Ad, Editorial & Digitial Awards Rules
RULES AND CATEGORIES
Entries must be Published Between
January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024
1. Only regular MACPA members’ publications in good standing with current dues paid are eligible to enter.
2. Entries or ideas that have previously won MACPA awards for your company may not be entered.
3. Advertising agency or camera-ready advertisements may not be entered.
4. Choose the category for your entry carefully. Send a FULL-PAGE TEAR SHEET, showing publication name and date of issue. If the item to be judged occupies less than a full sheet, mark or outline the ad/item that you wish to be judged. Complete the appropriate entry label and tape it to the UPPER RIGHT-HAND CORNER of the BACK side of the tear sheet. NO MATTING ACCEPTED!
5. A brief explanation, if necessary, may be attached to the back of the entry, below the entry label.
6. Limit of five entries per division of a category for your company. Additional entries will be disqualified. Any ads not showing publication date will be disqualified.
7. In the event that four or fewer entries are received in any category, they may be moved to another appropriate category.
8. Entries for Category 9 (Editorial) MUST be submitted electronically as well as a hard copy version. Please submit the files to kasey@gomaava.com. Any entries that are not submitted electronically will be disqualified.
9. Mail entries via USPS to MACPA, P.O. Box 408, Hamburg, PA 19526. All entries become the property of MACPA and are not returnable.
10. No entries will be accepted at the conference, as judging will be completed in advance.
11. A $5 fee for each entry must accompany entries. Please make checks payable to MACPA and mail along with entries.
12. Deadline: Entries must be postmarked by January 31, 2024. All entries received afterward will be disqualified.
General Excellence
Only one entry per company, per division is allowed in this category. Please choose one copy of your publication for each of the quarters listed below for a total of 4. Two divisions based on amount of advertising content - Shoppers Guides are greater than 75% advertising and Community Papers are less than 75% advertising. The third division, Niche Publications, includes publications that are designed for a specific audience. Must include a copy of your publication from each quarter (January-March; July-September; April-June; October-December)
IMPORTANT: Should you have multiple publications, all entries must be from the same publication. If you submit a different publication for each quarter, that will disqualify your entry. Should you have different publications that fall under different divisions (ex: Community & Niche) you can submit an entry for each division.
Division 1: Community Papers (Less than 75% of advertising in publication.)
Division 2: Shoppers Guides (Greater than 75% of advertising in publication.)
Division 3: Niche Publications (Publications that are designed for a specific audience.)
Entries within your Publication
All ads must show good layout, originality, design and quality printing. Ads must appear as a regular run of your paper and must be 1/4 page or less of your publication size.
Division 1: Ads using black ink only
Division 2: Ads using color
All ads must show good layout, originality, design and quality printing. Ads must appear as a regular run of your paper and must be more than 1/4 page of your publication size.
Division 1: Ads using black ink only
Division 2: Ads using color
All ads must show good layout, originality, design and quality printing. Black Ink Only and Color will be judged together.
All ads must show good layout, originality, design and quality printing. Black Ink Only and Color will be judged together.
Entries Part of Your Publication
Entries included serving the community through news, advertising columns, and/or aiding or promoting community projects. The beneficiary may be an individual, group, or entire community. Please note that this category does not include self-promotion.
Division 1: Run as sequential pages of publication.
Division 2: Run as separate section or insert.
Fair Days, Moonlight Madness, Sidewalk Sales, Octoberfest, Vacation Guide, Wedding Planners, Home Improvement, etc – includes editorial material
Division 1: Newsprint – within publication
Division 2: Newsprint – Pull outs, stand alone, multiple pages
Division 3: Glossy Medium/Magazine
Photography & Editorial
Best original photo or series of photos taken by a member of your own staff.
ALL ENTRIES FOR CATEGORY 8 MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY AS WELL AS A HARD COPY VERSION. Any entries not submitted electronically will be disqualified. Please provide a pdf as well as a word document to kasey@gomaava.com. Entries must be labeled by their Category and Division numbers. (Example: A personal column written by the publisher with three entries: Cat8Div1_Article1)
Entries should be original articles written by the publisher or member of your staff and published during the contest period. Syndicated or mat service items are not eligible. Judging is based on originality of content, quality of writing and layout. Please include byline for each entry.
Division 1: Personal Column – Submit three different columns by a single writer with different topics.
Division 2: Editorial – An opinion article by a writer on a single topic.
Division 3: News Story – A newsworthy event concerning a particular item, product, place or thing.
Division 4: Feature Story – A human interest story where timeliness is not a factor.
Print & Digital
Provide a campaign that you did that included advertising through both print publication and digital.
GOOD LUCK!!!
Please mail your entries to
MACPA
P.O. Box 408
Hamburg, PA 19526
