Rules and conditions — applying for SoMo Advertising

Listed below are the rules and conditions for applying in the Advertising category. Please read them carefully.

Time period

To apply for SoMo Borac powered by Aleph 2024, you can submit digital works — including campaigns, content, and products (activations, websites, applications, etc.) — created between September 1st, 2023, and October 1st, 2024 until the end of the day (23:59h), provided that they have not been submitted to previous SoMo Borac iterations.

You can submit work created earlier under the following conditions:

1. If the work was amended or significantly changed, in comparison to the original version, during the specified period (e.g., a new functionality of an existing digital product). In this case, it is important to transparently state how the work has been altered compared to the original version and why.
2. If the work reached significant results during the specified period (e.g., a campaign that started earlier but achieved its best results during this period). In this case, it is important to clearly highlight the results reached during the specified period; it is also important that the work has not been previously submitted to SoMo Borac.
3. To apply for the SoMo Tech and Digital Product categories, you can submit works created after January 1, 2023, provided that they were available after September 1, 2023, and have not been previously submitted to SoMo Borac.
4. For the Digital OOH category, you can submit works created after January 1, 2023, provided they have not been previously submitted to SoMo Borac.

Who can apply for SoMo Advertising 2024?
Companies, startups, scaleups, digital publishers, agencies, gaming companies, individuals, and others can all apply for SoMo Advertising 2024.

What is the application deadline?
The application deadline is October 1st, 2024. until the end of the day (23:59h)

Campaign Location
The submitted projects must be intended for the market of any country within the region; the exception is the SoMo Global category, where the projects can be intended for any market outside the region.

Format
In addition to completing the online application form, applicants must submit a video (link to YouTube or Vimeo) up to a maximum of 3 minutes (MP4 format 720p or 1080p).

What to include in your application include — and what it should not include?
The video must include the three elements of the digital campaign that the jury evaluates: originality and creativity, quality of execution, and the results.

To maintain jury objectivity, the applicant’s name (company, startup, agency, etc.) must not be mentioned in the application. The applicant’s name can only be mentioned if the applicant and the client are the same company.

If the campaign is part of a global campaign, the applicants should highlight this fact and showcase how their localization is different. Additionally, it is necessary to include all three campaign elements being evaluated: originality and creativity, quality of execution, and results.

If you are submitting the same work in multiple categories, it is recommended to create separate video submissions which emphasize what is important for each respective category.

It is recommended to submit the application in English because the jury members do not share an equal understanding of all regional languages — they come from across the region and outside the region as well.

How and what does the jury evaluate?
In all categories, each score carries equal weight. The evaluation criteria are:

1. Originality and Creativity:

Explain the creative solution and insight, how you reached the solution, why it is important for your work and the target audience. What makes the submitted work unique?

2. Quality of Execution:

Many elements come together to make the work complete: user experience, interface, content, special elements like video, interactive additions, distribution method, the technologies used, and all the way to the smallest details. Showcase how you utilized all of these.

3. Results:

What results did you reach in relation to the goals that were set out; did the results surpass the goals, and how? Provide concrete numbers confirming the success of the work, and include the data source.

Some parts of the application are not being evaluated, but are important elements of the application that ensure better jury understanding and a more precise score. These are:

1. The background – Tell us more about the industry/product/competition context for your project. Inform us about the target audience and their behavior, and how your project or product fits with this target audience.
2. Goals – Tell us about the goals set during the project planning.

What does the judging process look like?
There are two rounds of judging: in the first round, the jury will shortlist the candidates; these will be announced no later than five days before the award ceremony.
The jury will shortlist the works for each category.
The second round includes selecting three finalists to be awarded. Each category winner will receive a large SoMo Borac statue, while the two runners-up will receive smaller SoMo Borac statues.

What are the costs of application?

The cost for submitting work to SoMo Borac powered by Aleph until September 1st, 2024, is 185 euros per work.

The cost for submitting work to SoMo Borac powered by Aleph until October 1st, 2024, is 210 euros per work.

With four submissions, the fifth one is free of charge.

Note: The organizer, with the consent of the jury, reserves the right to change the competition rules.

Categories

1. SoMo Social Strategy
   Social media is an unavoidable element in today’s communication — ongoing and campaign-based. The SoMo Social category emphasizes long-term social strategies and continuous content, integrated with user communication on social networks. Given that this is always-on content — and, as such, requires constant production and attention — this category considers performances over a minimum period of 3 months.

Focus on:

1. 1. 1. Long-term social strategies
      2. Continuous communication content
      3. Always-on content
      4. Clearly highlight: originality and creativity, quality of execution, and results (it’s advisable to explain the context and the set goals as well — this helps the jury to evaluate the work better).

2. SoMo Content
   Reaching today’s audiences is simply not possible without quality content. That’s precisely why the SoMo Content category rewards the best content marketing projects. Content projects can include newsletter strategies, video series, online magazines, blog posts, e-books, social media content, TikTok videos, and anything else that can be included in the “content” umbrella term.

Focus on:

1. 1. 1. Hero content that isn’t necessarily always-on but can be
      2. Clearly highlight: originality and creativity, quality of execution, and results (it’s advisable to explain the context and the set goals as well — this helps the jury to evaluate the work better).

