Four entry channels. 31 categories. Play to win. Leave your mark. ECHO. Forever.

1. IES
ECHO CATEGORIES
The 2018 categories are split into four groups:
Sectors | Channels | Craft | Special
SECTOR
These categories will be judged equally on Strategy, Creativity and Results.
AUTOMOTIVE
Show us how you drove sales, leases, rentals, parts
and accessories for new or used vehicles – or built
brands, traffic and loyalty. This includes programs
developed by manufacturers and marketing
organizations, fleet operators, leasing companies,
dealer groups or individual dealerships.
BUSINESS PRODUCTS AND
SERVICES
Providing products and services to another
business often requires complex and rational
decision making challenges. Demonstrate how
great strategy and bold creative can champion the
B2B marketers out there. This category is for any
campaign that targets a Business to Business
audience.
CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND
SERVICES
Share your efforts to market merchandise or other
items bought by individuals and households, this
includes Fast Moving Consumer Goods, household
products and manufacturing products. This
category is for any campaign that targets a
Business to Consumer audience.
FINANCIAL AND INSURANCE
Show us your work for banks, securities,
investments, loans, real estate, credit cards or
other financial products for consumers,
businesses, agents. This category is also for all
aspects of insurance including auto, home, life,
health, disability or other insurance products.
NOT-FOR-PROFIT
This category includes not-for-profit organizations,
charitable foundations, cultural institutions,
associations or political advocacy groups. Also –
fundraising, public health and safety, public service
and social action educational programs.
PHARMACEUTICAL AND
HEALTHCARE
This category is for products and services
promoting to healthcare professionals and
consumers. Whether you are promoting medical
supplies to hospitals or daily healthcare products
to consumers, be sure to highlight the role that
data has played in the campaigns success.
Healthcare insurance should be entered into the
Insurance category.

2. CHANNELS
These categories will be judged equally on Strategy, Creativity and Results.
PUBLISHING, ENTERTAINMENT
AND MEDIA
For single sales or subscription efforts for print or
digital books, magazines, newsletters, podcasts,
research or websites. Also – ticket sales or traffic
for films or theatre, sporting events or teams, TV
shows, electronic games and software, or lottery
participation.
RETAIL AND DIRECT SALES
For retailers and direct-order enterprises, from
department and specialty stores to equipment
dealers, restaurants, health clubs, mail order,
memberships and everything else in between –
show us your approach to building traffic,
inquiries, sales, loyalty, and employee relations.
TECHNOLOGY AND
COMMUNICATIONS
Show us how your marketing is disrupting
computer hardware, software, accessories,
services, mobile, apps and education. Includes:
telecommunications carriers, satellite or cable TV
operators or Internet, broadband and wireless
service providers.
TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY
For travel and hospitality services, from airlines,
car rentals and mass transit to hotels, tourism,
sports, entertainment, timeshares and vacation
properties. Does not include automobile
manufacturers, dealers or fleet operators, these
should be entered into the Automotive category.
BEST USE OF EMAIL
We’re looking for innovative email that generates
response, engagement, relationships – and results.
This category can be for single or bulk email
campaigns targeting a consumer or business
audience.
BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Judges will be looking for social media campaigns
that generate engagement, relationships – and
results. It may be part of a multi-channel
campaign, though – it will be judged on results
attributable to social media.
BEST USE OF DIRECT MAIL
Show us how direct mail is still leading the way in
data inspired communications. Judges will look for
inspiring use of data and audience targeting with
creative excellence that demonstrates the power
the DM channel. Entrants must include any hard
copy samples of the campaign in the submission.
BEST USE OF MOBILE
From wearables to apps, games and location-
based efforts, we’re looking for solutions that
integrate mobile with other channels or where the
unique attributes of mobile meet specific business
goals. Winners will be judged on mobile result
attribution.

