Categories

The European Excellence Awards 2024 are open for submission.

In 2024, the European Excellence Awards will be held for the 18th consecutive year. The best projects and campaigns in PR and Communication are honoured in 63 categories.

If you have any questions about the categories or the submission process, the awards team will be happy to help.

Accomplishments of the Year

This EEA category is open to any PR & Comms agency generating revenue of less than €10m annually. The winner excels in reading, capturing and communicating the mood, spirit and needs of our times, in its niches, locally and regionally – even against multiple challenges and backdrops of fast-paced change.

This category is open to any PR & Comms agency generating revenue of more than €10m annually. The EEA winner helps to win hearts and minds with campaigns manifesting purpose and adding value to internal and external audiences, nationally and accross borders, especially in these times of uncertainty, crises and rapid change.

This EEA category honours truly innovative concepts, groundbreaking ideas and new, sometimes even revolutionay approaches. This could be based on the almost infinite possibilities of technology, but also on the work of creative thinkers who drive new, amazing developments in PR & Comms.

Especially younger generations prefer – even require – socially conscious brands before donating their attention, time and loyalty to them. This EEA category rewards communication with a clear, plausible and outstandingly well communicated social message that truly connects brands, audiences and society.

This EEA category gives those working with tighter budgets the unique chance to shine without being pitted against the much bigger budgets of PR & Comms giants. The best campaign with a maximum budget of 10,000 Euro per year will win – rewarding the excellence of combining both creativity and innovation with the necessity of spending small budgets efficiently.

The rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence – it impacts almost everything, last not least PR & Comms. But which campaign, which project really utilizes AI in communication in a way that goes beyond the noise, the hype, the usual? In this category the EEA honours a winner who is paving the way for all of us in using AI in Comms.

Industries and Institutions

The automotive industry is undergoing a fast, fundamental change that brings both risks and opportunities. The pressure is high – technologically but also in terms of marketing and Comms. The most innovative and groundbreaking communications campaigns and projects in the automotive sector will be recognised in this EEA category.

How important, even crucial transport & logistics really are for the global economy as a whole and also for us as individuals – the pandemic years have made that clear enough to all of us. This category of the EEA rewards communications that helps transport & logistics businesses showing their value and reaching their goals.

Driving digital infrastructure, services, businesses and ideas empowers societies and individuals. In this category, the EEA goes to a campaign or project which sets an example of showing and communicating how much of a fundamental key-driver technology, telecommunications and consumer electronics are.

The EEA in this category will go to a campaign or project that masters remarkably well the specific PR & Comms challenges of the chemical and industrial sector. While an absolute necessity for our modern world, for these industries controversy is never far away. Who did best in strengthening the communication by winning over stakeholders and public audiences?

Whether it's developing new products, acknowledging environmental and sustainability needs or handling significant public scrutiny while meeting important business goals – the health & pharma industry always faces demanding PR & Comms challenges. The EEA in this category honours a project or campaign that stands out in mastering these challenges.

Money makes the world go round. However, communicators and agencies working in the finance industry have to tread extremely carefully when developing their communications strategies. The greatest communications campaigns and projects from the finance industry will be recognised in this EEA category.

This EEA category celebrates outstanding PR & Comms campaigns that promote consumer goods or services to customers through multiple channels and therefore build or strengthen a retail company’s brand. Whether online or in store or both combined, we are looking for outstanding creativity and efficiency.

The sports and lifestyle industry is a global multi-billion dollar behemoth. It covers everything from major football teams to inspirational tales of human endeavour, from heathy lifestyle retail to wearable health-monitoring tech. The greatest communications campaigns or projects reflecting the growing importance of sports & lifestyle will be recognised in this EEA category.

Entertainment and culture are mirrors of our shared aspirations and values, but also current major topics of our society. And it is also a phenomenally powerful economy in its own right – from television and films, to orchestras and theatre, comedy and dance. The best campaigns or projects initiated by entertainment and culture organisations will be rewarded in this category of the EEA.

It begins right here: the all-important search for innovation, which disrupts industries, changes the world and benefits humankind. With the education sector facing increasing challenges, it has never been more urgent to communicate the best of these twin sectors. This EEA category rewards the best of communications from the science and education industries.

Communicating the value of locations may be as simple as promoting the very best and most unique aspects of a culture, or as complex as trying to draw visitors back to a country with a tarnished reputation or landscape damaged by weather or political unrest. The greatest communications campaigns and projects from the travel and tourism industry will be recognised in this EEA category.

