Competition rules

1. DATE AND LOCATION
1.1. The "Mi:t&Links. Baltic Communication Awards 2024" will be held on April 18 and 19, 2024, in a hybrid format.
1.2. Shortlisted nominees across 20 categories will present their cases online and live on April 18, 2024. Winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony in Riga, Latvia, on April 19, 2024.
2. ELIGIBILITY
2.1. The Competition is open to all parties involved in communication management (such as private company’s and public sector in-house PR/Communication departments, PR, and communication agencies, digital, event, creative agencies, freelancers, etc.) from all countries of the world.

2.2. Rights to submit the entry:
            2.2.1. In cases of multiple authors (agency, in-house department, freelancer, etc.), only one party may submit an entry, with prior agreement among all parties. The first entry (registration time stamp) submitted is accepted if duplicates exist.
            2.2.2. It is the responsibility of the Entrant to ensure that the commissioning client has the right to use the intellectual property of the client/brand communicated.
            2.2.3. Entries cannot be made without prior permission from the client/owner of the rights of the specific case. Written proof of such permission must be uploaded with entry materials (see section 9. “ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS”).

2.3. The Competition organizers may contact the client related to any entry at the request of the Jury at any time during the evaluation process, should any questions on the implementation or presentation of the case arise. In such cases, wherever possible, the Entrant shall be advised in advance.

2.4. Ineligible Entries:
            2.4.1. Entries offending national or religious sentiment, discriminating against any group of society, or promoting illegal actions will be rejected.
            2.4.2. Previously submitted entries, even if not shortlisted, are ineligible.
            2.4.3. Any entry that infringes any of its country of origin voluntary or regulatory codes of practice is not eligible. It is the responsibility of the Entrant to inform the Organizers should any infringement have arisen before the judging and awards ceremony.
            2.4.4. Directors' cuts, spec ads, and conceptual PR/advertising are not accepted.

2.5. All campaigns submitted for the Competition must have been completed by December 31, 2023.
2.6. “Issue and Crisis” and “Storytelling” categories accept campaigns implemented between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2023, if not previously submitted (please see Article 2.4.2).
2.7. Entries cannot be cancelled or removed after March 21, 2024. Subject to change if the application period extends.
2.8. All materials and documentation must be submitted by March 21, 2024. Subject to change if the application period extends.
2.9. Entries with missing materials, documentation, or proof of payment will be removed from the Competition without a refund.
3. ENFORCEMENT OF THE RULES
3.1. All entries must be submitted to the Jury exactly as published, aired, or implemented and may not be modified for the awards. Entries that are not originally in English must be translated. The translated version must correspond with the original version of the Entry.
3.2. To eliminate any false information given in the applications, at the request of the Organizers contestants must submit detailed results within 10 days of supporting evidence (media clippings, written confirmation by the client of the facts about the results).
3.3. If any irregularities are discovered or the requested evidence is not submitted in the given time, the contestant will be disqualified and deprived of the given prize without refund.
3.4. In case of the withdrawn award, the Entrant with the next highest score will receive the prize.
3.5. In the event of a complaint against any winner or shortlisted entry, the Organizers will conduct a full investigation into each case and will request detailed documentation from all parties concerned including the complainant, the Entrants, and the client.
3.6. The Organizers will withdraw the award in case if the complaint is upheld.
3.7. Entrants or companies that are proved to have deliberately and knowingly contravened any rules relating to eligibility may be barred from entering the awards for a certain period following the Competition as specified by the Organizers.

