the UnAwards 2024 - your guide to the big day

After a three-month build-up the UnAwards 2024 is almost here. Here’s your guide to the sold out big day…

by Darren Caveney

Now in their ninth year, there has never been a more important role for the UnAwards in saluting, recognising and celebrating the work of communicators across our industry. Most of you are still working under tough conditions. Some of you are constantly adapting to smaller resources and increased demands. And most are just busy delivering damned fine work.

The UnAwards is my own way of giving a little bit back to an industry which has been very good to me. I take huge pride and pleasure in being able to take a decent chunk of time out each year, away from the day-to-day consultancy work, to organise the UnAwards and to help fly a flag – in my own small way – for our communications community.

The big day

If you have managed to secure a ticket to the UnAwards 2024, thanks and well done – it’s a total sell out (please message me to join the waiting list if you want to be there)

Win or not you’re in for a great day where we can come together to celebrate your hard work across the year.

The UnAwards is my favourite work day of the year. It’s quite unlike any other industry event I’ve been to.

Not winning…

Of course, if you’re shortlisted but don’t win, you’ll be disappointed.

With a record-breaking 593 entries and 128 on the shortlist it’s stating the obvious in saying that not everyone can win. Some incredibly good work wasn’t shortlisted such was the volume of entries and sheer competition.

If you’ve been to a traditional awards event, paid handsomely for it, and left empty-handed it can feel like a massive anti-climax. I know, I have experienced that.

The UnAwards is different

The UnAwards aims to give everyone a fun day whatever the results.

The day is designed so that win or not you can genuinely enjoy a fun event and a unique opportunity to connect with industry colleagues new and old. That in itself is reason to be there.

Social media will be buzzing

Share pics of your journey and your day. If you can’t be at the UnAwards follow it on social using the #UnAwards24 hashtag.

Announcing the winners and snaps of the big day

I’ll be posting the winners names to the UnAwards website after the event.

We also have a photographer snapping and filming the event and I’ll get these online as soon as possible.

Timings, ceremony, film and food

The venue for the UnAwards 2024 is the very cool Everyman Cinema up on the third floor of Birmingham's Mailbox, B1 1 RF.

If you are driving I recommend you park in the Mailbox car park – not the cheapest but nearest and best. Sat Nav code is B1 1RS.

If you are coming by train the Everyman Cinema in the Mailbox is a 10-12 minute walk – leave New Street Station via the Victoria Square exits and turn left. Cross the road carrying straight on at the lights and you’ll see the large red Mailbox buillding straight ahead of you.

If you’re coming along aim to be at the venue by 9.30am for registration, a mug of fresh coffee and a croissant. The UnAwards ceremony will begin at 10.00am sharp.

After the ceremony we’re watching a brilliant film, kept a closely-guarded secret until the day.

After the film we’ll have food in the diner – there’s a selection of veggie and non-veggie sharing plates to tuck into and be done by 3pm. I expect plenty of you may the stay behind for a pre-christmas celebratory tipple. And why not.

And the dress code is…

Whatever you fancy. Literally. This is NOT black tie, as you’ll have guessed 😊 But if you want to come in your fancy clobber then go for it. I will, as always, be giving the annual outing to an UnAwards velvet jacket.

Fancy a pre-UnAwards social gathering?

You have snapped up almost all of the places we have reserved at Brum’s favourite restaurant - The Indian Streatery. Tables are booked for 8pm. Put your name on the list HERE.

If you would like to be there too you could see if there are any tables free and come and join the fun. Their smoked aubergine curry is a thing of beauty. Just saying.

Giving back

Each year the UnAwards donates to an important charity.

This year it’s the Epilepsy Society.

Epilepsy has a huge impact on the people affected, and around 80 people a week develop it in the UK, many in later life.

A small donation would make a real difference

 You can donate HERE.

Thank you

Saying thanks

Thanks so much for your support again this year, it means an awful lot. Everyone who entered, posted and supported.

Thanks to the panel of 30 external judges, who tackled an enormous challenge this year.

Special thanks too to the official UnAwards 2024 partners and sponsors: CAN Digital, the Local Government Association, Alive With Ideas, Orlo, e-shot, Perago, Whetstone Communications, Grey Fox Communications and Marketing, Seashell Communications, Ruby Bhattal Coaching and the Behaviour Change Network. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – there would be no UnAwards without you.

I really look forward to seeing you on Friday 6 December

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

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THE UNAWARDS 2024 ARE OPEN

The 9th 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.

by Darren Caveney

Well, 2024 has been more of the same for communicators everywhere - stretched, busy, in demand, and with a general election thrown in for good measure. But still you have delivered brilliant and important work.

