 Let’s
Get Ready to R-U-M-B-L-E!!!!
By Nels Rodefeld, Award Program Chair
this year's awards | new ideas | awards
packet information
In case you missed it, last year’s awards program in West Virginia
was nine parts Academy Awards, one part WWE wrestling spectacular. (And
for those of you who were there, you know I’m referring to the Wildman
when I mention the WWE part of the evening.)
On a more serious note, the awards contest is bigger, better and more
glamorous than ever. We have several new categories, have made improvements
to several other categories, and will again look to recognize the cream
of the crop at the awards banquet in Wyoming. Last year, 36 members
submitted 337 entries, an increase of 69 over the previous year. Some
very important communications categories, however, saw embarrassingly
little participation. Take the Regulations Publication category for
instance, in which there were only six entries.
Every state produces regulations and every state knows that all (or
almost all) of their license- buying constituents read those regulations.
From a communication and/or education standpoint, shouldn’t these booklets
be a primary focus among I & E staffs? Unfortunately, we all too
often see the regs as necessary evils, when we could see them as our
most targeted communication vehicles.
Oops, there I go preaching from my soapbox again. But before I step
down, did I mention that the other category I think should have some
of the most entries, not the least, is Print News?
You can’t win if you don’t enter, so please note the following awards
contest deadline on your calendars. This date was selected to allow
enough lead-time for everyone to submit entries, yet ensure adequate
time is given to the judges.
Friday, Feb. 28 – entries must be received by category chairs.
In addition to a hard-copy mailout (slated for around Jan. 15) to all
member agencies and organizations, I plan on sending two e-mail reminders,
the first has already been sent out, and the second will go out around
Feb. 1. Please mark your planners and calendars now though, so this
doesn’t slip up on you.
Last, but not least, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage
anyone with an idea, suggestion or complaint to contact me.
New Ideas & Awards for 2003
The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation is sponsoring the
Water Works Wonders Outreach and Education Award
The Water Works Wonders Outreach and Education Award will honor outstanding
communications efforts intended to encourage new participants in recreational
boating and/or fishing. Entries must be for efforts completed in 2002,
and they must focus on getting new participants on the water in a safe,
responsible and ethical manner.
This award is intended for an individual or group that uses communications
strategies to target underrepresented participants, such as Hispanics,
African Americans, women, or people with disabilities. Appropriate entries
include posters, articles, press releases, videos, educational programs
or the like that use imagery, language, and/or an environment that speaks
directly to an underrepresented segment in boating and fishing.
“Pass It On” Communications Award
Subject to approval by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) board,
the RMEF will sponsor an award that recognizes excellence in communicating
the personal and spiritual values of America’s outdoors, thereby encouraging
outdoor enthusiasts to pass on the legacy of the outdoors to future
generations. More details will be provided in the Awards section of
the Web site as they become available.
“Big Ideas, Small Budgets” coming to the ’02 contest
Randy Henry and Marianne Burke collaborated to create this new category
recognizing effective campaigns, events or other efforts that are notable
because of their success and their cost effectiveness (they were done
on a shoestring). The goal is to provide a platform to display innovative
solutions and success stories to ACI member organizations. Efforts that
overcome significant obstacles and leveraged outside resources will
be scored higher.
Special Achievement Awards to be issued in some categories
Most award categories allow up to three entries per state or qualifying
member organization. The primary purpose of the contest is to provide
constructive feedback and craft improvement, so from that standpoint,
it is important to continue allowing multiple entries. Recognition for
quality productions, though, also translates to increased interagency
appreciation. And to that end, special achievement awards will be presented
in cases where one agency garners more than one of the top three places
in a specific category.
One way to look at this change is that we will not only continue to
recognize the top three individual entries (first, second and third),
but we will also recognize the top three states or organizations. I
have tried to illustrate this in the following hypothetical example.
Photography Category
1st – Illinois for “cover images”
2nd – Oklahoma for “hunting scenes”
3rd – Oklahoma for “fishing scenes”
In this case, a special achievement certificate would be awarded to
the state or organization (other than Illinois or Oklahoma) that earned
the next highest place. If Illinois were to win first, second and third,
then the next two highest placing states would earn special achievement
certificates.
Category nomenclature and forms have been streamlined
One thing you won’t see this year is all of the confusing category/subcategory
terminology (like category 1, subcategory 1A). Category names and entry
forms will now reflect layman’s descriptions (magazine, 4-color, in
the example above), hopefully simplifying and streamlining the entry
process.
Photography goes 21st Century
Numerous changes will be in place in the photography category, starting
with the name – it goes from “Color/Black and White Photography” to
“Photography.” All types of still photography will be allowed, including
printout of digital images. As a reminder, photography guidelines were
modified last year to specify that the entry must be used in the contest
year, and shot either in the contest year or the year prior to the contest
year.
Lump it or split it?
The debate over lumping or splitting will always be with us, and unlike
photography (which has now been lumped), the 1- to 4-color publications
category has now been split. Specifically, three subcategories will
be offered. They are “Brochures,” “Books and Reports” and “Other.” Entrants
will continue to be allowed up to three entries in the overall category,
and they may spread them among the subcategories or enter all three
in one.
And the winner is…
Similar to last year, second and third places, along with special recognition
awards, will be presented throughout the annual conference in Wyoming.
First place winners will be recognized at the awards banquet.
As a reminder…
Numerous other changes were made last year, with a number of categories
now accepting three entries per state or organization. The National
Wild Turkey Federation also awarded its first ACI Communicator of the
Year Award last year.
See all the details on the ACI Awards page!
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