the UnAwards 2024 - your guide to the big day

After a three-month build-up the UnAwards 2024 is almost here. Here’s your guide to the sold out big day…

by Darren Caveney

Now in their ninth year, there has never been a more important role for the UnAwards in saluting, recognising and celebrating the work of communicators across our industry. Most of you are still working under tough conditions. Some of you are constantly adapting to smaller resources and increased demands. And most are just busy delivering damned fine work.

The UnAwards is my own way of giving a little bit back to an industry which has been very good to me. I take huge pride and pleasure in being able to take a decent chunk of time out each year, away from the day-to-day consultancy work, to organise the UnAwards and to help fly a flag – in my own small way – for our communications community.

The big day

If you have managed to secure a ticket to the UnAwards 2024, thanks and well done – it’s a total sell out (please message me to join the waiting list if you want to be there)

Win or not you’re in for a great day where we can come together to celebrate your hard work across the year.

The UnAwards is my favourite work day of the year. It’s quite unlike any other industry event I’ve been to.

Not winning…

Of course, if you’re shortlisted but don’t win, you’ll be disappointed.

With a record-breaking 593 entries and 128 on the shortlist it’s stating the obvious in saying that not everyone can win. Some incredibly good work wasn’t shortlisted such was the volume of entries and sheer competition.

If you’ve been to a traditional awards event, paid handsomely for it, and left empty-handed it can feel like a massive anti-climax. I know, I have experienced that.

The UnAwards is different

The UnAwards aims to give everyone a fun day whatever the results.

The day is designed so that win or not you can genuinely enjoy a fun event and a unique opportunity to connect with industry colleagues new and old. That in itself is reason to be there.

Social media will be buzzing

Share pics of your journey and your day. If you can’t be at the UnAwards follow it on social using the #UnAwards24 hashtag.

Announcing the winners and snaps of the big day

I’ll be posting the winners names to the UnAwards website after the event.

We also have a photographer snapping and filming the event and I’ll get these online as soon as possible.

Timings, ceremony, film and food

The venue for the UnAwards 2024 is the very cool Everyman Cinema up on the third floor of Birmingham's Mailbox, B1 1 RF.

If you are driving I recommend you park in the Mailbox car park – not the cheapest but nearest and best. Sat Nav code is B1 1RS.

If you are coming by train the Everyman Cinema in the Mailbox is a 10-12 minute walk – leave New Street Station via the Victoria Square exits and turn left. Cross the road carrying straight on at the lights and you’ll see the large red Mailbox buillding straight ahead of you.

If you’re coming along aim to be at the venue by 9.30am for registration, a mug of fresh coffee and a croissant. The UnAwards ceremony will begin at 10.00am sharp.

After the ceremony we’re watching a brilliant film, kept a closely-guarded secret until the day.

After the film we’ll have food in the diner – there’s a selection of veggie and non-veggie sharing plates to tuck into and be done by 3pm. I expect plenty of you may the stay behind for a pre-christmas celebratory tipple. And why not.

And the dress code is…

Whatever you fancy. Literally. This is NOT black tie, as you’ll have guessed 😊 But if you want to come in your fancy clobber then go for it. I will, as always, be giving the annual outing to an UnAwards velvet jacket.

Fancy a pre-UnAwards social gathering?

You have snapped up almost all of the places we have reserved at Brum’s favourite restaurant - The Indian Streatery. Tables are booked for 8pm. Put your name on the list HERE.

If you would like to be there too you could see if there are any tables free and come and join the fun. Their smoked aubergine curry is a thing of beauty. Just saying.

Giving back

Each year the UnAwards donates to an important charity.

This year it’s the Epilepsy Society.

Epilepsy has a huge impact on the people affected, and around 80 people a week develop it in the UK, many in later life.

A small donation would make a real difference

 You can donate HERE.

Thank you

Saying thanks

Thanks so much for your support again this year, it means an awful lot. Everyone who entered, posted and supported.

Thanks to the panel of 30 external judges, who tackled an enormous challenge this year.

Special thanks too to the official UnAwards 2024 partners and sponsors: CAN Digital, the Local Government Association, Alive With Ideas, Orlo, e-shot, Perago, Whetstone Communications, Grey Fox Communications and Marketing, Seashell Communications, Ruby Bhattal Coaching and the Behaviour Change Network. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – there would be no UnAwards without you.

