You can submit your projects and campaigns in 31 categories. All categories will be voted on online. At the same time, every category will have a gold, silver and bronze winner.
Accomplishments of the Year
01. Campaigns on Trending Topics NEU
Whether mental health, diversity, sustainability or democracy - socially relevant topics move people and shape debates. This category recognizes campaigns that authentically pick up on current trends and implement them in a strong communicative way. We are looking for projects that recognize the zeitgeist, show attitude and respond with creativity and sensitivity to issues that concern our society. Whether brands, companies or NGOs: anyone who enters into a credible dialog with trending topics is in the right place here.
02. Social Media Communications
A target group-facing social media presence is an integral part of digital communication. The best are characterised by authenticity, credibility and transparency. In this category, the Digital Communication Award will be given to the platform that takes target group needs, preferences and limitations in Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or other online communities into account. It uses dialogue options with a customized and appealing presentation of the channel's messages.
03. Sustainability Communications
Sustainable ways of life have become a core aspect of online communication in recent years. It is no longer just certain companies that are taking up the issue and putting sustainability at the forefront of their communications. This category honors those campaigns and projects that are particularly effective in promoting climate protection goals and bringing about sustainable change.
04. Educational Content NEU
Information overload, complex contexts, exaggerated simplification, fake news and propaganda - in our fast-paced, stimulus-flooded social media society, real background knowledge is often neglected. However, perceived knowledge instead of facts harbors great communicative and social risks. Formats and content that provide fact-based information and in-depth education on difficult topics - especially for younger generations and on social media - are therefore more valuable and important than ever. The DCA for “Educational Content” goes to a project that uses digital possibilities in a particularly creative and successful way to achieve reach with actual knowledge, data and facts, thus helping to objectify and enrich current discussions.
05. AI Communications & Content Creation NEU
Artificial intelligence is fundamentally transforming how we communicate with each other. It offers completely new possibilities in corporate communication. It helps to overcome communication barriers, interact more efficiently and realize creative content formats that were unthinkable just a short time ago. The DCA in this category goes to the project that uses AI in a particularly innovative, targeted way to communicate better with better content.
06. AI Strategy & Analytics NEU
AI is more than just impressive content. Much more. The DCA in this category is awarded to a project or campaign that embraces Artificial Intelligence not just as a short-term wow effect, but as a comprehensive, structural challenge and opportunity, and integrates it in a concrete, clever, future-oriented, and strategic way into digital communication.
Campaigns & Communications
07. Purpose-Driven Communications
Today’s companies are expected to stand up for something, while survey after survey shows that millennials and Gen Z prefer to donate their time, attention and loyalty to socially conscious brands. This category rewards digital communication with a social message that have truly connected brands, audience and society.
08. Disruptive Communications
Digital communications that stand apart from the status quo in your field or industry, and/or that revolutionise your approach to communications, are celebrated in this category.
09. Influencer Communications
Online influencers – whether celebrities, experts, social media stars or other noteworthy figures – can add credible third-party testimonials to your social media strategy. But identifying, retaining and measuring them needs careful planning: cases where influencer comms have backfired are highly-publicised. This category celebrates examples that use influencers authentically and strategically, with deliverable results and a thorough consideration of ethics and disclosure.
10. Multichannel Communication
Audiences expect to receive personalized, relevant communications that steals their attention away from their busy schedule. The winner of this category uses available technology to ensure that the target audience is presented with information - and the ability to react to information - across multiple channels.
11. Brand Campaign
This category celebrates the outstanding brand campaigns of the past 12 months, campaigns that bring into play the full range of online and digital tools, channels and platforms to create a powerful, engaging campaign that delivers on the brand strategy and makes an impression on the public. This category also includes digital campaigns that are created for the management of a brand's (online) reputation.
12. Content Marketing
Top-notch copywriting, multimedia elements such as images and video, connected narratives across several digital media platforms, and a consumer-focused narrative: some of the key ingredients for successful content marketing. This category is looking for well-researched digital content marketing strategies that successfully cut through the clickbait to position the brand and deliver on the brand promise.
13. Gen Z Communications NEU
Gen Z - the first true digital generation - is characterized by an extremely high level of online affinity, extensive digital-social networking and particular cultural diversity. Digital platforms and social media play a central role. From emojis, memes, reels, snaps and GIFs to the concise use of hashtags and linguistic abbreviations - Gen Z has shaped new forms of communication. This presents companies with the challenge of further developing their communication strategies and becoming more spontaneous, creative, entertaining and visual. The DCA in this category goes to the company that takes the specific needs, values and preferences of Gen Z into account. We are looking for projects that enter into a successful digital dialog with Gen Z in an innovative, authentic way.
14. TikTok Campaign
Since crashing the global social media party in 2018, TikTok has made an indelible mark on communications, with brands such as Washington Post, Buzzfeed, Nike, Skittles, Pepsi and Universal Pictures singing up and making their mark. This category champions the most inventive, thought provoking and impactful TikTok presence.