3. CRAFT
BEST USE OF VIDEO
Video goes above and beyond, storytelling at its
best, showcase how video and data can work
together. Judges will score on more than the
creative execution and will look for strategy and
clear demonstration that it has achieved its
business objectives.
BEST USE OF IMMERSIVE
TECHNOLOGY
Demonstrate that virtual reality or augmented
reality has taken customer engagement to a whole
new level. We’re looking for entries where the
technology has provided something unique to the
campaign with clever use of data backing up the
jaw dropping customer experience.
BEST USE OF SEARCH / DISPLAY
Here we’re looking for online campaigns based
around search optimisation, search marketing or
innovative use of online display. Judges will be
looking for great strategy behind the sophisticated
targeting techniques.
BEST DIGITAL DESTINATION
Judges will be looking for a digital destination the
puts the customer experience at its heart. This has
to be more than a showcase of online creativity
and innovative technology, judges will be looking
for clear objectives that are aligned to results that
are specifically related to the digital destination.
Whether it’s a path to purchase or sophisticated
gathering of insight, prove what can happen when
clever use of data meets great online experiences.
BEST USE OF EXPERIENTIAL
Demonstrate what live interaction with a target audience can achieve, whether it’s at festivals,
exhibitions, concerts, road shows or PR stunts. We’re looking for evidence where engaging with people
out in the field has driven a response such as building relationships, gathering data or a direct path to
sales. Judges will also be impressed by clever insight behind the activation. Results are key here and
must be aligned with the client’s business objectives.
ART DIRECTION
Can you bring a campaign strategy to life with
originality and relevance to the audience?
Although results are required to ensure the work
was effective, entries in Art Direction will be judged
primarily on creativity:
Creativity 60%, Strategy 20% and Results 20%
CONTENT
Prove that content is king and has played an
integral part in engaging with a target audience.
Entries can be from any media from print to social
and include copywriting, video or user generated
content. Judges will be looking for evidence that
the content was the driving force behind the
success of the campaign, a clear insight into the
content strategy and where possible, results that
are directly attributable to its role.
This category will be judged equally on Strategy,
Creativity and Results.

4. SPECIAL
BEST ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE / MACHINE LEARNING
It’s no longer science fiction and AI & machine learning is now in the mainstream helping brands predict
customer behaviour right through to producing personalised content. Data is at the heart of great AI
and judges will be looking for examples where it has added genuine value to the campaign.
This category will be judged equally on Strategy, Creativity and Results.
BEST DATA-INSPIRED TARGETING
Demonstrate how data has inspired audience
targeting and personalisation in a marketing
communication campaign. Judges will look for
evidence of how the data was captured and the
strategy behind the targeting techniques. Real-
time analytics, programmatic and behavioural data
triggers should also be entered into this category.
This category will be predominantly judged on
strategy and results.
Creativity 20%, Strategy 40%, Results 40%
BEST DATA-INSPIRED
INTELLIGENCE
Demonstrate how data has inspired the strategy
behind a marketing communications campaign.
Judges will be looking for evidence that the study
of data has led to new insights and intelligence
that has informed the rest of the campaign. This
category will be predominantly judged on strategy
and results.
Creativity 20%, Strategy 40%, Results 40%
ECHO BEST INTEGRATED
CAMPAIGN
Share your multi-media campaigns that identify
and engage targeted audiences and lead to a
direct call to action. Efforts should use at least
three channels and demonstrate the channel
strategies, execution, and measurable impact on
the campaign. Also show overall synergy and lift
from integration.
This category will be judged equally on Strategy,
Creativity and Results.
BEST CUSTOMER-CENTRIC
CAMPAIGN
Show us marketing that puts the customer in
control. Share examples where customer
preferences inform communications to provide
relevant experiences along their journey. Share
examples of changing customer behavior resulting
in a fluid brand approach. Include KPIs and explain
campaign evaluation.
This category will be judged equally on Strategy,
Creativity and Results.

5. BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY
Judges are looking for innovative use of
technology, whether it’s online or offline, using
new or using existing technology in a new way.
What matters most is that it has added unique
value to the campaign and has measurable results
that can be applied to its use.
This category will be judged equally on Strategy,
Creativity and Results.
BEST LOYALTY OR RETENTION
CAMPAIGN
Here we’re looking for an ongoing series of activity
that targets either existing or previous customers
in a B2B or B2C environment. Entries can include
CRM, reward programmes and Incentives, but
must clearly demonstrate how data has played a
key role is developing and reinvigorating customer
relationships. The usual eligibility dates do not
apply to this category and judges will review work
and evaluate results tabulated from 1st October
2015 to 30th June 2018.
This category will be judged equally on Strategy,
Creativity and Results.
BEST CUSTOMER ACQUISITION
CAMPAIGN
For campaigns that have clear objectives focused
around the purchasing of products or services in
either a B2B or b2B environment. With this
category judge’s will expects robust results
focussing on generating leads or final conversion
to sales.
This category will be judged equally on Strategy,
Creativity and Results.
BEST CAMPAIGN UNDER $250K
Showcase what great insight combined with
original creative can achieve on a budget of less
than $250k. Creativity and innovative ideas are
what judges will be looking for. The $250k must
also include media spend.
This category will be judged equally on Strategy,
Creativity and Results.
BEST CAMPAIGN FOR SOCIAL GOOD
For campaigns that have challenged discrimination, inequality and injustice or championed initiatives
that make a positive impact on people’s lives and the planet. The usual ECHO criteria apply, with
innovative use of data, great insight and brave creative required to score high in the three criteria of
strategy, creativity and results.
This category will be judged equally on Strategy, Creativity and Results.