GLOBAL: Senior marketers from Diageo, Qatar Airways and Facebook are joining the judging panel for the Effective Use of Partnerships and Sponsorships category in the 2018 WARC Media Awards, announced today.

The Effective Use of Partnerships and Sponsorships category – one of four that make up the WARC Media Awards – rewards collaborations with third parties, including native advertising and sponsorships, that have helped brands meet business goals.

Jerry Daykin, Head of Global Digital Media Partnerships, Diageo, is chairing the judging panel for a second year. He comments: “For me the WARC Media Awards strike an important balance of truly celebrating the rich creative possibilities of media, but doing so with a clear view to how that creativity is driving effectiveness and business results.

“With media under a greater spotlight than ever, partnerships and sponsorships are a great way of celebrating the rich creativity and, ultimately, effectiveness that we can achieve by working more closely together. I’m excited to see true partnerships which create value for all the involved parties, as well as ultimately creating a positive consumer experience.”

Joining him from the client-side is Simon Sassine, Senior Manager, Marketing Subsidiaries & Special Projects, Qatar Airways, while judges from media and tech companies include David Robertson, Senior Director, Global Brand Insight, Universal Music Group, Dallas Wiles, Chief Commercial Officer, JCDecaux, and Leigh Thomas, Director, Global Accounts Team, Facebook.

From the agency-side, judges include Laurel Boyd, SVP and Director of the R+D Lab, MullenLowe Mediahub, Garry Dods, Founder & MD, WeAreFearless, Rhian Mason, Content Strategy Director, IPG Mediabrands, Hannah Mirza, Global Head of Partnerships, MediaCom and Sean Stogner, Connections Strategy Director, Huge.

Full biographies of all judges can be read on the Awards website.

Entry to the Awards is free and papers submitted as effectiveness case studies are welcomed from any territory or discipline. Further details, including entry kit and entry form, can be found on the WARC Media Awards website. The deadline for entries is 19 September.

The prize fund will be divided between the Grand Prix and three Special Awards, including the Successful Sponsorship Award, for the best example of a brand effectively aligning itself with, for instance, an entertainment property or a sporting event, the Effective Native Award, for the best example of a native campaign that helped a brand meet its business objectives, and the Collaboration with an Influencer Award, for the most effective partnership with an influencer appropriate for the target market.

Sourced from WARC