How Much?
Single entries are $125 each. Campaigns, plans, apps are $195 each. Achievement entries are $250 each. Work done pro bono is free if accompanied by a paid entry. An entry can be entered into more than one category, but it is an additional fee for each category.
How Do I Enter?
- Register (See “How do I Register” below for more information)
- Login
- Click Enter in the top right corner of the page
- Enter your submission details. (Company Name, City, State, Country, Entry Title, Category, Client (if applicable), URL for supporting materials (if applicable), and let us know if you want to share your work on the winner’s list.)
- Click “NEXT” to go to checkout or “+Additional Entry” to add more entries. If you abandon your cart at any time after clicking one of these buttons your entries will be saved, and you can go back and finish them at any time.
- On the checkout page you can edit your entry (including adding a project summary and/or credits), upload supporting materials, or add more entries. Once you are ready to check out, fill out the billing details, choose your payment method, and click submit.
- After checkout you can download our W-9 or Wire Transfer information for your accounting team, upload more files, add additional company information (including a logo), or click finish to go back to your account page.
How do I Register?
From the homepage click Enter Today/MyAccount and then click on “Register” towards the bottom of the login box and you will be directed to the registration page.
You’ll enter your first and last name, phone number, how you found out about the competition, the mailing address you would like winner information mailed to, and alternate contact information (if applicable). Then you will need to include your email address (where all communication about your entry, results, and next steps will be delivered) and create a password.
Once you click “Sign Up” you’ll be prompted to login, or you will be given an error message asking you to correct something on the form. Once you have successfully registered you will also receive an email confirming your registration and welcoming you to our competition.
If you have problems with the entry system, please don’t hesitate to contact us at (214) 883-9300. Computer security, firewalls, and browsers can affect how our system interfaces.
Which Category?
Choose the category that best fits what the project is or what you want to be judged. See the “How is Judging Done?” section to learn more. An entry may be submitted in more than one category for an additional entry fee. Judges reserve the right to move an entry to another category that they believe is a better fit.
The PDF list of the categories found on the website can be very helpful when initially selecting your category, allowing you to see all the categories offered.
In the entry system you will be presented with a system of choices that will help you get to a specific category number. For instance, you can choose a parent category and then another field will populate where you will choose a secondary category and then sometimes a third dropdown will appear to make your final selection.
What Is a Pro Bono Entry?
A pro bono entry is a project you completed without payment for a client or organization that does not employ you. In other words, you did the work voluntarily and did not receive compensation.
AMCP recognizes the talents and generosity of the creative community. Entrants who submit at least one paid entry in the competition are eligible to enter pro bono work at no additional cost. This complimentary entry is our way of thanking those who help support the program’s overhead, mailings, judging, and other operational expenses.
Entrants are also given free entry each January into the Communitas Awards, AMCP’s community service recognition program. communitasawards.com
You can have up to five pro bono clients (5 nominations). Multiple projects for the same client should be submitted as one entry. You should not have received any compensation. It is ok for the nonprofit or others to have paid for hard costs such as materials. You will be judged on creativity and the extent of your effort.
If you want to submit pro bono work only, you must enter it into a paid category before submitting it into the Pro Bono category at no cost.
What Do I Include With My Entries?
AMCP lets your work speak for itself. For most entries, the final product is all you need. In the case of a campaign or plan, enter the work product and any explanation or recap provided to internal or external clients. Otherwise, please provide a concise overview of objectives, challenges, and solutions.
When Do I Upload My Supporting Materials?
You can upload materials during checkout, after checkout, or in your MyAccount at any time. During the entry process, you will be given the option to include one URL. If you have multiple URLs to include, you can add them to the “About Project” section (which can be found when you click “edit” on your entry) or upload a document with additional URLs included.
AMCP does not have any restrictions on file type or size. All formats are accepted. All supporting material’s file names will be shown on the winner’s list if you have chosen to share your work.
If you have trouble uploading files, please send your materials to our team and we will upload them for you.
In the rare event, your file/files can’t be opened, you will be contacted by someone on our team.
How Can I Get A Receipt?
Receipts and Paperwork will be automatically emailed to the email associated with your account immediately after checkout. You can find an invoice for your entries in your MyAccount under the “Purchase History” tab.
How Can I Change My Information or Add More Entries?
Through your My Account on our website, you can update a payment method, upload, edit, add to or manage your account. (If your company name needs to be updated, please contact our support team)
Adding “About Project” and “Credits”
On the checkout page, or from your MyAccount (once an entry has been submitted) you can click “edit” next to your entry and then you will see the fields to add your “About Project” or “Credits.”
Will You Display Or Share My Work?
