Spotlight Awards 2023
It’s time to get your work spotted.
This year’s Magnetic Spotlight Awards are now open for entries.
Celebrating the very best advertising campaigns and partnerships in magazine media from the last 12 months – these awards are free to enter, and you have until Wednesday 4 October to get your submissions in.
We are looking to recognise and reward the most effective ideas, insight and diversity of commercial work, across dynamic digital campaigns, creative print advertising and integrated partnerships. The awards also shine a light on the teams whose passion for magazine media and smart thinking delivers results for the brands they represent.
Winners will be announced at The Vaults at the RSA, 23 November 2023
The categories
Content Partnership of the Year – large (budget £100k+)
Content Partnership of the Year – small (budget under £100k)
A truly great content partnership will deliver both the goals of the advertiser whilst providing a seamless and beneficial experience for the consumer.
These two awards – for both large and smaller budgets – will recognise brand campaigns where smart thinking, audience insight and sector knowledge has realised the advertiser’s objectives.
The winning entry must be able to demonstrate delivery of results for the advertiser and show how this partnership effectively used magazine media to further the client’s goals.
Best use of Digital
Getting people’s attention, pushing them to websites, and converting them to customers or subscribers is at the heart of every digital marketing plan.
This award is looking to reward the most effective use of online magazine media, created as part of a brand campaign.
The winning entry will be able to show how the digital element of their campaign was used effectively to further brand goals.
Best use of Print
Print magazines create a lasting impression. Their content is captivating and engaging around topics their readers are passionate about, and consumers welcome the advertising alongside the articles.
This award recognises memorable print campaigns that are both effective and a creative component of a brand campaign.
The winning entry will demonstrate how a brand has made the most of a combination of context, position, striking imagery and creative copy, and ultimately captured the attention of the reader.
Advertiser of the Year
This category cannot be entered and will be awarded by a special panel of magazine publishers.
The Advertiser of the Year award will go to an advertiser who has run successful campaigns across a number of magazine media publishers, returning time and again because they see significant brand engagement and great results.
This advertiser fully understands the benefits of the channel and are an enthusiastic user and supporter of the sector.
Agency of the Year
This award cannot be entered and will be awarded by a special panel of magazine publishers.
The winning agency will be one who really gets what magazine media can deliver for their clients. They understand the trust that consumers hold in their favourite magazine titles that makes them a great place for their clients brands. They understand that when it comes to attention advertising magazine media is the place to be.
Campaign for Good
With a trusted editorial voice sitting at the centre of a community, magazine brands have long provided the perfect platform for highlighting worthwhile causes and championing important societal issues.
This award recognises and celebrates using magazine media as a way of reaching key audiences with important causal messages. This could be a social, diversity, environmental or health issue that was championed using magazine media to build an awareness campaign, share a key message and ultimately drive change.
The winning entry must be able to show how the use of magazine media aided the campaign’s cause for the better, as well as demonstrating smart thinking and engaging ways to capture attention.
How to enter
Submit your entry by completing the entry form at the end of this page. Please note the word count for each section. The entry should show clearly how you have met all of the criteria in your chosen category
- Please submit any helpful supporting images (max. 8 images at a minimum of 300dpi)
- All entries MUST include agency and client logos (a minimum of 300dpi)
- If appropriate, please also submit relevant video content, URLs and links
We hope you will enter more than one category. If so, simply submit your first entry then refresh the page and start your next one.
From experience, it is always wise to write up your copy in Word first, then cut and paste into the boxes provided. That way, if the internet is having a bad day, you won’t lose all your hard work.
Eligibility and confidentiality
The eligibility period for submissions is magazine media campaigns that ran June 2022 – July 2023.
Please note that descriptions of submissions from winners will be published in connection with the Awards. Please state if certain information is commercially sensitive.
Campaigns that only ran in newspaper supplements are not eligible.
Hints and tips
In all categories, judges will look for evidence of commercial success and innovation, including figures and evidence of ROI. It also helps to explain the basis of a successful ROI for a campaign, project or business success story.
Be aware that the judges may not have detailed knowledge of the particular project or business that has been entered, so try to put the entry in the context of the wider market, or campaign.
Follow our company page ‘Magnetic Media UK’ on Linkedin to find out the shortlist in October
If you have any queries about your application, please get in touch via spotlight@magnetic.media For inspiration and to see previous winning work, click here
Reminder of key dates
Entry deadline: Wednesday 4 October
Winners announced: The Vaults at the RSA, 23 November 2023