Representing some of our strongest traditions and pleasure, the food & beverages industry is an indelible part of our social, economic and cultural life. Of course it also faces challenges, from unfair trading practices, health and safety issues and more. The task for PR & Comms is communicating the unique value of this industry while also addressing its challenges. The EEA in this category will reward the best campaigns or projects in this field.

Few sectors have seen as much impassioned debate as the energy sector. Climate change is on everybody’s agenda and poses a significant challenge for the sector, but so do new technologies, monopolies, mergers. How has the industry dealt with the changes in its PR & Comms activities? The best communications campaigns or projects from the energy industry will be recognised in this EEA category.

The focus on potentially harmful effects of human impact on ecology and the environment gets stronger and stronger. The rise of climate change activists is reality, as well as an increasing active preference for organisations and companies that have clearly defined social responsibility programmes. This EEA category rewards excellent communications from the sustainability and environmental industries.

In the current atmosphere of growing political polarisation, willful disinformation and a crisis of trust in public institutions organisations and corporations alike, it has never been more vital that government agencies and parties communicate to engage with voters, communities, and individuals. The best campaigns or projects realised by political parties and governmental agencies will be honoured in this EEA category.

NGOs and associations have the mission and the challenge of combining and proactively promoting, supporting, and defending the interests of various stakeholders. Whether campaigning on behalf of endangered species or trade groups, their communications demands tireless commitment. This EEA category rewards the best of PR & Comms from non-governmental organisations and associations.

Communications

PR, Comms and marketing can be more immersive than ever before – thanks to human creativity coupled with sophisticated technology. Whether offline or online, events and experiences are becoming more and more advanced, and appeal to diverse array of brands and industries. The most memorable will be highlighted in this EEA ccategory.

The migration of events to online – whether conferences, launches, cultural events or marketing experiences – is the new normal. This EEA category recognises outstanding achievements of organisations that have embraced the potential of the metaverse and digital events, inspiring others to reimagine traditional boundaries and shape the future of online experiences.

Sending the right message, at the right time, via the right channel: an integrated use of communication channels creates a robust 360 degree relationship with stakeholders. The EEA in this category will be given to a campaign or a project that uses diverse tools for coherent and cohesive communication with different segments of the public audience.

In our era of information overflow, it has become vital for brands to engage stakeholders through honest and authentic stories, as well as to encourage employees to live and breathe the corporate narrative. A major challenge for PR & Comms – and this EEA category recognises campaigns or projects that use storytelling in all its facets.

With recent trends in content marketing including AI-driven insights, more interactive contents, and ever-closer alignment with strategy, this EEA category recognises award-worthy content that resonates with people, brand ambassadors and influencers and inspires them to spread the word.

Trustworthy influencers move the dial. They set the agenda and bring other audiences along with them. Establishing the ROI of influencer relations is notoriously tricky; however, those projects that clearly demonstrate a strategic and effective use of digital media and communication will triumph in this EEA category.

In this category, the EEA celebrates PR & Comms campaigns and projects standing apart from the status quo in your field or industry, and that revolutionise your approach to communications.

Change – whether new additions to the team, evolving business directions, implementing new technologies or causing social disruption – can easily overwhelm organisations. Which is why resistance to change is deeply embedded. Successful change communication inspires, motivates and reassures: the best will succeed in this EEA category.

Trusted brand relationships are the bedrock of strategic success. Authenticity, innovation and added benefit are the tried and trusted watchwords behind building and strengthening relationships. With audiences increasingly wanting to see purpose as a key brand differentiator, this EEA category celebrates new strategies that go beyond well-known paths and explore new territory.

From website to social media, from SEO to paid campaigns, integration of on- and offline – the tools for B2B Communication are as divers as those in B2C. Examples that show outstanding progress in achieving strategic B2B goals are rewarded in this EEA category.

Integrated communications is critical for every product launch. It involves consistent communications of information about a product, using channels, sources and programmes that deliver effective and timely messages to consumers. The best PR & Comms examples for successful launches are celebrated in this category of the EEA.

This EEA category celebrates initiatives demonstrating commitment to fostering a more inclusive society, workplace, or community through effective and impactful communication strategies. Successful campaigns or projects will have demonstrated a deep understanding of the issues at hand, effectively engaged with relevant stakeholders, and implemented creative and innovative PR & Comms strategies promoting greater understanding, awareness, and positive change.