Since many of the entries are internal or proprietary in nature or are done for someone else, the entry file will not be displayed anywhere without permission. During the entry process, there is a dropdown field that is automatically set to NOT grant permission to possibly display the entry on our blog and/or winner list. If you change this to “Yes, please show my work” all supporting materials will be viewable on the winner’s list. Entrants have the ability to delete files from their entries at any time.
AMCP assumes that entrants have rights to materials and the authority to enter them, so there is no need to enclose that information with entries.
How and When Do We Get Results?
All winners will be announced and results will be posted to your My Account on or before February 1. Since entries are judged against a standard of excellence and not each other, some results will be posted prior to the final date. An email will automatically be sent to the email you registered with when results are posted to your My Account.
How Can I Get More Information?
During the entry process, there will be a Chat option at the bottom of the page. There is also additional entry information on our website. You can email us at info@avaawards.com, or call 214-883-9300.
How Can I Send You A Wire Transfer?
After checkout you will have the option to download Wire Transfer details or you can email info@avaawards.com to request them.
There is a $20 service charge to all wire transfer transactions so we can receive your payment. AMCP is not responsible for any additional wire transfer fees incurred.
I Need A W-9.
After checkout you will have the option to download our W-9, or you can request it by emailing us.
Do I Need to Enclose Copyrights, Credits, Etc.?
AMCP assumes that entrants have rights to materials and the authority to enter them, so there is no need to enclose that information with entries.
How Is Judging Done?
Since 1995, AMCP judges have earned a reputation for accuracy, fairness and credibility. A look at the list of winners is a who’s who of the industry. AMCP competitions are where professional organizations that run their own competitions enter their work.
In an effort to ensure fairness, consistency and timeliness, AMCP does not send out entries to various judges. All of the judging is done in AMCP judging facilities in Dallas, Texas and Washington D.C. It takes about eight weeks of judging, eight hours a day, to review all the work that is submitted in each competition. AMCP recognizes that the time between submission and notification for most competitions is too long, so every effort is made to have the results ready within 45 days of the initial deadline.
Judges are senior-level, experienced professionals. They are free-lancers or own their own businesses. They are selected based on experience and availability. Judges can change from one day to the next, but the judging coordinator is there at every session.
Since there is a tremendous variance of resources from entrant-to-entrant, and piece-to-piece, perceived budget is taken into consideration in judging. Based on their work experiences, judges have an expectation for each individual entry. A student-produced ad is not held to the same expectation as a piece produced by a Madison Avenue agency for a Fortune 500 company.
There is no preset number of winners in a category. Entries are judged at random and not directly compared to other entries in their category. The objective of the judging is to recognize and reward “creative” achievement. It is a subjective process based on learned perceptions of creativity as opposed to measured results.
The judging is designed to evaluate work solely on its own merit. That is why we do not publicize specific criteria and then let entrants spend a great deal of time and effort explaining how their project met the criteria. In reality, any work that any communicator produces will provide the intended audience with the same basic measurement used by the judges. What was the first impression? Was the work inventive? Artistic? Resourceful? To the point? Eye-catching? Colorful? Is there a theme? Is the company differentiated from others? Obviously, a black and white low budget annual report produced for a non-profit will not be judged in the same manner as an expensive annual report produced for a Fortune 500 company. Given its inherent limitations, the non-profit may have been done extremely well and despite the apparent glitter, the high dollar annual report may not have met the expectations of the judges.
Using a consensus method, judges verbalize their criticisms, compliments etc. and then agree on a score. Entries receiving scores between 90-100 points are top level winners. Entries with 80-89 points are second level winners. Entries scoring from 70-79 receive honorable mention designation.
I Won, Now What?
First off, congratulations!
We have many different options in our store to help you promote your win.
All winning entries will have digital certificates available to download from the entrant’s MyAccount. Additional certificates can be purchased in the store for $35 each, shipping included.
We also have high-resolution graphic downloads (award badges and logos) available that you can use for marketing materials, social media posts, or however you would like, as well as a news release that you can use in whole, or in part to announce your win.
Statuettes:
We also have statuettes for purchase. Unlike most competitions, AMCP entrants do not subsidize awards for the winners. Instead of charging up to several hundred dollars per entry, competition organizers decided to keep entry fees at a fraction of that cost and let the winners buy their own awards if they choose. The result is more affordable entry fees and a higher quality award that is not a trinket, but a piece of art that anyone would be proud to display and give to a client.
International Shipping:
Please fill out the form in the store to secure your wording and award level and add to your cart. Once in your cart, select proceed to checkout, and select “international shipping” as your payment method. Submit your order and then please email us for shipping costs. These are determined by your exact address and the number of statuettes in your order. Once shipping costs have been calculated we will send you an invoice or a link to pay for your awards + shipping. You can cancel your international order at any time before payment has been made.