All-new webinar: How to win an UnAward

Winning an UnAward is a very special thing.

But how can you win one?

Find out exactly how by getting the inside track from past winners and current judges in this all-new webinar.

by Darren Caveney

This week saw the launch of the special 10th annual UnAwards.

You can find out all about it HERE.

The impact an award shortlisting can have…

I’ve seen first hand the difference an award shortlisting or win can make to an individual and to a team. Even an organisation. I truly believe that they’re a very important part of what we do.

External, independent recognition makes us feel good, yes, but it’s also an important endorsement that what we do makes a real difference and is considered to be good practice.

They look pretty good on the CV too.

I see brilliant work every single week on my travels around the UK working with teams.

But some teams are convinced that they haven’t done anything good enough to enter.

I disagree – everyone has delivered good and valued work in the past 12 months.

Now is the time to showcase your work – no one else will do this for you

It’s absolutely a time to be selfish and to spend some time on you and your work and to get an entry in, and see how far it can go.

The phrase “in it to win” is much over-used but it does however still ring true.

So what’s this new webinar?

It’s a one-off chance to hear from past winners, current judges and sponsors who will share their trade secrets about what has gone in to an UnAward win and, importantly, what the judges look for.

You can pitch in with questions to our extra special panel too.

When is it?

Monday 15 September, 12 noon - 1pm.

Fancy it?

We’ll do it on Teams and you can register below.

if you can’t be there we’ll make the recording available.

But try to be there – it will be a fun hour that might just help you get an UnAward win.

REGISTER HERE

Darren Caveney is creator and owner of comms2point0 and Creative Communicators Ltd and creator of the UnAwards

*Sign up for the comms2point0 eMag*

The comms2point0 eMag features exclusive new content, free give-aways, special offers, first dibs on new events and much, much more.

Sound good? Join over 4k other comms people who have subscribed. You can sign up to it right here

THE UNAWARDS 2025 ARE OPEN!

The 10th annual UnAwards launch TODAY. They're the most exciting and accessible industry awards around. Now is not a time to quietly sit back and hope your organisation recognises and appreciates your efforts. Instead try and get yourself shortlisted for an UnAward to really put your work on the organisational map on this, the very special 10th anniversary of the UnAwards.

by Darren Caveney

Well, 2025 has been more of the same for communicators everywhere - stretched, busy, in demand, and with a groaning inbox and to do list. But still you have delivered brilliant and important work.

So, as summer turns to autumn, it’s time to launch the 10th annual UnAwards and get you, your teams and the industry proudly entering and showcasing your best work. Now is not the time to let it pass and wait until next year.

The UnAwards are a huge passion of mine. They were established to recognise the hard work, creativity, successes of the communications and PR industry, largely but not exclusively by any means in the public sector.

They are truly accessible and do not run to generate a profit. They exist to celebrate and fly a flag for good people doing good things.

Something I think are now even more important than ever before.

WHAT DO I MEAN BY ACCESSIBLE?

Well, for starters it’s £free to enter

For seconds, it’s the simplest entry form you’ll find anywhere. This year again there is the fancy online entry form, courtesy of UnAwards partners, CAN Digital. You can enter multiple categories with a single entry form too.

And for thirds, if you manage to bag a golden ticket to the most fun awards ceremony around it will cost you just £30.

I hope you’ll agree that definitely classes as accessible.

NEW TO THE UNAWARDS?

Well there's more here but in a nutshell they are the most accessible and innovative awards in our industry - free to enter, fun to attend and a celebration of our community's achievements.

There are 22 categories, so something for everyone, including this year an all-new AI category sponsored by Whetstone Communications.

Even better you can enter the same piece of work in multiple categories to increase your chances of being shortlisted.

And if you come along to the big day – shortlisted or not – you’ll enjoy one of the very best networking events of the year

Oh and you get to watch a classic movie, which always remains a closely guarded secret until the day.

THE UNAWARDS IN NUMBERS…

• 10th annual UnAwards

• 600 entries last time

• 22  categories

• 3 public votes categories to decide winners

• 2k public votes last year

• 25 external judges

• 140 attendees

THE UNAWARDS – THEY KEEP ON GIVING...

Each year the winners are invited to showcase their winning work at the popular UnAwards Winners Masterclass in the new year. Also free to attend. More on that another time.

HOW DO I ENTER AND WHAT IS THE DEADLINE?

The cool new online entry form can be found HERE.

And the closing date is Tuesday 28 October at midnight. Please, please remember that the closing date is NEVER extended.

WHEN IS IT AND HOW CAN I ATTEND?

The 10th annual awards will be held at its iconic home - the Everyman Cinema in the Mailbox, Birmingham - on Friday 5 December at 9am for a 9.30am start.

Tickets cost just £30 + vat and will go on sale on 16 September via this website. Please remember it’s always a sell out so don’t be slow to buy.

And there’s more…

There will be a pre-UnAwards social at the comms world’s favorite Brum restaurant, The Indian Streatery on 4 December. The food is delicious and I’ve agreed a £25 per head menu that you’ll love. If you’d like to join us you can register HERE.

So, ‘People of Comms’

How often have you heard the phrase – comms and PR people are bad at their own comms and PR?

That really shouldn’t be the case should it? Would you buy the services of a web agency who had a terrible web site?

So it’s time to kill that one off for good.

It's time to promote our successes – shout about them, if not quite from the rooftops then at least down the corridors of power. Let’s be proud and celebrate our achievements.

Other professions do, and some may deliver a hell of a lot less than you do.

So embrace this rallying call and book out some time in your diaries to pull together your entries and showcase your best work.

