The sought-after awards will be celebrated at the AMC’s third annual conference, which will be held in Kenya’s historic trading hub and travel destination thanks to its pristine beaches, Mombasa, between 25 and 27 September 2024.

“It’s no coincidence that one of our categories, given the location of our conference, is the Tourism & Destination Marketing Campaign of the Year,” says Helen McIntee, AMC President. She adds that this category recognises the most outstanding marketing campaign within the tourism and destination marketing sector.

“The winning campaign will have had to demonstrate exceptional creativity in promoting travel, tourism, and hospitality services, significantly impacting the brand’s visibility and business outcomes. The campaign should effectively engage target audiences, inspire action, and contribute to the growth in the number and value of travellers to the destination,” says McIntee.

“We are also celebrating the Best Social Media Campaign of the Year, which acclaims the most effective and creative use of social media platforms in a marketing campaign. The winning entry should show a deep understanding of social media dynamics, leveraging content, storytelling, and community engagement to drive significant brand awareness, engagement, and business results,” says McIntee. The campaign should stand out for its originality, execution, and ability to connect meaningfully with the audience.

McIntee adds that the Most Effective Campaign of the Year honours the strategy that achieved the most significant business impact, driven by the intelligent use of technology, data, and innovative approaches.

“The winning campaign should showcase excellence in setting and surpassing key performance indicators, leveraging technology to optimise performance, and achieving exceptional returns on investment,” says McIntee. It must provide a clear presentation of key metrics in terms of its effectiveness for the client.

“It’s also important, given how fast technology is moving, that this submission shows how it fitted with overall business goals, values, and mission, as well as strategic thinking behind the campaign, including identifying opportunities and challenges,” says McIntee.

McIntee says the Best Use of Local Insights award celebrates campaigns that have successfully tapped into local culture, traditions, and consumer behaviour to create highly resonant and effective marketing communications. The winning entry should show a deep understanding of the local market, reflecting cultural nuances to enhance the brand’s connection with its audience.

This submission, she says, needs to be culturally relevant, integrating local insights into messaging and strategy while also being respectful in portraying local culture and traditions. “In addition, the insights must have informed the strategy when developing a compelling narrative or experience and the submission should show how effective the tactics were,” says McIntee.

Then there is the Best Cause-Related Campaign, which needs to have aligned a brand with a social cause or issue. “The winning campaign should demonstrate a genuine commitment to making a difference, creatively and effectively raising awareness, driving action such as behaviour change, and contributing positively to the cause,” says McIntee.

McIntee says that the much sought-after Brand of the Year honours the company that has demonstrated exceptional performance, innovation, and leadership in the marketing industry over the past year.

“The winning brand should exemplify excellence across various campaigns and initiatives, showing consistency in creativity, effectiveness, and engagement with its audience. The brand's impact on the market, cultural relevance, and ability to set new industry standards will be critical factors,” she says.

“Our drumroll category is the Campaign of the Year, which is our top honour and awarded to the campaign that stands out as the most outstanding marketing effort of the year,” says McIntee.

To win, the team must show a perfect blend of creativity, strategic insight, and execution, resulting in extraordinary impact and effectiveness. “It should serve as a benchmark for excellence in the marketing industry,” she says.

Entry is open to all marketing professionals in member countries who meet the eligibility criteria and all nominations must be for works/contributions completed in 2023 or 2024.  Deadline for submissions is 16 September 2024.

Information and updates are available on the event website: www.africanmarketingconfederation.org