2019 EPIC Awards |
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| ENTRY DEADLINES | |
| Entries Open | January 4, 2019 |
| Early Bird Entry Deadline | February 4, 2019 |
| Regular Entries | February 5-18, 2019 |
| Final Entry Deadline | Extended to Feb 22! |
| Finalists Announced | March 15, 2019 |
| ENTRY FEES | |
| Early Bird, Jan. 4 to Feb. 4 |
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| CAPIO Member | $115 |
| Non-Member | $165 |
| Regular, Feb. 5 to February 22 at 5:00 pm |
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| CAPIO Member | $140 |
| Non-Member | $190 |
AWARDS PORTAL LOGIN / ENTRIES CLOSED
Requirements & Judging
CAPIO has established our annual awards program to recognize and honor outstanding professional work and accomplishment. This work represents standards of excellence and creativity and stand as inspiration for those in our profession. This year we are excited to have the support from PIOs from across the US from partner organizations such as PRSA and 3CMA. Thank you judges! (Interested in being a judge? Click here.)
2019 Awards Entry Webinar
Want to learn how you can best showcase your work? Do you have questions about entry categories or the scoring criteria?
Listen to the 2019 "Tips for Making Your Award Entry EPIC" webinar with hints and insights on how to put your best foot forward. Download Slides
VIEW WEBINAR RECORDING
Winning Entry Samples
Gold Winner - Award Entry Example 1 ("I Found Sammy Clarita" - City of Santa Clarita - Social Media/New Media)
Gold Winner - Award Entry Example 2 ("Marin at a Glance" - County of Marin - Annual Report)
Entry Categories
How we communicate continues to evolve in the connected world in which we live. For this year’s competition we’ve introduced Digital Communications and Best of Show categories with enhanced subcategories to recognize cutting-edge techniques being used throughout the industry.
Work may be entered into more than one category and will be reviewed separately for each category entered. All entries entered into multiple categories will be eligible for recognition in each and will be judged accordingly. In categories that receive a large number of entries, the entries will be grouped according to service area size (small, medium and large) prior to being judged.
Choose your medium to see a complete list and description of those categories. You may also view/print the full list of categories here (PDF).
Communication and Marketing Tools (Publications, graphic design, writing, photography, etc.) view category descriptions
Communications marketing tools are the tactical tools you use to implement the idea – getting information out to get the job done. They include publications, graphic design, photography, events, writing and internal communications.
Entry Categories
- Annual Report
- Graphic Design – Online (infographic, web graphic, logo, etc.)
- Graphic Design – Print (brochure, poster, marketing materials, etc.)
- Internal Communications
- Marketing and Promotional (items, branding/logo, marketing event, delivery tools)
- Media Event (Press Conferences, PR Campaign Kickoffs, etc.)
- Newsletter or Magazine (online or printed)
- Photography
- Special or Community Event – One-Time
- Special or Community Event – Recurring
- Writing (news article, news series, blog, marketing content, etc.)
Digital Communications view category descriptions
Communications programs or tools used to implement the idea, make an impact and maximize reach through digital communications. This category includes podcasts, live streaming, social media, video, websites and apps.
Entry Categories
- Audio/Podcasts
- Live Streaming/Live Stories
- Social Media Best Use Overall
- Social Media Campaign
- Video Production – Event Coverage
- Video Production – Public Service Announcement/Promotional/Marketing Video - Short Form (2 min. or less)
- Video Production – Public Service Announcement/Promotional/Marketing Video - Long Form (anything over 2 min.)
- Video Production – Series
- Website/App
Communications and Marketing Process view category descriptions
Processes are broad categories of strategic communications programs and activities, such as Community Visioning or Branding, Resident Participation, Communications Plans, Campaign Plans, Go Green Programs, Crisis Communications and Service Delivery.
Entry Categories
- Branding
- Communications or Marketing Plans/Campaigns - Consultant-Supported
- Communications or Marketing Plans/Campaigns - In-House
- Community Relations/Participation
- Crisis Communications Response
- Multicultural Outreach/Campaign
- Preparedness/Public Safety Education Campaign
This category includes two unique awards—Most Innovate Communications and Dollar Stretcher. CAPIO encourages agencies to submit their most innovative programs. Entries submitted to the Most Innovative field can include consultant-supported projects and programs.
For the Dollar Stretcher field, projects and/or tools that had a major impact using only in-house resources on a limited budget should be submitted.
Entry Categories
- Dollar Stretcher – program/tool developed and implemented in-house
- Most Innovative Communications
Best-in-Show
For the first time in CAPIO history, judges will be selecting from the entire entry pool, one “Best-in- Show” winner from each of the small, medium and large service areas. A separate entry is not required to be considered for a “Best-in-Show” honor. Winners will be pulled from all subcategories.
Eligibility
Any public information professional representing a California city, county, school, special district or other public agency may participate. Private firms may submit awards on behalf of a public agency; however, the entry must be in the name of the public agency and the agency must be notified in advance that a firm intended to submit an entry on the agency’s behalf.
CAPIO membership is not a criteria for entry.
How to Enter
All entries must be submitted online. To enter, you must complete and include all of the following items for each entry:
- Written Narrative (Click here for narrative tips) (Click here for research tips)
- Supporting Project Materials
- Entry Fee Payment
- FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
Other entry requirements (included in the narrative tips web page):
- All entries must be for work performed and or executed in calendar year 2018. Multi-year entries can be submitted within the appropriate category.
- An online entry form must be completed and submitted with each PDF. All entries must complete mandatory fields on the online entry form, including service area size (e.g. population, rate payer, etc.) . The same service area size should be used across all entries, including internal communication (e.g enter service area, not total employees).
- Formatting: Each entry must include a written narrative that is no more than two pages, single spaced, in no smaller than 11 point font and a minimum of .5 margins all around.
- Each entry should include the agency’s name, award title and award category in the top right corner.
- Entry must be loaded as a single PDF document and cannot exceed 15MB.
A single work may be entered in multiple categories and an entrant may submit multiple works in each category.
Entry fees must accompany each individual entry. A separate entry fee must be paid for single works that have been submitted in multiple categories.
If you are submitting near the deadline and paying by check, please email a copy of the check and send to [email protected].
For payment questions or issues submitting your entry, contact the CAPIO office at [email protected].
SCORING CRITERIA
Entries will be judged based on:
• Presentation (overall completeness and organization of entry)
• Planning
• Implementation
• Results/Evaluation
For more information, please visit our Judging Criteria page. Interested in being a judge? Sign Up as a 2019 Awards Judge