigns – are a hilarious annual tradition. They get people talking, sharing, and coming back for more.

Here’s how creating your own awards can benefit your brand:

You’re going to stand out from the crowd. In a sea of generic marketing campaigns, your unique awards show creates a memorable moment. It positions you as an authority in your niche and sparks conversation.

You create an engagement powerhouse. People love a good list and awards tap into that. Fun categories and witty commentary encourage social media sharing and user-generated content.

You control the narrative. By crafting your own awards, you set the tone and message. Highlight industry trends, celebrate customer achievements, or even have some lighthearted fun – the choice is yours.

You build community. Awards can foster a sense of belonging within your target audience. Whether they’re vying for a (positive) award or simply enjoying the show, your audience feels involved.

Making Your Awards Shine

Are you ready to create your own awards? Here are some tips:

Pick a Relevant Theme – Align your awards with your brand and target audience.

Keep it Lighthearted (or Not) – Humor works well, but serious awards can be impactful too.

Promote, Promote, Promote – Build anticipation with social media campaigns and influencer outreach.

Make it Shareable – Create eye-catching graphics and engaging content to encourage online buzz.

Niche Award Show Ideas: Standing Out in Your Industry

Here are some creative award show ideas in the internet marketing niche to get you thinking about what sort of awards you might like to create. Remember, this can work in any niche, not just marketing.

The Unicorn Award: For the most innovative and groundbreaking internet marketing campaign.

The Engagement Maestro Award: For the campaign that sparked the most user interaction and engagement.

The Social Butterfly Award: For the brand that uses social media in the most creative and effective way.

Social Media Superstar Awards: For the most engaging use of memes.

Email Engagement Award: For the most captivating email subject lines or the best call to action in email marketing.

Product Photography Powerhouse Award: For the most eye-catching product images.

The Clickbait Cacophony Award: For the campaign with the most outrageous (but ultimately ineffective) clickbait headline.

The Stock Photo Snoozefest Award: For the campaign relying on the most overused and generic stock photos.

The Emoji Explosion Award: For the campaign that went a bit overboard with emojis.

The Follow Frenzy Award: For the influencer marketing campaign with the most obvious case of fake followers.

Additional Tips

Create sub-categories within awards. The more awards you can give out, the more excitement you can create.
Integrate a voting system for audience participation and further engagement.
Collaborate with industry influencers to announce awards and generate additional buzz.
Design eye-catching graphics and a logo for your awards show.
Use social media, email marketing, and even blog posts to promote your awards show.

Creating your own awards can be a fun and effective way to boost brand awareness, build community, and ultimately achieve your marketing goals. Get creative and your brand’s own award show might just be the next big thing.

https://emilywrites.substack.com/p/the-steve-awards-are-out-in-honour