4. CATEGORIES

4.1. The Competition is covering 20 categories:

No.	Category	Description
1	CORPORATE COMMUNICATION	Campaign or program designed for building corporate brand awareness, long-term reputation management, or other business and trade communication campaigns targeted at both business and consumer audiences.
2	ISSUES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT	Communication campaign or program based on evaluation and management of emerging trends, concerns, or issues likely to affect an organization and its stakeholders (e.g., labour relations, crises, mergers, acquisitions, public policy, environmental concerns, etc.).
3	INTERNAL COMMUNICATION	Campaign or program targeted at internal stakeholders (e.g., employees, managers, trade unions, or other member audiences) and focused on management communication, corporate ethics, morale, internal culture, or change management.
4	CONSUMER RELATIONS	Campaign or program specifically designed for the B2C sector: to engage consumers in communication and to support marketing in the promotion of products or services.
5	B2B COMMUNICATION	Campaign or program designed to introduce brand-new, innovative products, or promote already existing products, services, and solutions between businesses.
6	PUBLIC AFFAIRS	Campaign or program designed to influence public policy agenda or legislative process, using techniques including media relations, advertising, and direct lobbying.
7	SPONSORSHIP	Paid sponsorship campaign or program, including sponsorship of sports events, arts, and entertainment events that help to achieve business goals.
8	CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY	A program that integrates social and environmental concerns in a company’s business operations and stakeholder interactions (an integrated program that addresses sustainable development or other economic, social, or environmental issues such as international aid, public awareness, corporate social responsibility, economic revitalization, cultural preservation, education, literacy, health, poverty reduction, employment, and heritage protection programs).
9	SOCIAL CAMPAIGNS	A campaign designed and targeted to influence behaviours that benefit individuals and communities for the greater social good.
10	DIGITAL COMMUNICATION	Campaign or program designed for and targeted towards enabling communication in the new/social media (e.g., blogs, podcasts, social networks, content sharing sites, virtual networking platforms, etc.).
11	PUBLIC SECTOR CAMPAIGNS	Campaign or program for public sector organizations (e.g., local authorities, government departments, or government authorities) to promote their policies, achievements, and services or to raise awareness on an issue and change behaviour.
12	EVENT PR	Communication campaign or part of a campaign that is held online or in-person based on a special event or series of events, which help to build the brand image for external and internal audiences or achieve other.
13	INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION	Communication campaign or program that has been developed and/or implemented in two or more countries.
14	INTEGRATED COMMUNICATION	Communication campaign or program that involved a synthesis of different communication channels, tools, and messages which helped to achieve one communication or business goal.
15	NO BUDGET	Communication campaigns and actions carried out by agencies, organizations, and other associations without any reward, partisan projects, buzz, etc.
16	EMPLOYER BRANDING	Communications campaigns and programs actively targeting the workforce, designed to build the company's image as a desirable employer to facilitate the recruitment process.
17	STORYTELLING	Communications activities that show the skill of the brand or organization to use story and narrative to reach their goals – build image, strengthen awareness, increase loyalty, build trust, explain product or process better, etc. It can be both short-term or a long-term approach, however, there should be outlined beginning and provide a clear understanding of what tools were used to carry out the storytelling.
18	VISUAL COMMUNICATION	Communication campaign is created by representing information in the form of visual communication elements (e.g. videos, pictures, animated GIFs, mascots, infographics etc.)
19	INFLUENCER/OPINION LEADER CAMPAIGNS	Communication campaigns run together with bloggers or social media influencers and/or opinion leader.
20	ESG IMPLEMENTATION OR AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS	Environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) is swiftly evolving into a pivotal benchmark for business operations in today's dynamic global landscape. For these practices to be truly effective, they require comprehensive integration and proficient communication, both internally and externally to ensure their consistent application across all business activities and partnerships. This category acknowledges exemplary internal and external campaigns that aim to introduce ESG principles or effectively communicate a company's ESG status, accomplishments, and associated endeavours.

5. JUDGING
5.1. An international Jury of leading communication professionals will select award-winning entries.
5.2. Judging procedure:
            5.2.1. In the first evaluation stage, a Jury of experts will assess the projects and announce four shortlisted entries in 20 categories online.
            5.2.2. The entry is shortlisted if it receives at least 30 points.
            5.2.3. In each category, there will be four short-listed nominees, and the one with the highest total score will be declared a winner in the category. If there is an even score for fourth place, the fifth shortlisted entry will be included in the shortlist.
            5.2.4. If no entry receives a minimum of 30 points, no entries are reviewed during the second evaluation stage, and the category is closed with no winners or shortlisted candidates announced.

