How do you want to be recognized for outstanding communications projects?
Starting this month, IABC London will engage you in a conversation about project-based communications awards. From the format of awards programming to the judging process to recognition of winners, we want to hear from you and work collaboratively to build a program that fits our community.
This input process is part of IABC London’s ‘purposeful pause’ of the Virtuoso Awards program, first announced in October 2018. The decision to pause the Virtuoso Awards in 2019 follows a steady decline in entries over the past few years and feedback from our stakeholders on a desire for change to the program.
We are taking your feedback seriously and are now focusing our efforts on a thorough research and input process. This process is being guided by an ad-hoc committee with broad representation from across our professional communications community. A research plan has been developed and our committee met for the second time on Tuesday, January 15 to finalize our tactics.
There are three main pillars to our research strategy: stakeholder engagement and feedback, peer review and historical analysis. The stakeholder engagement and feedback pillar is the backbone of our strategy. We will provide you with multiple opportunities to share your input on project-based awards programming, including virtual surveys, one-on-one conversations and opportunity for group feedback.
A simultaneous peer review is being conducted to examine best practices, trends and challenges for project-based awards programs being offered by other IABC chapters. We want to engage with our partners across the country and around the globe to learn from them. This will include consulting the national Silver Leaf Awards program and IABC International’s Gold Quill Awards program.
Finally, our committee is conducting a historical analysis of IABC London’s Virtuoso Awards program. We are examining changes to the awards program over the years, including evolution of the judging process and recognition of winners.
We hope you will partner with us by providing your input. Keep an eye on your inbox and all IABC London channels over the next two weeks as we begin to roll out opportunities for feedback.
At any time, please feel welcome to email our Director, Awards, Robert DeLaet at iabclondonawards@gmail.com with any input, questions or suggestions. We would love to hear from you.
Members of our ad-hoc committee. Front: Andrew Kaszowski. Back (From left): Tori Laird, Robert DeLaet, Kelly Ziegner, Keith Marnoch, Jacqueline Sullivan and Marek Kubow. Absent from photo: Laurie Lashbrook, Gary Lintern, Patti McKague, Liisa Sheldrick and Julia Oosterman.