So, as summer turns to autumn, it’s time to launch the 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 headline sponsors, 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 21 categories, so something for everyone, including this year an all-new behaviour change category sponsored by the Behaviour Change Network.

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…

• 9th annual UnAwards

• 450 entries last time

• 21  categories

• 3 public votes categories to decide winners

• 2k public votes last year

• 20+ external judges

• 275k visits to the comms2point0 website so far in 2024

• 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 30 October at midnight. Please, please remember that the closing date is NEVER extended.

WHEN IS IT AND HOW CAN I ATTEND?

The 8th annual awards will be held at its iconic home - the Everyman Cinema in the Mailbox, Birmingham - on Friday 6 December at 9.30am for a 10am start.

Tickets cost just £30 + vat and will go on sale on 18 September. 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 5 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

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN - THE UNAWARDS18 CLOSE ON THURSDAY

The 5th annual UnAwards close on Thursday 25 October. So you still have time to enter, get yourself shortlisted and

really put your work on the industry map.

by Darren Caveney

Wow, year five of the UnAwards. They are a personal labour of love.

They have thrown up some brilliant work and given a platform for teams and individuals’ work to be celebrated and presented at industry events around the UK. That makes my heart sing and makes the many hours dedicated to making them happen so worthwhile.

Each year the UnAwards have a theme – this year it is this:

It’s the work which made a genuine difference, which nailed it creatively, which met its objectives, which could measure and prove its success. Work which changed something for the better. And captured your audience’s attention in a crowded, cluttered world.

Of course that can be easier said and done against a backdrop of further cuts and increasing work demand.

Team size, budget, skills and resource can impact upon our work.

But you will not be judged on these things.

So if you have a budget of £50 and a team of, well, just you, you can absolutely win an UnAward. Others have so why not you?

For our resources shouldn't - mustn't even - get in the way of delivering a piece of work, project or campaign which made that real difference.

Proving the difference which comms made is of course key. We are mature enough as an industry to know how to do this well now.

Sound great, huh – but you need to be quick…

The #UnAwards18 close on 25 October at midnight. So block out an hour in your diary to sit somewhere quiet (which for me would be my favourite coffee shop) and give your best work these past 12 months a chance to shine and be celebrated.

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 18 categories, so something for everyone

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

Don’t just focus on the obvious categories, think too about really important categories such as:

-          Best use of research/evaluation

-          Best use of email

-          Best use of ethical comms behaviour/diversity

-          Best comms team

-          Lifetime achievement

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 – they keep on giving...

Each year the winners are invited to showcase their winning work at the highly popular UnAwards Winners Masterclass in the new year. Also free to attend.

I know you’re really busy but 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.

Have a good look at the dedicated UnAwards website here and you can grab the simple-to-complete entry form HERE.

Entries close on 25 October at midnight - you can see the full #UnAwards18 timetable HERE.

And remember – the UnAwards deadline is never extended.

I’m looking forward to seeing your brilliant work.

Keep watching @comms2point0 for all the latest news and updates.

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

NOMINATE SOMEONE BRILLIANT IN THE UNAWARDS17

We know that a common complaint from comms professionals is a lack of recognition for their work. The UnAwards17 is your chance to change that.

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 UnAwards17 - to shine a light on the professionals proudly flying comms, pr 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 and skills.

Know someone like that? Then why not nominate them in the UnAwards17?

There are two ways in which you can nominate.

Option one - If you think an individual or a team should be in the running this year just complete this short online form and hit submit. We’ll do the rest and contact them on your behalf.

Secondly, you can nominate an individual or a team in any of this year's categories and complete the entry form for them. Two which really lend themselves to nominations are:

-          Best comms/digital team

-          Lifetime achievement award

For this second option, all you need to do is complete the simple entry form here and email it through to admin@comms2point0unawards.co.uk

When we set up the UnAwards we were absolutely clear that they would be the most accessible industry awards around.  Where the community were actively involved in shaping and deciding.

So, best of all you, the comms community, gets to choose the winners through a public vote in these two categories, as well as our 'Post of the year' category.

We’ll tell you more about the public vote soon.

HOW LONG HAVE I GOT TO NOMINATE SOMEONE?

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

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, we told you the UnAwards were really accessible.

Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis and will sell out so don’t hang around.  

Darren Caveney is creator of comms2point and organiser of the UnAwards17

image by Steve Snodgrass