What I Learned from Judging Award Shows.

I've been a judge at advertising award shows for years. I've judged them in the States, in Canada and in Europe.

While all shows value creativity first and foremost, as they should, there are a few other things you should know if entering.

1. COMMERCIAL TITLES. Don't give this short shrift. As a judge, you are usually given a list of the spot titles and the product. That's all you're given on the day of judging. A list of hundreds of commercial titles, all sounding the same. Most have inspired titles like "Man" or "Car" or "Mom." But when a judge sees an entry titled "Three Men and a Chicken" suddenly the spot gets a 5 out of 10, and it hasn't even played yet. Don't underestimate the power of a title.

2. READ THE CATEGORIES CAREFULLY. Most award shows have multiple categories. In most creative departments, when it's "Award Show Time" the spots are all dumped into the creative secretary's lap and she has to figure out the entry forms. Many times, as a judge, I'll hear a spot in a general category, but don't hear it in another category where it could have triumphed. For example, a good spot in the "30 second category" has a lot of competition, but the same wonderful spot in the "Best Use of Sound" category could have run away with the trophy. Make sure you scour the categories and let the secretary know which category to enter it into.

3. EXPLANATIONS FOR FOREIGN SHOWS. At Cannes, you are allowed to send a short note with your entry to explain the idea. The reason for this is because many of the jurors won't be English-speaking. Take full advantage of this. Especially if your idea has any "local" or country-specific elements in it. For example, I once judged a show in the States, and I was the only Canadian judge. A fantastic Canadian TV spot for a glue was screened, and in it, a French person and an English person get stuck together by the glue. The line was "Some things are meant to stick together" and it was a very smart plea for national unity, along with being a great demonstration of the glue's power. The American judges dismissed it immediately, but I stood up and explained the underlying message - Canada's unity issue - and that the ad was a very smart comment on the problem. The judges re-evaluated the spot, and it got into the show. So, remember to take advantage of the opportunity to explain an idea in foreign shows. On the Cannes panel I participated in, there were 18 judges, and only 6 of us spoke English as a first language.

4. A BOUQUET OF ELBOWS. In radio spots, many writers have a tendency to put a joke line in after the last announcer line. Once you've heard a few hundred spots do this in the context of an award show judging, you realize how lame that is. My rule is to always end with the annnouncer. It grounds the spot. Sure, have a funny moment right before the announcer's last line, or break the announcer section up to insert some humour, but don't come back for "just one more" at the end. It's one elbow too many.

5. BE TOUGH. Lastly, make sure the entry is award-worthy. Most award shows get hundreds and hundreds of entries, and award maybe 20. That gives you the ratio right there. Be choosy. Be picky. Be tough. The award show will be better, the judges will love you, and the industry will be a better place for it.