5.3. In the second evaluation stage, the Jury will assess the shortlisted projects based on the live online presentations of the Entrants and select the winner in each of the categories.
            5.3.1. The four entries with the highest score in 20 categories shall be presented live online on April 18, 2024.
            5.3.2. The Entrant will have a maximum of 4 minutes for 1 entry presentation and 6 minutes for the Q&A session. The Entrants are free to choose their presentation style at the final competition: video, presentation, or any other format that will allow Jury members to understand Case and its results.
            5.3.3. The winner in each category is the campaign with the highest total score, including points for the presentation.
            5.3.4. The entry must receive at least 40 points to be qualified as the winner of the category.
            5.3.5. If no entries receive a minimum of 40 points in the category, then the Jury retains the right to award only the 2nd and 3rd awards within the category.

5.4. In the third evaluation stage, the AGENCY OF THE YEAR of participating country awards and GRAND PRIX are awarded to PR/Communication agencies. The winners of these awards are determined according to the criteria and calculation principles stated in section 7 of the Competition rules.
            5.4.1. AGENCY OF THE YEAR award can be awarded if 20 or more entries are submitted from the competing country (e.g., Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania).
            5.4.2. The agency with the most awards in all categories of the competition, compared to the other Agencies from the same country, receives the award “AGENCY OF THE YEAR of the Country” (e.g., Agency of the Year / Lithuania, etc.).
            5.4.3. The agency with the highest number of awards in all the categories, compared to all participants of the Competition is awarded the GRAND PRIX.

6. JUDGING CRITERIA
6.1. The entries of the Competition in 20 categories will be evaluated according to the seven criteria to ensure that all applicants are assessed in the same way, based on the same parameters. These criteria range from strategy and creativity to the Entrant’s ability to defend his/her case during the presentation.
6.2. Jury members will award between 1-15 or 1-20 points depending on each criterion, with 15 or 20 signifying excellence and 1 indicating failure.
6.3. Each of these criteria is accorded a different weight in determining the score. The criteria weighted highest are “strategy” and “results”.
6.4. A total score consists of 1) 70% online evaluation procedure and 2) 30% live online presentations.
6.5. The criteria and their points are as follows:

Points
Pre-research/situation, Challenge Is the research conducted enough and relevant to the objectives? Is the analysis enough to choose the right strategy?	1-15
Strategy/idea Is the idea logically explained? Does the selected strategy meet the objectives? Does it cover all the relevant stakeholder groups? Are there any methods for developing strategies? Are there any methods for setting objectives and developing methods? Do the strategy and idea have a creative solution? Does this bring any innovation, fresh ideas, or the traditional PR tools that were used effectively?	1-20
Implementation/Execution Are the selected tactics in line with the strategy and objectives? Are the efforts adequate to the objectives and strategy? Are the measures ethical and professionally implemented? Is the project well managed? Are there any methods for implementing the activities?	1-15
Results Do results meet the objectives and goals set? Do they exceed the expectations? Are they tangible and quantifiable? Are there any methods for evaluating results?	1-20
Sub-Total (short-listing)	70.00
Presentation Is this the winning case? Does the presentation and answers to the question confirm the written case? Has the strategy been appropriately chosen and do the results meet the objectives?	1-10
Is the case well explained and all answers are answered?	1-10
Does the presentation bring added value to the case? Does it give a complete understanding of the case?	1-10
Total	100.00

7. CALCULATION PRINCIPLES
7.1. For the first and second evolution stage, the average score will be taken from the sum of all points excluding the highest and lowest points.
Example: The average total score in the online system given by five Jury members is 45. The entry is shortlisted for the second stage, and the calculation of the final score of 45 will be taken as the score of the first stage evaluation.

