The Epica Awards

The Epica awards were created in 1987 and celebrate their 25th anniversary this year.

Epica's aim is to reward outstanding creativity and help communication agencies, film production companies, media consultancies, photographers and design studios to develop their reputations across Europe and the EMEA region.

The awards are judged by the trade press; 35 specialist magazines from 28 countries will be represented on the jury this year. This unique jury guarantees objectivity and widespread coverage of the results. The best work is also published in the annual Epica Book.

New Categories

New categories dedicated to Branded Entertainment, Mobile Communications and Social Networks have been introduced this year, together with new Film and Print Craft awards.

With these additions, the awards now encompass all main communication disciplines: TV, Press, Outdoor, Radio, Business-to-Business, Corporate Image, Medical, Direct Marketing, Media Innovation, Branded Content, PR, Promotions, Craft, Design, Packaging, Interactive and Integrated Campaigns.

Results

Complete results of the 2011 awards have been announced on the Epica website.

Ceremony & Conference

The Epica awards ceremony and European Creative Conference took place in Ljubljana. It was held at the Kino Šiška Centre for Urban Culture on Friday, January 20th, 2012.

The event was hosted by Slovenia’s MM magazine.

The annual Epica ceremony has now been held in 19 European cities: Brussels, Amsterdam, Moscow, London, Zurich, Düsseldorf, Warsaw, Lisbon, Helsinki, Prague, Milan, Dublin, Budapest, Istanbul, Stockholm, Athens, Belgrade, Zagreb and Ljubljana.

Selection Criteria

Epica entries are judged on the basis of 2 criteria only; the originality of the creative idea and the quality of its execution (except in the Craft & Imagery categories where only executional quality is taken into consideration).

The Epica results are determined by category. The highest scoring entry in each category wins gold, on condition that the work surpasses a minimum score that qualifies it as a category winner. Other entries in each category that achieve this score win silver or bronze. When no entry meets the standard there are no winners in the category.

Four Epica d'Or (grand prix) have been be awarded to the best overall film, press, outdoor and interactive entries. These have been selected from all the category winners.

Awards

Category winners (gold) will receive Epica crystal pyramids, silver and bronze winners will receive special 25th anniversary crystal trophies. All winners will also receive certificates.

All the winners and a selection of other high-scoring entries will be published in the annual Epica Book.

Results

Complete results of the 2011 awards have been announced on the Epica website.

Free Epica Book & DVD

Each company participating in the competition will receive a free copy of the 400-page Epica Book, volume 25, to be published in August 2012. All entrants will also receive the annual Epica DVD in March 2012 (approximately 100 commercials).

Epica Book 24, covering the 2010 awards, is now available. Introduced by Forsman & Bodenfors Executive Creative Director Filip Nilsson, the book includes background stories on all the latest Epica d'Or winners. Fred & Farid's Wrangler campaign is featured on the cover.

Eligibility

The Epica awards are open to all communication agencies, film production companies, media consultancies, web agencies, photographers and design studios operating in or producing work for Europe and the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East & Africa).

Only work that has been approved by clients and used, published or broadcast since July 1st, 2010 is eligible to enter.

Work that does not meet these conditions will be disqualified in order to preserve the integrity of the competition and to ensure that all genuine entries have a fair chance of success.

How to enter

Epica Awards 2011 • Entry Kit Epica Awards 2011 • How to enter

1. 1.Entries must be submitted through the Epica online entry system.
3. 2.Print entries must be uploaded as high resolution jpegs (300dpi). Film entries can be uploaded (mov, mp4) or sent in via Beam.tv. Radio entries must be uploaded (mp3) and be accompanied by a script in English.
4. 3.All Interactive and Integrated Campaign entries (categories 43 to 48) must include a current URL address that the jury may visit.
6. 4.Entrants wishing to provide sample materials in the Direct Marketing, Media Usage, Promotion and Design categories should send them to Epica with copies of the appropriate forms.
8. 5.Entry fees are €200 per company plus €270 for each individual entry (categories 1 to 47). The entry fee for Integrated Campaigns is €500 (category 48).
10. 6.Entrants from France (only) will also be charged French TVA/VAT at 19,6% on the total fees due.
12. 7.The Epica 2011 closing date has been extended to Thuesday, October 25th to allow entrants more time to complete their submissions.
14. 8.Entry fees must be paid by cheque or bank transfer (see bank details below). Cheques should be drawn on a bank in France and transfers should include all bank charges. Invoices are due for payment upon receipt, those that are not paid within 30 days will be subject to a late payment fee of 2% per month.
    