I really look forward to seeing you on Friday 6 December

Darren Caveney is owner and creator of comms2point0, creative communicators and organiser of the UnAwards

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THE UNAWARDS 2024 ARE OPEN

The 9th annual UnAwards launch TODAY. They're the most exciting and accessible industry awards around. Now is not a time to quietly sit back and hope your organisation recognises and appreciates your efforts. Instead try and get yourself shortlisted for an UnAward to really put your work on the organisational map.

by Darren Caveney

Well, 2024 has been more of the same for communicators everywhere - stretched, busy, in demand, and with a general election thrown in for good measure. But still you have delivered brilliant and important work.

So, as summer turns to autumn, it’s time to launch the UnAwards and get you, your teams and the industry proudly entering and showcasing your best work. Now is not the time to let it pass and wait until next year.

The UnAwards are a huge passion of mine. They were established to recognise the hard work, creativity, successes of the communications and PR industry, largely but not exclusively by any means in the public sector.

They are truly accessible and do not run to generate a profit. They exist to celebrate and fly a flag for good people doing good things.

Something I think are now even more important than ever before.

WHAT DO I MEAN BY ACCESSIBLE?

Well, for starters it’s £free to enter

For seconds, it’s the simplest entry form you’ll find anywhere. This year again there is the fancy online entry form, courtesy of headline sponsors, CAN Digital. You can enter multiple categories with a single entry form too.

And for thirds, if you manage to bag a golden ticket to the most fun awards ceremony around it will cost you just £30.

I hope you’ll agree that definitely classes as accessible.

NEW TO THE UNAWARDS?

Well there's more here but in a nutshell they are the most accessible and innovative awards in our industry - free to enter, fun to attend and a celebration of our community's achievements.

There are 21 categories, so something for everyone, including this year an all-new behaviour change category sponsored by the Behaviour Change Network.

Even better you can enter the same piece of work in multiple categories to increase your chances of being shortlisted.

And if you come along to the big day – shortlisted or not – you’ll enjoy one of the very best networking events of the year

Oh and you get to watch a classic movie, which always remains a closely guarded secret until the day.

THE UNAWARDS IN NUMBERS…

• 9th annual UnAwards

• 450 entries last time

• 21  categories

• 3 public votes categories to decide winners

• 2k public votes last year

• 20+ external judges

• 275k visits to the comms2point0 website so far in 2024

• 140 attendees

THE UNAWARDS – THEY KEEP ON GIVING...

Each year the winners are invited to showcase their winning work at the popular UnAwards Winners Masterclass in the new year. Also free to attend. More on that another time.

HOW DO I ENTER AND WHAT IS THE DEADLINE?

The cool new online entry form can be found HERE.

And the closing date is 30 October at midnight. Please, please remember that the closing date is NEVER extended.

WHEN IS IT AND HOW CAN I ATTEND?

The 8th annual awards will be held at its iconic home - the Everyman Cinema in the Mailbox, Birmingham - on Friday 6 December at 9.30am for a 10am start.

Tickets cost just £30 + vat and will go on sale on 18 September. Please remember it’s always a sell out so don’t be slow to buy.

And there’s more…

There will be a pre-UnAwards social at the comms world’s favorite Brum restaurant, The Indian Streatery on 5 December. The food is delicious and I’ve agreed a £25 per head menu that you’ll love. If you’d like to join us you can register HERE.

So, ‘People of Comms’

How often have you heard the phrase – comms and PR people are bad at their own comms and PR?

That really shouldn’t be the case should it? Would you buy the services of a web agency who had a terrible web site?

So it’s time to kill that one off for good.

It's time to promote our successes – shout about them, if not quite from the rooftops then at least down the corridors of power. Let’s be proud and celebrate our achievements.

Other professions do, and some may deliver a hell of a lot less than you do.

So embrace this rallying call and book out some time in your diaries to pull together your entries and showcase your best work.

No one else will do this for you.

That other non-important work demand which can stifle – meetings, ad-hoc requests, multiple distractions and the “could you just…” passing trade won’t go away. Ever.

But you might have a rather nice UnAward-winning certificate hanging proudly on your office wall. So be a little selfish with your time for once.

Darren Caveney is creator and owner of both comms2point0 and the UnAwards and the owner of creative communicators ltd

THE UNAWARDS: THEY'RE NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS

With three weeks to go until the submission deadline, there’s a great way for all entries – not just the winners – to provide ongoing inspiration long after the December ceremony.

by John-Paul Danon.

