E Source is looking for the best utility advertisements!
Enter your ads by June 7, 2013.
Do you have residential or business print, radio, TV, or video ads that have generated great response? If so, we want to see and hear them.
The E Source Utility Ad Awards Contest is the utility industry’s largest and most comprehensive competition, attracting hundreds of entries. The goal of this competition is to recognize and reward creative excellence in utility advertising.
As we’ve seen from past entries, utility advertisements can convey all kinds of messages, such as:
- Humor
- Trustworthiness
- Energy education
- Conservation and energy efficiency
- Environmental stewardship
See the winnings ads from previous contests.
Past participants include Pepco Holdings Inc., AEP Ohio, Tennessee Valley Authority, BC Hydro, Georgia Power, APS, SaskPower, Dominion, Xcel Energy, Omaha Public Power District, Seattle City Light, National Grid, Avista, Florida Power & Light, and more.
What We’re Looking For
We want to see:
- Ads targeted to residential or business customers
- Ads with a record of success with your utility audiences
- Clear messages with a visual appeal
- Ads promoting your utility’s brand, programs, or services
Our award categories are (see About the Award Categories for more information):
- Best Residential Print Ad
- Best Business Print Ad
- Best Overall Campaign
- Best Outdoor Ad
- Best Radio Ad
- Best TV/Video Ad
- Best Digital Ad
You can submit as many ads as you want and there is no cost to enter the contest.
You’ll Get Great Exposure
Not only will the winning ads be posted on our website, we’ll announce the award winners at the 26th Annual E Source Forum during a special awards ceremony. Winners can also expect:
- A press release with additional coverage on Energy Central
- Social media announcements via our blog and through Twitter and Facebook
- A winners logo for your utility to publish on your website and in your marketing materials
How to Submit Your Ads
Submitting your ads is simple:
- Visit our submission tool at energyadvision.esource.com—you’ll be submitting your ads to our E Source Energy AdVision database.
- Create an account, upload your ads, and tell us why they’re so great. For video ads, we’d prefer that you upload the file, but we’ll also accept a YouTube URL.
- We suggest reviewing the checklist (PDF) of information required for submission prior to starting the entry process so you can have all necessary information at hand. You should also read the Submission Terms (PDF).
- Contact us if you have questions about the contest or if you encounter any problems submitting your ads.
General Information
Eligibility. This competition is open to any electric and gas utility located in the United States (the “United States” or “U.S.”), the District of Columbia, or Canada. Advertising agencies or related organizations may submit on behalf of a client utility operating in the stipulated areas. Ads that were created, produced, and published anytime from June 1, 2012, through June 1, 2013, are eligible for consideration.
Fees. There is no cost to participate.
Contest deadlines. The 2013 E Source Utility Ad Awards Contest begins on April 3, 2013, and ends at midnight on June 7, 2013. No late entries will be accepted.
Multiple entries. There’s no limit to the number of ads you can submit. Ads may be submitted individually or as part of an overall campaign.
Awards. All awards will be issued in the name of the utility. Awards will be presented at the 26th Annual E Source Forum during an awards ceremony. You need not be present to win—but you’ll probably want to be there!
About the Award Categories
Best Residential Print Ad. Advertising directed toward a residential audience that is placed in any print publication. This can include newspapers, magazines, direct mail, bill stuffers, etc.
Best Business Print Ad. Advertising directed toward a business, commercial, or industrial audience that is placed in any print publication. This can include newspapers, magazines, direct mail, leave-behinds, newsletters, etc.
Best Overall Campaign. Campaigns should include two or more ads with a common theme delivered via multiple types of media.
Best Outdoor Ad. Outdoor advertising messages, notices, or events, commonly associated with standardized wooden or metal structures and delivered to mass audiences on sidewalks, streets, roadways/highways, or other outdoor areas. This includes vehicle graphic advertising that is displayed to the public, usually via the use of panels on the side, front, back, top, or bottom of vehicles such as buses, cars, and trucks.
Best Radio Ad. Radio advertising is defined as commercial audio (only) messages conveyed to the general public or target audience via wireless (radio) transmission. Radio commercials of 30 sec or 60 sec in length can be entered as a radio ad. Distribution can include stations locally, regionally or nationally.
Best TV/Video Ad. Commercial audio and video messages conveyed to the general public or target audience via a broadcast, cable, or satellite transmission or via video-sharing websites or e-mail.
Best Digital Ad. Ad placed on a website in the form of a “banner.” These can include static, moving, or flash ads.