3. TikTok
   In the TikTok category, we’re rewarding brand channels that show consistent quality, with the prerequisite of being live for a minimum period of 2 months or having at least 16 published posts. We evaluate originality and creativity, quality of execution, and the reached results, and all three elements need to be top-notch to win the award.

Focus on:

1. 1. 1. Consistent quality
      2. Number of posts so far
      3. Clearly highlight: originality and creativity, quality of execution, and results (it’s advisable to explain the context and the set goals as well — this helps the jury to evaluate the work better).

4. DA – Digital Activation
   We often use digital platforms to activate the target group, and we usually do that in many different ways. Submit all your campaigns that had the primary goal of user activation in this category. This can include contests, influencer campaigns, and all other activations.

Focus on:

1. 1. 1. Well-designed campaigns aimed at user activation
      2. Clearly highlight: originality and creativity, quality of execution, and results (it’s advisable to explain the context and the set goals as well — this helps the jury to evaluate the work better).

5. Digitaln Mix
   This category will include SoMo Borac applicants with campaigns run across multiple digital platforms. The platforms can include social networks, Google, websites, and everything else considered to be digital.

Focus on:

1. 1. 1. Variety of platforms
      2. Use of channels — what made these specific channels crucial
      3. Clearly highlight: originality and creativity, quality of execution, and results (it’s advisable to explain the context and the set goals as well — this helps the jury to evaluate the work better).

6. SoMo Tech
   This category focuses on recognizing and awarding campaigns that utilized the latest technologies in an innovative way. It is reserved for campaigns that raised the bar in applying technological solutions, using them to achieve outstanding results and stand out.

Focus on:

1. 1. 1. Are novel technologies being explored and used?
      2. Can applicants submit an enhancement of existing products?
      3. You can submit work created after January 1, 2023, provided it was available after September 1, 2023, and has not been previously submitted to SoMo Borac
      4. Clearly highlight: originality and creativity, quality of execution, and results (it’s advisable to explain the context and the set goals as well — this helps the jury to evaluate the work better)

7. Digital Product by Fonoa
   Digital products of all kinds — mobile, web, or multi-platform solutions and startups — that have enabled organizations to explore new aspects of digital business or revolutionize the way they present their products, services, or brands through innovative ideas and high performance.

Focus on:

1. 1. 1. Whether the product comes with a comprehensive approach
      2. Does not include redesigns or upgraded existing products
      3. Exploration of new aspects of digital business
      4. If the same product exists in another market, the application must showcase the context and specificity of the market being applied for
      5. You can submit work created after January 1, 2023, provided it was available after September 1, 2023, and has not been previously submitted to SoMo Borac
      6. Clearly highlight: originality and creativity, quality of execution, and results (it’s advisable to explain the context and the set goals as well — this helps the jury to evaluate the work better).

8. SoMoRitanac
   In the SoMoRitanac category we’re awarding campaigns and works that have raised public awareness about a current global or local issue (e.g., helping a vulnerable social group or contributing to solving a social problem).

Focus on:

1. 1. 1. Specificity of the problem and solution
      2. Local context
      3. Use of digital channels
      4. Clearly highlight: originality and creativity, quality of execution, and results (it’s advisable to explain the context and the set goals as well — this helps the jury to evaluate the work better).

9. SoMo Global
   This category is for campaigns that have reached top results (sales growth, brand awareness, etc.) in any market outside the Adria region. The achieved results constitute 70% of the score, with the remainder including innovative elements such as creative solutions or the use of various platforms.

Focus on:

1. 1. 1. Global campaigns and results
      2. Unique creative solutions
      3. Specific performance tactics
      4. 70% of the score in this category is based on results.
      5. Clearly highlight: originality and creativity, quality of execution, and results (it’s advisable to explain the context and the set goals as well — this helps the jury to evaluate the work better).

10. SoMo Growth
    This category also awards campaigns that have reached top results (sales growth, brand awareness, etc.) but took place at the local or regional level. The achieved results constitute 70% of the score, with the remainder including innovative elements such as creative solutions or the use of various platforms.

Focus on:

1. 1. 1. In this category, 70% of the score is based on results
      2. Clearly highlight: originality and creativity, quality of execution, and results (it’s advisable to explain the context and the set goals as well — this helps the jury to evaluate the work better).

11. Digital Out-of-Home (Digital OOH)
    Digital OOH is a category for the campaigns that stopped us in the street, during a walk, or in shopping malls; the ones that caught our attention for an extended period of time or made us interact with a digital screen. In this category, we’re rewarding the innovation that came from thinking outside the box.

Focus on:

1. 1. 1. You can submit work created after January 1, 2023, provided it has not been previously submitted to SoMo Borac
      2. Clearly highlight: originality and creativity, quality of execution, and results it’s advisable to explain the context and the set goals as well — this helps the jury to evaluate the work better).

12. Special Mention by Aleph
    This Aleph award aims to highlight the effectiveness and innovation in digital marketing, encouraging and rewarding best practices in the industry. Among other things, the emphasis will be on campaigns that use AI technology, effectively use a customer data platform (CDP), and have applied advanced measurement methods. The winner is chosen by a special jury composed of the Aleph team.