Last year’s UnAwards resulted in a bumper of crop of 420 entries in the 18 categories. Of these, 70 achieved the kudos of being shortlisted but – naturally enough – there was only one winner in each section. So, what happened to the 350 entries that didn’t win? Those well-crafted submissions will have contained a wealth of information and inspiration useful to comms folk – I know, as I was lucky enough to be one of the judges.

This year, comms2point0 mastermind Darren Caveney and we at CAN have come up with a way in which the 2019 entries (from which there’ll be 19 winners, with the welcome addition of the ‘Supporting health and wellbeing’ category) can have a life long after the credits have rolled on the Christmas movie that wraps up the UnAwards winners’ event in December.

When you sit down with your beverage of choice to fill in this year’s entry form, you’ll see a tick box at the end asking if you’d be happy to share your submission as part of a new resource. This resource – currently being developed – will be a digital ‘campaign bank’.

A stash of insight gained from the submissions UnAwards entrants agree to share, plus from the campaigns CAN runs with local councils (on everything from recycling and fostering to resident consultations and public health) comms people will be able to search through hundreds of examples of great campaign work to find out which approaches generated the best outcomes, the messages that really resonated with audiences, and inspiring ideas for how to do things a little differently.

The resource will incorporate a ‘creative bank’ in which measurably successful and/or award-winning campaign assets – artwork, videos and digital tools – can be licensed for a small fee from the council who originated them, so you’re not having to constantly reinvent the wheel when you’re pushed for time and resources.

Play to your strengths

So, what can you add to our bank of collective comms knowledge through your UnAwards entry this year? Luckily you don’t have to be an all-round campaign genius and good at everything. Comms comes in all shapes and sizes and the categories for these awards are carefully worded so you/your team can throw the spotlight on whatever has done the heavy lifting for you over the past 12 months.

So, whether that’s social media, research, evaluation, email, internal comms, creative work, collaboration or managing to get things done free or low cost, there’s a category for you – with a full list here.

One of my favourite winners from the 2018 UnAwards was rewarded for their creative chops: South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue. Their video ‘Kids talk about their firefighter mums’ (which you must see here if you haven’t yet) came out of a need to recruit more women by appealing to career-changers with kids. The simple but brilliant idea behind the production was key: getting firefighters’ children to talk about them as mothers first before the reveal to flip any potential stereotyping on its head.

CAN is a digital company so, as you might expect, it’s strength in research and evaluation that I value as a marker of success in the campaigns we run with councils. For example, I’m proud of our ongoing work on the Stop Smoking London campaign with the capital’s boroughs which has seen us find new ways to get to those residents most likely to be on the verge of quitting.

We honed in on research that pointed to the 25-40 age group’s habit of using social cigarette breaks to check their mobile phones and combined this with a qualifying question on smoking for those who clicked on our digital ads to make sure we were targeting the right people. We then targeted London pubs and clubs in the evening to nudge smokers towards taking action with repeat messages. You can see a case study here.

But it was social media – using a Facebook tool that tested people’s knowledge of what things could be recycled locally and where – that powered my other favourite CAN campaign over the past year. We managed to get over 37,000 interactions over a two-week period for the four London councils taking part (case study here).

Inside knowledge

Of course, the UnAwards are as much about recognising teams who get their internal messages right, helping staff along in their day-to-day work, as external campaigning. One of the highlights of the UnAwards 2018 Winners’ Masterclass was the comms team at Loughborough University showing how an internal campaign can be both effective and low-cost by combining a meaningful cause with a meaningful objective in a defined timescale.

The university’s Heart 2 Heart initiative took place over a set 12 hours on Valentine’s Day. With the support of the British Heart Foundation and local ambulance service, nearly 1,500 staff and students (a meaningful target of two people trained per one identified space on campus) were taught to perform CPR in a bid to increase the cardiac arrest survival rate of one in 18 in the East Midlands (the meaningful cause).

The team at Loughborough nabbed two UnAwards for that campaign – both ‘best low-cost’ and ‘best internal’ communications. And Loughborough University is The Times and Sunday Times ‘University of the Year 2019’ (the UnAwards has its finger on the pulse of the good guys!).

So, grab a coffee, fire up your laptop and get that UnAwards entry in by 30 October. Even if you don’t win one of the honours, everybody still wins because you’ve shared the knowledge from all that hard work you’ve put into your comms over the past year. Good luck!

John-Paul Danon is co-founder and Sales Director at UnAwards sponsor, CAN, which works with local councils to get their campaigns seen by the right people online and on social media. Say hello on Twitter at CAN and JPDanon.

image via USMC Archives