15. Boldest Campaign
It is always safer to tread previously trodden paths, however, in most cases it is the unusual and unconventional campaigns that stick in our mind. Steps off the safe route are risky as they can quickly backfire but these steps can also lead to unexpected successes and sometimes to lively discussions in the online sector. In this category, the Digital Communication Awards honors the campaign that most courageously moved away from the typical corporate-industry path of communication and struck out on a new direction.
16. Small Budget Campaign
Necessity is the mother of invention and digital excellence often happens on a shoestring. This category gives those working with tighter budgets the chance to shine without being pitted against the much bigger budgets of digital giants. This category honours the best campaign with a maximum budget of 10,000 Euro per year.
17. Storytelling
Simply put, stories sell. A narrative presented in compelling and emotionally engaging formats - possibly featuring interactives, graphics, long reads, news games and data visualizations - wins hearts and minds, and brings strategies and values to life. The award in this category goes to the best tale, told by an organisation with a mix of traditional storytelling techniques and cutting edge digital tools.
18. Digital Experience
From museum tours to opera, theatre or live concerts – organisations around the world have embraced the opportunity to connect with their audiences by broadcasting content and events - and finding new audiences as a result. Whether live event or repurposed content, virtual tour or broadcast platform, one off event or a regular series, this category showcases the innovative measures taken by organisation to provide information, education and entertainment to people in their homes.
19. Contest & Game
One thing that sets contests and games apart is their ability to engage an audience. Contests are often distinct from the typical content that brands put out and really push people to interact with the brand as they anticipate fun and gain the chance of winning something of value. Contests and games get the customers involved and make your brand more memorable to them.
20. Launch
Integrated communications is critical for a successful product launch in your business. It involves the consistent communications of information about a product, using channels, sources and programmes that deliver effective and timely messages to consumers. The best examples are celebrated in this category.
Corporate & Stakeholder Communications
21. Talent Attraction & Corporate Culture NEU
HR communication plays a key role in attracting top talent and shaping corporate culture. By clearly communicating company values, goals, and growth opportunities, it appeals to potential candidates and helps retain employees.
The Digital Communication Award for Talent Attraction & Corporate Culture is awarded to the company that excels in attracting talent through effective digital communication strategies and creating a positive, engaging work environment.
22. B2B Communications
From website to SEO and content, social media and pay per click, integration of on and offline – the tools for digital B2B Communication are as varied as those in B2C. Examples that show clear progress in achieving strategic B2B goals are rewarded in this category.
23. Public Dialogue & Advocacy NEU
This category recognizes outstanding projects at the intersection of communication, politics, and society. Eligible submissions include initiatives related to corporate activism, political campaigning, NGO communications, traditional public affairs and stakeholder dialogue. Whether shaping public discourse, raising awareness for political causes, or building trust between organizations and their stakeholders — this category honors projects that drive real impact through strategic dialogue and effective advocacy.
24. Corporate Social Responsibility
The necessity of communicating an organisation’s corporate social responsibility initiatives has never been so urgent; socially-conscious organisations that prove purpose and value are highly-desirable to millennial workforces, and increasingly act as a key differentiator in crowded markets. Stand-out examples of corporate social responsibility communications will be highlighted in this category.
25. Internal & Change Communications
When it comes to internal communication and engaging employees, successful companies are leveraging the opportunities of the digital age, with channels like management blogs, video messages, live chats or employee apps combining several advantages like being fast, personal, authentic and interactive. The winning projects in this category will demonstrate delivering internally on the organizational strategy by meeting objectives.
26. Community Engagement Campaign
Maintaining an online community based on strong stakeholder relationships can boost customer retention and the emotional connection with your brand. In addition to being a place where you can interact with target audiences on a regular basis, encourage discussions and ask questions, an online community management needs success metrics, guidelines, close monitoring and lively networking and discussion.
Channels & Tools
27. Website (Corporate, Microsite, Career)
Great design, smart navigation, compelling content, calls to action, clever CMS, perhaps a blog, analytics and SEO, mobile design, social media links... these are some of the ingredients of a solid corporate website, the public face of your organisation. The winner of this category will build on those ingredients and deliver on the organizational professed mission, vision and purpose.
28. Digital Media & Content
Whether standalone publications on the web, a new podcast or a blog on the corporate website, digital publishing encompasses a variety of channels that push specialised content towards target groups based on occupation or interests, as well as catching the attention of a wider public. Examples that do this while also conveying the organisation’s messages and engaging with stakeholders will succeed in this category.
29. Podcast NEU
Podcasts are an extremely attractive medium for reaching the right target groups with the right messages beyond selective attention. But how do podcasts really create added value, how do they stand out from the mass of audio content? The DCA in this category goes to the podcast whose communicative concept, content strength, impact and reach are particularly impressive.G34
30. Film & Video
Online is the natural home for corporate film and video: engaging, interactive, colourful online videos have the luxury of telling in-depth stories in a way that other media cannot quite achieve. Distributed through social media channels and via email marketing, the best examples do not necessarily need complicated graphics or high-budget live action: the winner of this category will use their online presence to maximise the spread of their video. For films longer than 90 seconds.
31. Video Series
Building loyalty through video storytelling over several episodes offers organisations an opportunity to create content that grows audiences, tells stories in depth, and build up real momentum.