7.2. In the third evaluation stage, only agencies participate. There will be specific weighted criteria applied to calculate the winner where both quantity and quality will be counted, and points are given:
            7.2.1. For each shortlisted entry – 1 point.
            7.2.2. For the third place – 5 points.
            7.2.3. For the second place – 10 points.
            7.2.4. For the first place – 20 points.

7.3. The points will be multiplied by categories where an agency has participated. The winner will be the one having the highest sum in total.
Example. There are six shortlisted campaigns submitted by the same agency. Out of them, two have received 3rd place in two different categories, as well as the same agency has received 1st and 2nd places in one category. Thus, the calculation is as follows: 2 entries shortlisted only x 1 point, 2 entries received 3rd place x 5 points, as 1 x 10 points (2nd place) and 1 x 20 points (1st place) = (2 x 1) + (2 x 5) + (1 x 10) + (1 x 20) = 42 points.

7.4. In the case of an equal number of scores below listed principles will be applied:
            7.4.1. In the first evaluation stage a handicap will be given: be it an equal score for two entries, five instead of four campaigns will qualify for the shortlist.
            7.4.2. In the second evaluation stage: if two entries have an equal score, shared 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place will be awarded accordingly. This principle will also be considered in determining the “Agency of the Year” award.

7.5. In the third evaluation stage, only one winner will be awarded. In the case of a similar result upon the calculation described above, the total sum of all scores will be calculated, and the winner would be the one having the highest total sum of the scores for all entries shortlisted. In case even this result is similar, the total sum of scores for all entries (also the ones not shortlisted) will be calculated, and the winner will be determined.
8. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
8.1. One Project can be entered into up to a maximum of three different categories. The Entrant must supply a separate entry form and set of materials for each entry and pay for all submitted entries. The Entrant must tailor each entry to suit the category it is being entered rather than submit the same entry in multiple categories.
8.2. The Organizers in collaboration with the Jury will endeavour to move entries to more appropriate categories, if necessary, before the judging begins and will inform the Entrants if their entry is moved. However, the Jury may also move entries between categories at the time of judging. For instance, if the entry has been submitted to the “Public Affairs” category and the Jury has decided that it should be moved to another category, then the Entrant will be informed about the decision.
8.3. If the entry was submitted to “No budget” category, however upon the Jury’s decision it moved to another category, then the Entrant will be informed about such decision and shall pay the participation fee to be judged in another category. The Entrant has the right to disagree with the Jury’s decision, and in this case, the entry is removed from further participation in the contest.
8.4. All entry forms shall be completed online at www.miitandlinks.com.
8.5. The entries completed online shall not be considered complete until the entry fee has been fully paid by March 21, 2024, at the latest.
8.6. WITHIN THE ONLINE ENTRY FORM, THE APPLICANT WILL BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING WRITTEN INFORMATION
            8.6.1. Title of the Campaign
            8.6.2. Contest category
            8.6.3. Summary (100 words max.)
                8.6.3.1. Give a brief overview of the whole campaign from start to finish, including the challenge, the objectives, the strategy, the assessment criteria, and the outcome.
            8.6.4. Pre-research/situation, Challenge (250 words max.)
                8.6.4.1. Describe the campaigns’ background information – the target audience, the sensitivity/popularity of the topic, the most relevant communication channels, and other relevant information. Also, describe and justify that there has been enough research done to obtain the maximum of information and to be able to apply the most appropriate communication strategy (bear in mind that this will also help the multi-national Jury to understand the specific nature of PR in your country). Further, describe the situation, issue, or opportunity that prompted this campaign and what challenges had to encounter during the development of the campaign.
            8.6.5. Strategy/idea (250 words max.)
                8.6.5.1. Describe the idea and strategy of planning the campaign, what are the set goals and objectives of the campaign, the target audience/stakeholders, as well as the KPI’s (the criteria for the assessment of results). Describe the methods and solutions used to develop the strategy and reach the objectives. Also, illustrate what PR tools have been used to reach the optimal result.
            8.6.6. Implementation (200 words max.)
                8.6.6.1. Describe step-by-step tactics how the strategy was implemented, including where, when, and for how long.
            8.6.7. Documented Results (150 words max)
                8.6.7.1. Include tangible and quantifiable results of the assessment criteria. Show how they measure up against the original objectives of the communication and business goals.
                8.6.7.2. Note that in the absence of any indication of results, the Jury may not be able to evaluate the campaign, which may negatively influence your overall score.
                8.6.7.3. If paid media was used during the campaign a note of such fact must be made, including information of the proportion from the whole publicity campaign (e.g., 30% of publications were obtained via paid cooperation with media or as paid publicity).
            8.6.8. Confidential Information (not mandatory) (100 words max.)
                8.6.8.1. If you have any confidential information that cannot be shared with the public, please include it here. This information will be reserved for the use of the Competition Jury members only and will not be published.
            8.6.9. Links (optional).
                8.6.9.1. Please provide any relevant links that might help the Jury to evaluate your application. Links must be available online until April 26, 2024. Note: number of links is limited, apply approach – less is more, so the Jury members can understand, which information is important.
9. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
9.1. For each entry, you must supply a visual story board on one page as a summary of the entry in the following formats:
            9.1.1. H 297 mm x W 420 mm, *.jpg or *.png, with maximum file size 1,5 Mb, horizontal layout.
            9.1.2. A print-quality PDF file of the same presentation board (horizontal orientation), with the maximum file size of 45 Mb (horizontal orientation).
            9.1.3. Story board file naming should follow this principle: “M&L_2024_the_entrant _category_project_name.jpg/png/pdf”, where “the entrant”, “the category, and “project name” are to be defined accordingly.