No one else will do this for you.

That other non-important work demand which can stifle – meetings, ad-hoc requests, multiple distractions and the “could you just…” passing trade won’t go away. Ever.

But you might have a rather nice UnAward-winning certificate hanging proudly on your office wall. So be a little selfish with your time for once.

Darren Caveney is creator and owner of both comms2point0 and the UnAwards, and the owner of creative communicators ltd

*Sign up for the comms2point0 eMag*

The comms2point0 eMag features exclusive new content, free give-aways, special offers, first dibs on new events and much, much more.

Sound good? Join over 4k other comms people who have subscribed. You can sign up to it right here

NOMINATE SOMEONE BRILLIANT IN THE UNAWARDS22

We know that a common complaint from comms professionals is a lack of recognition for their work. The #UnAwards22 is your chance to change that. In a big way.

by Darren Caveney

Whether it’s a brilliant campaign, managing communications through a crisis, or just turning up every day of the year and being the best you can be, it’s not a lot to ask to get the odd ‘well done’ or ‘thank you’.

But it doesn’t happen often enough for many and that is one of the reasons behind the comms2point UnAwards - to shine a light on the professionals proudly flying comms, pr, marketing and digital flags across the sectors.

Now there’s only one thing better than being shortlisted for an award - that’s being nominated by someone else for an award. It’s a special thing.  It means you’ve caught someone’s eye, demanded their attention or impressed them with your creativity, doggedness, enthusiasm or skills.

Know someone like that? Then why not nominate them in the UnAwards22?

There are three categories which really lend themselves to nominations:

-  Best comms/digital team

-  Lifetime achievement UnAward

-  Supporting health and wellbeing in communications

To nominate an individual or team in any of these three categories please use the simple, new online entry form created by official partners CAN Digital.

NOMINATE/ENTER HERE

Accessible is good, right?

The UnAwards were created with a very clear mission - to make them the most accessible industry awards around.  And where the community were actively involved in shaping and deciding some of the winners.

So, best of all you, the comms community, gets to choose the winners through a public vote in the first two categories above, as well as in the 'Guest post of the year' category.

The public vote will go live on 11 November.

HOW LONG HAVE I GOT TO NOMINATE SOMEONE?

The closing date is 31 October (midnight) so get nominating.

P.S. please be aware that the UnAwards deadline is never extended.

BE THERE ON THE DAY…

Want to soak up the atmosphere of the coolest comms, PR, marketing and digital event of the year in person? UnAwards tickets are priced at just £20 + vat each. See, I told you the UnAwards were really accessible.

Tickets are available soon on a first come, first served basis and will sell out so please don’t hang around.  You can  grab yours HERE.

Keep following  the official comms2point0 channels for updates -  @comms2point0, the UnAwards website, and sign up to the all-new comms2point0 eMag for  the latest news on this.

And shout me if you have any questions HERE.

Good luck.

Darren Caveney is creator and owner of comms2point and creative communicators ltd and organiser of the UnAwards22

Image via Nigel Bishop

BIG NEWS – THE UNAWARDS

Some big news about your favourite industry awards has dropped…

by Darren Caveney

The UnAwards – as well as being a prestigious and recognised comms industry awards event – have also become a rather special end of year celebration for the UK communications and PR industry. It’s become something of an annual pre-christmas pilgrimage for communicators from England, Scotland and Wales to travel to Birmingham to attend the big day.

I believe it’s the best industry networking and connecting day of the year. The cool cinema experience is unique and has become synonymous with the UnAwards.

The 7th annual UnAwards are to run on 11 December 2020. But, damned Covid.

Could they be run this year via Zoom or Teams? Yes.

Would it be the same without the buzz of the room, the tears when people win, the love and warmth seeing and meeting colleagues old and new each year?

To be honest, no not really.

So. as David Brent famously once said, there’s good and news and bad news.

First, the bad news

The full ceremony for the UnAwards 2020 won’t take place in December. I know. The UnAwards are a passion project, a not-for-profit chance to do my bit to fly a flag for creative communicators. So I’m sad about this.

But now the really good news

The 7th annual UnAwards are being pushed into 2021.

And there’s an exciting plan to make them even bigger and better than ever before.

I’m currently in talks with suppliers and sponsors about delivering something a little bit special.

With Covid restrictions of course it’s slightly difficult to plan but I’m looking at late May/early June 2021.

I’m really excited about delivering what would be a brilliantly different event, and chance for us all to get back together face-to-face when we’re able to once again. Wow, do we all need that to look forward to.

Keep tuning in here and on @comms2point0 official channels for more updates soon.

And there’s actually more good news.

The highly prized comms2point0 Guest Blog Post of the Year UnAward will still run on 11 December.

comms2point0 is home to 1.5k blog posts, sharing insight, case studies and lessons. The posts play an important role in our shared learning, as well as giving profile to the writer’s and organisation’s achievements.

So a special live Zoom webinar will take place on the morning of 11 December to celebrate the shortlistees and to announce the winner. The winner is selected via a public vote, all to be launched later on this month.

Would you like to take part in the ceremony? Places will be limited so please email me at darrencaveney@gmail.com and I’ll add you to the list.

It should be lots of fun and the competition this year is white hot.

See you there.

Darren Caveney is creator of comms2point0 and organiser of the UnAwards

*Sign up for the comms2point0 eMag*

The comms2point0 eMag features exclusive new content, free give-aways, special offers, first dibs on new events and much, much more.

Sound good? Join over 2.3k other comms people who have subscribed. You can sign up to it right here.