    HSBC, 35 rue de Sablonville, 92200 Neuilly sur Seine, France
    IBAN: FR76 3005 6000 1500 1520 4408 126
    BIC/Swift Address: CCFRFRPP

Epica Awards 2011 • Entry Kit Epica Awards 2011 • Categories

Categories

1. Food & Drink
   1. 1.Food
      All foods and pet foods (except categories 2 & 3 below).
   2. 2.Confectionery & Snacks
      Chocolate, sugar confectionery, nuts, salted snacks, chewing-gum, etc.
   3. 3.Dairy Products
      Milk and all milk-based products including cheese, yoghurt, butter, margarine, ice-cream, etc.
   4. 4.Alcoholic Drinks
      Beer, wine, cider, whisky, gin, vodka, etc.
   5. 5.Non-Alcoholic Drinks
      Soft drinks, fruit juices, tea, coffee, mineral water, alcohol-free beer, etc.
2. Consumer Services
   1. 6.Communication Services
      Including postal, courier and mobile phone services, yellow pages, directory enquiries, search engines and telecommunication, internet and television providers, etc. (see category 20 for individual television channels and programmes).
   2. 7.Transport
      Airlines, railways, car rentals, cruises, tour operators, tourist boards, hotels, resorts, driving schools, and all forms of public transport.
   3. 8.Retail Services
      Supermarkets, restaurants, department stores, internet shopping, etc.
   4. 9.Financial Services
      Banks, insurance, credit cards, pension plans, investments and related online services, etc.
   5. 10.Public Interest
      Including charities, environmental campaigns, road safety, political advertising, etc.
3. The Home
   1. 11.Home Electronics & Audiovisual Equipment
      Including mobile phones, computers, television sets, radios, video games, consoles, musical instruments, MP3 players, cameras, speakers, headphones, binoculars, batteries and other accessories.
   2. 12.Homes, Furnishings & Appliances
      Property, furniture, floor coverings, domestic appliances, kitchenware, flashlights and all public utilities providing water, gas, electricity, etc.
   3. 13.Household Maintenance
      Paints, detergents, household cleaning products, air fresheners, insecticides, plant foods, adhesives, food containers, etc.
4. Health & Beauty
   1. 14.Beauty Products & Services
      Perfumes, cosmetics, deodorants, body sprays, skin creams, hair care products, hair salons, solar protection products, moisturisers, beauty institutes, spas, bath and shower additives, etc.
   2. 15.Toiletries & Health Care
      Optical, medical and dental services and all OTC products, antacids, toothpaste, condoms, toilet paper, tissues, soaps, diapers, shaving and intimate hygiene products, etc. (see category 25 for prescription products).
5. Fashion
   1. 16.Clothing & Fabrics
      Including socks, stockings, hats, gloves, lingerie, swimwear, etc.
   2. 17.Footwear & Personal Accessories
      Including sports shoes, luggage, hand bags, eyewear, writing instruments, watches, jewellery, cigarettes and smoking accessories, etc.
6. Automotive
   1. 18.Automobiles
      Including SUVs and people carriers.
   2. 19.Automotive & Accessories
      Trucks, vans, motorcycles, ambulances, tyres, petrol, oil, spare parts & accessories, car radios, in-car DVD players, GPS, etc.
7. Media & Entertainment
   1. 20.Media
      Consumer advertising for books, films, newspapers, magazines, television channels and programms, radio stations, etc. (see category 23 for business to business ads).
   2. 21.Recreation & Leisure
      Lotteries, scratch cards, festivals, concerts, toys, gardening equipment, zoos, amusement parks, gymnasiums, museums, sporting goods and events, etc.
8. Business to Business & Corporate
   1. 22.Professional Products
      Office equipment, furnishings, industrial and agricultural equipment, tools, tractors, chemicals, packaging materials, paper and board, etc.
   2. 23.Professional Services
      Media sales, temporary help, language schools, universities, trade fairs, communication, recruitment and translation agencies, etc.
   3. 24.Corporate Image
      Communication programmes whose primary function is to promote the reputation of a corporation as opposed to its individual products or services.
9. Medical
   1. 25.Prescription Products & Services