9.2. Guideline for presentation board content:
            9.2.1. Provide a title of the campaign.
            9.2.2. Keep it clear & simple - include key visuals of the entry that you think describes the campaign the best, as well as provide key facts or a summary of the Entry written in English.
            9.2.3. Avoid long sentences and paragraphs – include up to 100 words maximum.

9.3. For each entry, you must provide signed written approval from the client/owner which indicates that the case is allowed to participate in “Mi:t&Links. Baltic Communication Awards 2024” (PDF, e-doc, JPG, JPEG file).

9.4. Upload files during the online application process. If the print file is too large, provide a download link (that will be active till April 14, 2024, at least) in the application form section “Links”.
10. FINAL PRESENTATIONS
10.1. The Organizers shall publish Shortlisted Cases on miitandlinks.com, as well as the Competition’s social media and via newsletter no later than April 11, 2024.
10.2. Every finalist has the right to choose the most effective format of their presentation (slide presentation, video, speech, interactive installations, etc. can be used in the process).
10.3. The total time for presentation is 10 minutes, which includes 4 minutes of the Entrants’ presentation and 6 minutes of Q&A session with the jury. If the Entrant’s presenter exceeds the 4-minute time limit, the Organizers hold the right to mute the person presenting.
10.4. Upon request of the Organizers, the Entrants must provide information of a maximum of 2–3 persons who are presenting the Shortlisted case no later than 4 (three) days before the shortlisted presentation.
10.5. The Organizers of the Competition 2–3 days before the presentation day will provide access information for the presenters only. The viewers will receive separate access information.
10.6. The Organizers of the Competition are responsible for ensuring an online platform for live presentation, while the Presenter is responsible for launching their presentations, and for stable internet connection. Before the Shortlisted presentations, the Organizers shall provide guidelines to ensure quality process and presentations.
10.7. If there are technical issues due to the Organizers fault, the Presentation time might be prolonged on the account of the Jury’s QAs.
10.8. For further assistance and guidance in preparing your presentation, please contact info@miitandlinks.com.

