Ideas aren't limited to one person...why should awards be?

Hollywood hails Oscar. Broadway guns for Tony. Mad Ave covets Clio. This blog boasts the smart guy on the right.

Why are you giving awards? It's more recognition than award, but the award makes it special. I'm giving them because working in this wonderful profession I know how much a thank you, a nod and a note of recognition means after slaving over complicated strategies and tedious tactics.

What are the awards for? A wide range of achievements: smart marketing spans brilliant ideas, clever strategies, successful programs and ingenious tactics.

What's the criteria? It's an unscientific, completely subjective award system. There really are no rules. No that's not true, I just instituted two: you can't nominate yourself and I can't give one to myself (but I do want one).

What do winners receive? Recipients get a write-up, the opportunity to be profiled in my interview series and a "That was some smart marketing!" e-mail from yours truly. No statuette or door prize at this time.

Who can participate? Everyone. I can only be in so many places and brilliance is in so many more. If you want to nominate someone for the smart marketing they've done, please send me a note detailing who's worthy, why so and what remarkable idea, strategy, practice or tactic they've accomplished. If I agree, you'll receive full and complete recognition for recognizing them.

How often do you grant these? Well, how often does brilliance strike? I assume there will be months with a few winners and months without any. That's just the ebb and flow of ideas.

Thanks for making this profession so dynamic--and now, more rewarding,

- ck

p.s.: Stay tuned: my money is on some non-marketers winning awards, too (we marketers aren't the only ones with marketing savvy).