Each year, the Society for New Communications Research presents the prestigious SNCR Excellence in New Communications Awards. The deadline for application submissions for this year’s awards has been extended from September 7th to Thursday, September 10, 2009, to allow applicants who are away for Labor Day Weekend to finish and submit their applications.

These awards honor corporations, governmental and nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, media outlets, and individuals who are innovating the use of social media, ICT, mobile media, online communities and virtual worlds and collaborative technologies in the areas of business, media, and professional communications, including advertising, marketing, public relations and corporate communications, as well as entertainment, education, politics, and social initiatives.

If you are interested in applying, please read the following details carefully prior to submitting your case study. No extensions will be granted beyond the new deadline of September 10, 2009.

AWARD DIVISIONS & CATEGORIES

Awards are granted in six divisions:

• Corporate
• Government
• Media
• Nonprofit/NGO
• Academic
• Technology Innovation (for New Communications and Social Media Technology Vendors)

There are eleven (11) awards categories:

1. Online Reputation Management

A case study submission in this category should explain how an organization is monitoring conversations and content online related to its brand, product or service. The case study should also explain what the organization is doing to either encourage or counter this information online.

An example: An organization that found consumer criticism of its service online, and what it did to discover, strategize and respond to that criticism. An explanation of the outcome of the response would also aid the nomination.

2. Behind the Firewall

A case study submission in this category should explain how an organization is using new communication and/or social media tools internally to enhance employee communications, or corporate culture, employee training and education. etc.

An example: An organization that uses a blog internally to communicate with employees, or has built an internal online community for its employees.

3. Influencer Relations

A case study submission in this category should explain how an organization is proactively engaging and building relationships with bloggers and new influencers as part of an initiative, campaign, or ongoing program.

An example: An organization that successfully worked with its industry bloggers around a milestone or an announcement.

4. External Communications & Communities

A case study submission in this category should explain how an organization is communicating with and/or participating in external online communities. This includes both online communities built and managed by the organization as well as other communities and social networks.

An example: An organization that has official spokespeople participating in an industry forum or message board. The external community could also be associated with a social network, like Facebook or MySpace.

5. Collaboration & Co-creation

A case study submission in this category should explain how an organization is using new media tools to either help groups and teams communicate and collaborate in new ways, or is using new media as the means for enabling outside sources to provide input and ideas in a collaborative way.

An example: An organization that’s using a wiki or private online community to communicate and exchange ideas. Another example nomination could be an organization that’s enabling consumer to submit their ideas and inputs on products and services.

6. New Media Creation

A case study submission in this category should explain how an organization is creating and using social media and new communications tools and technologies, with an emphasis on audio, video and imagery.

An example: An organization that created a podcast series or a video blog. An explanation of why a particular medium was chosen and how it aided with a communication or marketing strategy would be helpful.

7. Online Publishing

A case study submission in this category should explain how an organization is using online platforms to help publish and distribute content.

An example: An organization using blogs, microblogs, social network profiles, etc. to publish and distribute content.

8. Mobile Media

A case study submission in this category should explain how an organization is using mobile media in its communication or marketing projects.

An example: An organization creating mobile applications or using SMS as part of a campaign or initiative.

9. Microblogging

A case study submission in this category should explain how an organization is using microblogging platforms (like Twitter), to help communicate, connect or otherwise engage with its target audience.

An example: How an individual or organization is using Twitter in an innovative and successful way.

10. Social CRM

A case study submission in this category should explain how an organization is using social tools to improve its customer relationship and knowledge management capabilities.

11. Measurement Innovation

A case study submission in this category should explain how an organization is advancing the practice of measuring social media projects and programs through new methodologies, tools and techniques.

AWARD SUBMISSION FEE: $75.00

Awards submission fees help to offset the cost of this Society program and support the work of the Society for New Communications Research, a 501(c)(3) research and education foundation and think tank. A portion of your entry fee is tax-deductible, and all entrants will receive a special discount to attend the SNCR awards gala.

JUDGING CRITERIA & AWARD NOTIFICATION

All case study submissions will be provided to a panel of judges comprised of a group of SNCR’s Fellows, led the SNCR Best Practices committee. The committee reviews and scores each entry based on its own merit on a scale of 1-8. The judges’ scores are tallied and averaged to reach the final core for the entry. Judging criteria include: technical excellence, creativity and innovation, effectiveness (identifying and successfully responding to business goals), measurable outcomes, and overall success. Any entry scoring between a 4-6 will be honored with a Commendation of Merit. Any entry scoring 6+ – 8 will become a Finalist for an Award of Excellence. Each of these Finalists will receive a Commendation of Excellence, but the entry in each category with the highest score will be the winner for the category. (If no entry in a category scores above a 6, no Award of Excellence will be grants in that category.)

Finalists will be alerted of their status via email, and the top winners in each category will be notified by telephone and email in early October, but no winners will be announced publicly until November 6th. The winners will be honored in a special ceremony at the Harvard Faculty Club in Cambridge, MA on November 6th.

ONLINE SUBMISSION FORM

Submit an entry for a 2009 SNCR Excellence in New Communications Award Here.

The Excellence in New Communications Awards are presented by the Society for New Communications Research, a global nonprofit 501(c)(3) research and education foundation and think tank dedicated to the advanced study of new media and communications tools, technologies and emerging modes of communication, and their effect on business and media, culture and society.

If you have questions, please email info@sncr.org or call +1 650-331-0083. For submission guidelines, check the SNCR site.

READ ALL THE WINNING 2008 CASE STUDIES HERE!

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