The glue that binds an organisation together, the new channel that employees rely on, the voice of a corporate identity… Internal communication builds relationships, delivers return on investment and shapes the conversations happening about the organisation. The best examples are highlighted in this EEA category.

Employer branding is about how the individuals who work for an organisation view and help shape its identity as a place of work – a highly sensitive and constantly evolving process. Communication is also an integral, crucial part of any recruitment drive, and this EEA category celebrates the best in these vitally important areas.

Making sure an organisation is on target with its ambition in the public image: a never-ending challenge. Remaining aware, sensitive and responsive to issues which might affect your organisation’s reputation is a vital part of this practice. The EEA in this category goes to a campaign or project that manages this challenge masterfully.

Data are not the new oil anymore, they are already much more. Data enable PR & Comms to have impact on scale, driving meassurement and analysis and enabling messages to be targeted and personalised like never before. This EEA category is open to a companies or agencies, who creatively and successfully use data throughout all stages of a campaign or project.

From lobbying to external relations, trade deals to laws and rights, modern public affairs is an decisive part of the process of keeping an organisation aligned with societal values, and an absolutely vital tool to help organisations navigate the stringent regulatory landscape. This EEA category celebrates the champions of the field.

The necessity of communicating an organisation’s corporate social responsibility initiatives has never been so urgent. Socially-conscious organisations proving purpose and value are highly-desirable to younger people especially, and increasingly act as a key differentiator in crowded markets. Stand-out examples of corporate social responsibility communications will be highlighted in this EEA category.

How can we involve the public audience into decision-making discussions and processes by utilizing PR & Comms? How can we leverage people’s active involvement for better decisions, more attention and acceptance, for strengthening our reputation and relations? In this EEA category, we honour PR & Comms campaigns or projects that involve people, their opinions, voices, ideas and perspectives for better results and increased positive communications dynamics.

Sustainable ways of life have become a core aspect of PR & Comms. It is no longer just certain companies that are taking up the issue and putting sustainability at the forefront of their communications. This EEA category honors campaigns and projects that are particularly effective in promoting climate protection goals and bringing about sustainable change.

Corporate Media and Tools

Annual and Corporate Social Responsibility reports showcase the year’s organisational, business and social achievements in a way that inspires stakeholders, elevates brand messaging and strengthens market positioning. They should also be a unique combination of meticulous data and compelling storytelling. The EEA of this category goes to a report which stands out.

Regardless of the size of an organisation, an internal platform for real-time exchange of opinions, news and messages is vital. Who is the champion of this EEA category? Please note: when applying for this project, please provide login details for the site/app so that the jury can access it, or a functioning online version that the jury can use.

A corporate website is the first and most lasting impression stakeholders will have of your organisation and brand. Comprehensive, clear and conveying the purpose, vision and culture of the organisation, only the most innovative and communicative websites will be rewarded in this EEA category.

The EEA in this category honours PR & Comms projects which creatively and efficiently integrate AI into an organisation’s web presence – sophisticated chatbots or virtual assistants, advanced data analysis or other AI-driven approaches. Beyond the technological approach the value for users is important here, for instance improved usability, tailor-made content or strengthened communication with stakeholders.

Social media: where messages are most direct, where diverse voices are amplified and where authenticity reigns. Sometimes at least, because it is also a hotbed of fake news, disinformation and noise. The best examples of corporate social media will successfully navigate these risks and rewards and will shine in this EEA category.

Bringing a world of emotion and excitement to corporate messaging, the corporate film or video translates the spirit, values, purpose and culture of an organisation into a visual dimension of cinematic sophistication. Examples that manage this with both conviction and innovation will be successful in this EEA category.

Building loyalty through video over several episodes offers organisations a unique opportunity to create content that grows audiences, tells stories in depth, build up real momentum and relations. The EEA in this category will reward a video series truly standing out.

Audio content has become an absolute cornerstone of our digital age – especially for younger target groups. Whether insightful or just entertaining, ideally both of it, or thrilling or surprising, even fascinating – podcasts are an extremely valuable asset for PR & Comms. This EEA category rewards a corporate podcast which is outstanding when it comes to content, reach and impact.

National and Regional Campaigns

51. United Kingdom, Ireland

52. Benelux & France

53. Spain, Portugal & Italy

54. Switzerland & Austria

55. Germany

56. Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland

57. Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia

58. Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia

59. Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria

60. The Balkans (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, Macedonia)

61. Mediterranean (Greece, Cyprus, Malta)

62. Turkey

Applications in this category are free of charge.