E-newsletters and the email channel have become indispensable for media brands seeking to extend their content and expand their relationships with their readers. Recognizing that the simple in-box has evolved into a complex publishing platform of its own that requires discrete skills, min presents its first In-Box Awards.

Across 11 categories in editorial, design and marketing, we will celebrate singular achievements in email publishing, the content providers that are advancing the form and individual email innovators. Please note that consumer and b2b brands will be judged separately within each category.

Preferred Award Vendor:
Industry Partner:

• Who Should Enter?
• Eligibility Requirements
• Categories
• How to Enter
• Deadlines/Entry Fees
• Sponsorship Opportunities
• FAQ's
• Contact Information
• Previous Winners

Who Should Enter?

Any consumer and b2b publishing company and/or person or individual magazine title is eligible to enter. Additionally, advertising agencies and corporations are welcome to enter on behalf of or with their magazine partner. Third-party partners serving the industry can also apply.

Eligibility Requirements

Any program or campaign that took place in 2009 is eligible, as well as programs ongoing in 2010. The program must have taken place in part of 2009, but could have been rolled out prior to that year.

Categories

Categories:

• Best Branded E-Newsletter – Best overall newsletter (single title) that extends an existing Web or print media brand into the user’s inbox on a regularly scheduled (monthly, weekly) basis. We will consider editorial content, design and performance in generating traffic or leads for the publisher brand.
• Best E-Newsletter Group or Publisher Program – Award recognizes a publisher for its entire fleet of e-newsletters, ie, multiple email newsletters that serve a single or multiple brands. We will consider overall traffic-driving performance and audience growth, successful integration with marketing programs across platforms and overall editorial quality.
• Best Stand-Alone E-Newsletter – Recognizes content brands that communicate with readers primarily via e-newsletter rather than a Web site. We will consider editorial quality and audience growth, and open rates.
• Best Integrated Marketing/Ad Campaign – Best use of email as part of a larger cross-platform marketing plan for a client.
• Best E-Newsletter Layout/Design – Recognizes superior achievement in e-newsletter information architecture, design elements, adaptability to different email clients.
  
• Best Sponsored Email Campaign – Best use of a custom “email blast” or marketing campaign on behalf of a sponsor or the publisher’s own brand that resulted in successful opt-ins, brand lift, click-throughs or other relevant measures of success.
• Best Next-Gen Email – Best use of advanced targeting and dynamic content technologies (behavioral targeting, event triggering, personalization, mobile-friendly, etc.).
• Best Lead-Gen Program – Best integrated marketing program that leveraged email to create leads or deepen lead profile in a publisher database.
  
• Daily E-Letter – Best e-newsletter that maintains a daily presence in the in-box. We will consider editorial quality, design, audience growth, audience engagement.

• Email Marketer of the Year – Recognizes the sales executive who has excelled at delivering email opportunities and results to clients. We will consider how the executive has grown e-letter spend from clients, developed new email products that match advertiser needs and expanded the client base.
• Email Editor of the Year – Recognizes outstanding achievement from an editorial or marketing staffer who leads the content authoring and editing of one or more e-newsletters. We will consider how the editor establishes a voice and identity for the e-newsletter via content and article choice.

How To Enter

Enter as many categories as you like, but please tailor your entry to the category you are entering. For each entry (read further for "people" category entrance rules), please provide a 2- to 3-page synopsis of your campaign or initiative that includes:

• Category Entered
• Title of entry (as it would appear on your award)
• Team members (on campaign) or person who is entering
• Key contact for entry
• Organization submitting entry
• Budget (All budget information is strictly confidential and will not be published w/o expressed permission.)

Please include a synopsis that describes your entry, highlighting the following: goals & objectives, time period of program, target audience-client/s, execution/details, measurement of results, budget, return on investment, creativity & overall results.

Please include a 2- to 3-page synopsis with the following information:

In 150 words or less, why you or the person you're nominating should win this award. Self-nominations are accepted. In 500 words or less, please cover as much of the following, broken down by criteria:

a) Professional brand-related achievements.
b) Specific campaigns or efforts spearheaded by this person and related outcomes
c) Leadership qualities
d) Innovative thinking
e) Sound judgment
f) Flexibility, creativity, financial management (where applicable).

What To Send by Mail?

• Five (5) copies of the entry form
• Five (5) copies of your synopsis
• Five (5) sets of supporting material -- include samples of the eletter, email campaigns, etc.
• Entry fee (see information below on multiple entries)

Please include supporting materials such as email samples, client testimonials, Web sites/urls, print materials and marketing collateral, photographs, and other materials that will help the judges.

Deadlines/Entry Fees

Deadline: February 26, 2010 (postmarked)
Late Deadline: March 5, 2010 (postmarked)
All entries must be postmarked by Friday, March 5, 2010.

Entries postmarked between February 27 and March 5, 2010, please add a $175 late fee per entry.

Entry Fees:
The price of each primary entry is $300. If you submit the same entry into multiple categories, the additional fee is $175 per category. There is a late entry surcharge of $175 per entry. Payment in full must accompany the entry. Entry fees are not refundable.

Multiple Entries:
Multiple entries are accepted and encouraged.  A single entry can be entered into more than one category.  Please follow the "How to Enter" instructions for each category you will be entering. 

Where to Send Entry:
Access Intelligence, LLC
Mary-Lou French, min’s In-Box Awards
4 Choke Cherry Road, 2nd Floor
Rockville, MD 20850
301-354-1851

Please indicate on the left-hand corner of the envelope the categories you are entering.
min will not return any entries or supporting materials.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Contact:
Erica Gottlieb at 212-621-4612; egottlieb@accessintel.com

FAQs

Contact Information

Please contact Awards Coordinator, Rebecca Stortstrom at (301) 354-1610 or rebecca@accessintel.com.