In the marketing of a brand, the best option is always the use of contests. Event planners help organise award-winning programs where brands use this to identify, judge, and reward participants in the merit of skill and might.

Contests are events where participants compete in a quality determinant, a sport, or activity for supremacy by showcasing various skills. There are criteria to ensure quality, fair judgement, and play to win a contest. The article explores criteria used in judging a contest.

Understanding judging criteria

Judging criteria are numerous pointers that judges use in evaluating an event to make an informed, fair decision.

Getting to choose a suitable entry from many entries is tiresome and takes time while comparing and going through them. When you set clear and precise judgement criteria, it becomes simple. They can analyse each entry based on the pointers set up.

There are different types of contests that brands can organise. The best way is to have a creative one. It boosts engagement and targets specific customers for your business. The right contest and good management bring good returns on your investment.

Requirements for judging criteria.

There are different requirements that brands and judges follow for evaluating the efforts and skills competitors put forward.

The rules of the contest and the sponsors’ goals should be in line.

The audience should have more emphasis on the criteria

The ROI and other information on the contest should be clear

The criteria for judging should show equal distribution.

 The criteria for judging each entry stated

How the contest will fit the sponsors’ advertising plan considered.

The percentage allocated a criterion

Criteria that have worked for the brand in the past should be put into consideration.

Contest Judging Criteria aligned with sponsors goals

When selecting judging criteria, they need to be aligned with the sponsors’ goals for their brand.

Sponsors need to figure out what aims the contest you want to run is going to achieve for your brand.

Sponsor aims

To grow the number of users following a particular brand.

To give out incentives and coupons to drive sales

To grow media presence on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter

To introduce a product to the market or one to be launched soon

To gain insight into products with the popularity

The type of interests of your contestants and ideal contest entry when getting entries for your contest.

Evaluation of entries should have a basis when judging. The entry can be based on the merit of its creativity or if it’s an original idea or not. The entry should also fulfill the conditions that the contest required, represent the brand, and fulfill the aim of the contest. The winning entry should also make an impression on the brand or business.

Picking of judges for contests

Selecting a judge and sending invitations to officiate or judge an award contest is not an easy task. Judges roles include:

Running the contest smoothly

Watching the process of the contest

Analysing the competitors

Vouching for the winning candidate

The judges you select and invite to judge the contest should belong to the industry running the contest. Whatever the means of inviting your potential judges, be it by mail or private invite, the message should be simple with the information they need.

Judging a contest

Before judging a contest, judges are required to have understood the terms, conditions, and rules of the contest. The inputs of the judges ensure unbiased running hence essential for the contest.

First, judges need to understand the judging criteria and how the entries get ratings

Creating a contest as per the rules and submitting judgement

Consistency in judgement

Focus on the effectiveness of the entry

Avoid personal opinions of the contest or the contestants

Keeping an eye on fulfilling the contest’s objectives.

Nowadays, judging has been made easy with the onset of technological advancements making it effortless and automated. Using a centralised submission dashboard saves money, time, and energy in judging a contest.

Contest examples and judging criteria

Social media has proved to be the best marketing tool that influences many people to boost brands. The article highlights contests such as art, video, photo, and writing with their judging criteria done with media.

Video contest criteria

Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook are good platforms to run video contests as there’s a higher chance of going viral. Your followers make and submit videos with a variety of creativity revolving around the brand then you judge and choose a winner based on the criteria below.

Does the video narrate a story

The thought process and its clarity

How appealing is the video

Impression from it

The audience perception

Motivation levels of the video

The visual and audio quality

The detail attention

Writing contest criteria

Contestants write their views and experiences with the brand. This is a great way of getting your audience to speak up and create bonds with them. The criteria for a writing contest include:

The scripts originality

Concepts and ideas presented

The Word limit dictated

Writers grammar

Creativity shown

Unique style of writing

Good diction

Art contest criteria

There is a diversity of art from calligraphy, painting, sketching, drawing, and the like. You have to devise a contest that your contestants can relate to. Your fans should send in their pieces relating to the brand for evaluation and judging. Criteria include:

Artistry

The originality of the pieces

Overall art presentation

Theme adherence

Design and composition of the art

The aesthetic value of the art

The art achieve the brands’ aim and ideologies

Photo contest criteria

Photo contests are good ways of increasing a brand’s media presence. People are very passionate about photos and will share widely to reach a larger audience. Contestants upload their entries and share them online by tagging your brand. Photo contests create a huge buzz about the business or brand. Photo contest criteria include:

Idea precision

overall composition represented

Amusement quality of the photo

Innovation

Conceptualization

The entry is in line with the brands’ theme and ideology

Ability to recall the brand

Creativity shown

Appeal on the audience

Thought process clarity

Inspiration prowess