Chris Orr discovers there is more to awards than the red carpet

It’s that time of year again – awards awards awards. And isn’t it wonderful. All the dresses, all the glamour, all the crying.

It’s that time of year again – awards awards awards. And isn’t it wonderful. All the dresses, all the glamour, all the crying. I mean who didn’t wipe a tear away when Reese Witherspoon talked emotionally about coming from Tennessee. After all, Tennesse. Who didn’t have a sniffle when  Philip Seymour Hoffman thanked his mom. And who didn’t smile with Great British pride when the lovely, glowing Rachel Wiesz won the best actress award. I mean, wow.

But the Oscars pale into insignificance when it comes to the current awards that are being hotly discussed and frantically nominated. What are we talking about? Why the Drinks Business Awards 2006 of course – which is currently open to nominations. Admittedly the awards ceremony at the London International Wine and Spirit Fair will have a little less Hollywood glamour than the Oscars. But no one can cast an eye over the impressive stature of Dan Jago without thinking of George Clooney and personally I think Michael Cox is a dead ringer for Clint Eastwood. Glamour smamour, we’ve got it all.

Well, we will have it all – and winners to boot – if we get a similar level of nominations to last year, which saw a threefold increase on our first year. And Charlotte Hey, our wonderful publisher, assures me we’re braced for similar growth this year.

Having been on the DB Awards judging panel before, however, I thought it was worth giving a few tips on what does and what doesn’t work. Now it sounds a little obvious – and if I am teaching grandma to suck eggs, then I apologise – but these are business awards. The clue, you see, is in the title. The Drinks Business Awards. But if there’s one thing that will prevent your entry into any particular category from scoring top dollar, it’s if you’ve failed to provide adequate information of how your campaign/company/marketing concept has added to the bottom line.

Now I know that does sound a little patronizing, and I really don’t mean it to be. But over the past two years, whilst nearly all the entries have been of a very high quality, those that have often failed to win over at the last moment, are those that have left the bottom line off their entry. We’ve had big and small brands/companies alike, where money has been spent on, say, a PR or marketing campaign. They’ve proved that it has been innovative, inventive and in some case, down right hilarious. They’ve proved that it has been successful in terms of consumer response. But often, they’ve missed that little crucial but all important fact out – how much difference as it made to the bottom line. What was the percentage of sales increase. How did profits soar in the aftermath of the campaign. How many new customers were attracted, or how was repeat custom affected.

Now in something like the Responsible Drinking Message, that’s a little difficult to do. But let’s take something like the design and packaging awards. It’s not a fashion award. Yes there are points for looking great, sleek and lovely. But if you look great sleek and lovely and haven’t proved that your concept or redesign, or launch design has worked then you’re gonna lose points. I know that sounds harsh, but that’s what sets the majority of the Drinks Business awards apart from many others. So if compiling your entries as I write – all of which have to be in for by the 24th of March and no later – then have another quick check and make sure you tick the box highlighted above. And also, like the Oscars, we are putting restrictions on the amount of crying done by winners this year. So bring your hankies and your self control if you think you’re in with a chance.