      Advertising for pharmaceutical and related products and services aimed exclusively at the medical profession.
10. Radio
    1. 26.Radio Advertising
       Spots for all products and services listed under categories 1 to 25 above (a script, in English, must accompany each entry).
11. Direct Marketing
    1. 27.Consumer Direct
       Direct marketing operations aimed primarily at the general public.(samples recommended where appropriate)
    2. 28.Business to Business Direct
       Direct marketing operations aimed primarily at professional target groups.(samples recommended where appropriate)
12. Media Usage
    1. 29.Media Innovation - Traditional Media
       Advertising and media planning that uses conventional media, including digital, in an original way.(samples recommended where appropriate)
    2. 30.Media Innovation - Alternative Media
       Advertising and media planning that invents a new medium to carry its message; ambient, stunts, guerrilla marketing, installations etc.(samples recommended where appropriate)
13. Branded Content
    1. 31.Social Networks
       Operations relying primarily on targeted community applications, microblogging services and other user generated content.
    2. 32.Mobile Communications
       Activities involving SMS/MMS messaging, smartphone applications, QR codes, proximity/location-based services and websites specially designed for mobile phones, tablets and other hand-held devices.
    3. 33.Branded Entertainment
       Operations involving games, competitions, screen savers, blogs and branded content designed primarily for video-sharing sites.
14. PR & Promotions
    1. 34.Public Relations
       Sponsorship, exhibitions, special events and other activities designed to achieve specific objectives in the media on an unpaid basis (print, broadcast and digital)(samples recommended where appropriate).
    2. 35.Promotions & Incentives
       Brand activation and CRM programmes, loyalty schemes, special offers, competitions, in-store activities, merchandising, tie-ins etc designed for immediate results or to reinforce long-term customer relationships.(samples recommended where appropriate)
15. Craft & Imagery
    1. 36.Film Craft
       Aesthetic considerations, including cinematography, lighting, direction, acting, music and other elements of the filmmaking process that contribute to the overall appreciation of a commercial, independently of the creative idea.
    2. 37.Print Craft
       Aesthetic considerations, including art direction and copywriting that contribute to the overall appreciation of print advertising independently of the creative idea.
    3. 38.Advertising Photography
       Original photography, including digital imaging, used for commercial communications (finished ads only; work must be entered as it appeared in the media).
    4. 39.Illustration
       Illustrations used in the context of commercial communication only.
16. Design
    1. 40.Graphic Design
       Logos, letterheads, typography, etc.(in addition to images, samples are recommended but optional)
    2. 41.Publication Design
       Brochures, annual reports, catalogues, calendars, etc. (in addition to images, samples are recommended but optional).
    3. 42.Packaging Design
       All packages, containers, covers and labels for products and services listed under categories 1 to 25 above (in addition to images, sample packages are recommended but optional).
17. Interactive
    1. 43.Consumer Internet Sites - Durables
       All long-lasting durable products including cars, clothing, footwear, sporting goods, personal accessories, home furnishings, etc.
    2. 44.Consumer Internet Sites - Non-Durables
       All services and non-durable products including food, drink, travel, communication and financial services, public interest, media and events etc.
    3. 45.Business to Business Internet Sites
       Websites for all business-to-business products and services.
    4. 46.Online Ads
       Animated banners, pop-up ads, etc.
    5. 47.Online Films
       Web commercials, viral films, etc.
18. Integrated Campaigns
    1. 48.Integrated Campaigns
       Operations using at least three different media for a synergistic effect (all elements of the campaign must be accessible at a single URL address).

