Canmol: The Wales Marketing Awards

I have sat on the Canmol judging panel since the Chartered Institute of Marketing in Wales introduced the Awards in 2008. Each year the standard of the shortlisted and winning entries has improved dramatically and Canmol is increasingly being recognised as an acknowledgement of marketing excellence. Dr. Jonathan Deacon, Chairman of the panel, has this advice to offer on what makes a Canmol Winner:

Can you demonstrate the following?
1. What were the main aims and key objectives of the campaign?
2. Who were the intended target markets?
3. What were the key features of the campaign that differentiated your product/service?
4. How did you communicate the benefits/key features to your target market?
5. How did you measure success?


For the CIM’s Canmol Wales Marketing Awards each of the entries are assessed by at least eight judges and are marked according to four criteria:

  • Planning
  • Delivery or Excellence in Execution
  • Innovation
  • Effectiveness or Return on Investment

Each entry is scored 1 to 5. For example, 1 means "not yet at the standard to be expected", 3 means "above average" and 5 means that the entry has "complete and compelling evidence and was exceptionally good". (In 2010 all the winners had an average score between 3 and 4, which underlies the fact that the judges score very carefully, if not to say harshly.)

Canmol: The Wales Marketing Awards 2012

15 entries have been shortlisted for this year's Canmol Awards, with representation from the private, public and not-for-profit sectors in Wales. The Awards show that Wales is continually adapting to technological change and new opportunties. Canmol demonstrates that not only are Welsh organisations keeping up to speed, they are also adding value through exceptional innovation and creativity. To reach the last stage of these prestigious Awards is an achievement in its own right and many worthy submissions fail by the slimmest of margins - the task of the judging panel gets harder every year.

The winners will be announced on 5 October at the Awards Ceremony at The Mercure Holland House Hotel, Cardiff. For the shortlist and more information on Canmol, click here.