11. FEES

Entry Period	Deadline	Fees
		1 entry	3+ entries*
Early Birds	22.01.2024 – 07.02.2024, 15:59 EET	175 EUR + 21% VAT	130 EUR + 21% VAT
Regular	07.02.2024 16:00 EET – 07.03.2024, 15:59 EET	230 EUR + 21% VAT	175 EUR + 21% VAT
Late	07.03.2024, 15:59 EET – 21.03.2024. 16:00 EET	285 EUR + 21% VAT	225 EUR + 21% VAT

* E.g., 1 campaign submitted to 3 categories = 3 entries

11.1. The first and the second entry submitted or changed during the early bird application period is subject to a fee of 175 euro + VAT 21% per entry. If three or more entries are submitted the price is 130 euro + VAT 21% per entry.
11.2. The first and the second entry submitted or changed during the regular application period is subject to a fee of 230 euro + VAT 21% per entry. If three or more entries are submitted the price is 175 euro + VAT 21% per entry.
11.3. The first and the second entry submitted or changed during the late application period are subject to a fee of 285 euro + VAT 21% per entry. If three or more entries are submitted the price is 225 euro + VAT 21% per entry.
11.4. If the Entrant is from any other EU country but Latvia, according to the existing EU regulation the Entrant is exempt from VAT 21%.
11.5. The exception is “NO BUDGET” category where no fee will be applied to the entries. However, these entries will not be included in the total count of the entries where charges are applied.
11.6. The entries should be made in full as described above. For amending incomplete entries or making changes, the entrant will be charged the additional 50 euro + VAT 21% per entry.
11.7. The final deadline for submissions is March 21, 2024, at 16:00 EET. After the stated time, the online system will be automatically closed, and no more entries or changes in the entries will not be possible.
11.8. Organizers reserve the right to extend the final “Late” period deadline. The information about the deadline extension is published on the website, newsletter, and social media accounts.
11.9. All payments must be processed electronically by offered online payment means during the application process. If entrants have any questions regarding the matter, they are kindly requested to contact organizers info@miitandlinks.com.

12. TREATMENT AND PUBLICATION OF ENTRIES
12.1. Any material submitted while entering the Competition becomes the property of the Organizers and cannot be returned.
12.2. Entrants may be required to supply additional material for any shortlisted or winning work.
12.3. To promote the Competition, each Entrant authorizes the Organisers to screen or publish materials with or without charge at public or private presentations, wherever and as often as the Organizers think fit.
12.4. The Organizers may compile any entry into a set of entries. Such a set may not, nor may any extracts of it, be copied, marketed, or sold by any organization other than the organization or any organization authorized to do so by the organization. Each Entrant agrees to assist the Organizers in supporting any legal action that may be taken to prevent a breach of this condition and to supply information to the Organizers immediately should they become aware that an unauthorized set or compilation is available for sale or distribution.
12.5. Each Entrant agrees to hold the Competition Organizers harmless from any claims that may be made against them because of any such screenings or publishing. Winners have the right to use any award given to them for promotional purposes on the condition that this is correctly described.
12.6. All Entrants accept that their entries will be used in the Competition Archive.
12.7. Each Entrant confirms to the Organizers that they have the legal right to enter the Competition on the terms of these Entry Rules. Each Entrant indemnifies the Organizers against all liability to any other person, firm, or company and all loss arising from a breach by the Entrant of any of these Rules.
13. MISCELLANEOUS
13.1. Each entrant accepts full responsibility for the quality of entries and discharges the Organizers from any responsibility in respect of third parties.
13.2. The Entry Rules will be strictly observed by all Entrants. Submitting the Entry online at miitandlinks.com will imply full acceptance by each Entrant of the Rules.
13.3. Non-compliance with any of the Entry Rules will result in automatic disqualification of the Entry without refund.
13.4. In the event of a win, any duties, fees, and charges accrued from the transporting of the trophy will be covered by the recipient, not The Organizers of the Competition.