In this interview, Prolific North's Managing Director Alexandra Balazs discusses the launch of the inaugural STEM Marketing Awards, sharing insights into why they’re crucial for the sector and how they aim to shape the future of STEM marketing.
Why did you decide to create the STEM Marketing Awards?
STEM disciplines—science, technology, engineering and maths form over 25 % of the UK economy—more than £600bn! There’s so much amazing work and excellent talent in this space so we want to give individuals, teams and businesses an opportunity to showcase campaigns, raise their profile and be recognised nationally for their important contributions to STEM marketing.
What sets the STEM Marketing Awards apart from other marketing awards within the industry?
Despite forming over 25 % of the UK economy—more than £600bn— the STEM sector doesn't have a dedicated marketing awards show. This is in contrast to the likes of the healthcare, finance and automotive sectors who all have exclusive marketing awards to recognise the specialist expertise in their industry.
We thought it was high time this changed, and these awards now give B2B STEM marketing specialists a chance to showcase their achievements and win recognition from their peers.
How do you see these awards influencing the future of marketing in STEM industries?
The awards are an excellent way to highlight the diverse career paths available within STEM as well as the exciting opportunities and achievements possible in these fields. We hope the awards will elevate the overall perception of STEM marketing, attract more talent to the field, and foster innovation.
And perhaps most importantly, bringing together so many talented STEM professionals is bound to create some collaboration opportunities - we’re excited to see where it goes next!
Could you highlight some of the key categories and what makes them significant for the STEM sector?
We’ve crafted our categories to ensure we reward brilliant campaign execution across all budgets and channels including social media, digital, PR etc. Socially conscious marketing is also being recognised across categories such as Best Social Impact Campaign, Best Not for Profit Campaign or Best Green Campaign.
Effective marketing teams have their own dedicated category and we’re also keen to shine a spotlight on younger talent through the Young Marketer of the year category but also recognise heavyweights and all their impact through the Lifetime achievement in STEM marketing category. You can browse all categories on the STEM Marketing Awards website here.
How does the judging process work, and what criteria are most important in selecting winners?
Our judges have been selected for their expertise and track record in one or more STEM disciplines, helping to bring invaluable experience in evaluating submissions. A transparent and fair judging process is at the heart of all Prolific North Awards. Judges will be asked to give a score (1-10) for each of the following areas:
- Effectiveness (measurable impact and results)
- Innovation
- Evidence of growth or potential for growth
- Social & environmental impact where applicable
These will be combined to give an overall score for each entry. All judges’ pre-scores will then be combined and the highest scoring entries will determine the shortlists.Judges then meet to discuss the highest scoring entries and agree the winner for each category, which will then be revealed during the live awards ceremony, on 21 November at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.
What advice would you give to organisations and individuals considering entering the awards?
Be authentic, be creative, be confident and tell your story. Also, keep it simple and help the judge to understand the why, the what, the how. Stand out entries usually evoke emotion and take the judges on a journey from start to finish with results that are clear to see. And most importantly, don't miss out on this opportunity to showcase your work!
What are you most excited about for the upcoming awards ceremony?
The glitz, the glamour and the baby guinnesses of course! Jokes aside, the STEM sector is one of the biggest contributors to the UK economy and I’m excited to create an experience that recognises marketers doing excellent work in these fields.
How can I apply?
If your products, services or marketing activities are concerned with at least one of the STEM disciplines—science, technology, engineering and maths AND you sell directly to other businesses (B2B) rather than to consumers then great news—you are eligible to enter!.
You can submit your entry via our dedicated portal here. And be quick—the deadline to submit your application is 13 September.
If you have any doubts about your eligibility, we're happy to help, please contact us on [email protected]
About Alexandra Balazs
From our first newsletter in 2013, Prolific North is now the leading platform for the North's creative & digital sectors. In my role as managing director, I lead a wonderful team of 14 across Editorial, Sales, Marketing, and Operations to bring the latest industry news and host some of the North’s flagship events, such as the Northern Marketing Festival, Digital City Festival, or our coveted awards program. Passionate about marketing & tech, with a side of travel & Minecraft.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrabalazs/
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