Epica Awards 2011 • Entry Kit Epica Awards 2011 • Rules

Epica Rules

1. 1.The competition is open to all film production companies, media consultancies photographers, design studios, local and multinational advertising agencies operating in ,or producing advertising for, Europe and the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East & Africa). Only advertising and other forms of communication that have been approved by the advertiser and used, published or broadcast since July 1st, 2010 are eligible as entries. Work that does not meet these eligibility conditions will be disqualified.
3. 2.The official deadline for receipt of entries is
   Thuesday, October 25th, 2011.
5. 3.The purpose of the competition is to reward outstanding creativity. Entries will be judged on the originality of the creative ideas and on the quality of their execution. In the Craft and Imagery categories (cats. 36 to 39) only the quality of the execution will be taken into consideration.
7. 4.Category winners (gold) will receive crystal pyramid trophies, silver and bronze winners will receive special 25th anniversary crystal awards. All winners will also receive certificates. Both film and print winners will be named in categories 1 through 25. For the purpose of identifying winners a single award and/or certificate will be attributed to individual entries that form part of the same campaign.
9. 5.Four Epica d’Or (grand prix) will be chosen from the highest-scoring film, press, outdoor and interactive entries in each category, with the exception of category 10 (Public Interest). They will be attributed by majority vote of the entire jury after a process of progressive elimination.
11. 6.In the designation of category winners, judges will abstain from voting on entries from their own country. Their scores will be equal to the average of the other judges’ scores. All jury members may vote for the four Epica d’Or.
13. 7.Pre-selection and final juries will be made up of representatives of the advertising trade press.
15. 8.The decision of the judges is final and awards may be withheld at the discretion of the jury or if no entry in a category achieves a score that qualifies it as a winner.
17. 9.Entries should be submitted online. Print entries must be provided as high resolution jpegs (300dpi,~24 cm). Film entries can be uploaded (preferably .mov or .mp4, mpg2 is also accepted) or sent in via Beam.tv. Radio entries must be uploaded in .mp3 format and an English script must also be provided.
19. 10.Entrants may submit physical samples of Direct Marketing, Media Usage, Promotion and Design entries in addition to the images uploaded online. Samples must be sent to the Epica office in France with the appropriate entry numbers attached and will not be returned.
21. 11.Film entries in the product/service categories 1 to 25, and craft category 36, may not exceed 3 minutes. Optional video clips presented in categories 27 to 35 may not exceed 2 minutes (see rule 12). There are no time limits on films and video clips entered in categories 43 to 48 which will be judged online.
23. 12.All Direct Marketing, Media Usage, Branded Content, PR and Promotional entries (cats. 27 to 35) must first be explained on a single introductory presentation board (jpg, 300dpi,~24 cm), horizontal format. Additional images may be uploaded to illustrate each entry. Explanatory video clips may also be submitted in these categories only. These should be uploaded as .mov or .mp4 files (mpg2 ids also accepted) and must not exceed 2 minutes. The organisers cannot guarantee to present explanatory video clips that do not meet these requirements.
25. 13.All Interactive and Integrated Campaign entries (categories 39-44) will be judged online and must include a current URL address that the jury may visit.
27. 14.The organisers reserve the right to change the categories selected by entrants if they consider that the category chosen is incorrect or to ensure that all entries on a common theme are judged together.
29. 15.Each company taking part in the awards will pay a basic registration fee of €200.
31. 16.The fee for each entry is €270 (categories 1-47); this applies to each execution whether it is judged individually or as part of a campaign. The entry fee for multi-media Integrated Campaigns (category 48) is €500.
33. 17.Companies based in France will be charged French TVA (VAT) at 19,6%. Entries from all other countries are exempt from French TVA in application of articles 259 A-C of the CGI (French tax code).
35. 18.Entry fees must be paid by cheque or bank transfer (see bank details below). Cheques should be drawn on a bank in France and transfers should include all bank charges. Invoices are due for payment upon receipt, those that are not paid within 30 days will be subject to a late payment fee of 2% per month.
37. 19.By uploading and submitting entries to the competition online, entrants undertake to pay the corresponding registration and entry fees. All entries submitted to the competition will be judged, and the payment of fees will be due, unless the entries are withdrawn, in writing, before October 28th, 2011.
39. 20.Professional photographers may enter up to 3 ads in the Advertising Photography category free of charge (category 38 only). Their fee for each additional entry in this category is €100. Photographers must contact Epica directly before taking advantage of these conditions.
41. 21.All entrants authorise the organisers and other third-party companies to copy, scan, digitalise and otherwise duplicate their entries in whatever form and to use such material for exhibitions, screenings, publications, broadcasts, DVDs and on the Internet in order to promote the Epica awards and to propagate the results of the competition. Under no circumstances shall the organisers, or their authorised representatives, be held responsible for the payment of royalties or other charges in connection with the aforementioned activities. Each entrant agrees to hold the organisers, and/or their authorised representatives, harmless against any claims concerning the material in this respect.