The Moodies: The inaugural digital, mobile and social media awards

INTERNATIONAL. Entries to the world’s first airport-specific digital, mobile and social media awards – dubbed ‘The Moodies’ – are coming in fast in advance of the closing date.

Entry for the awards is through a combination of self-nomination and judges’ selections.

The judging panel will be led by The Moodie Report Director Digital Media & Innovation Matt Willey, together with BBC Future Media & Technology/BBC Online Social Media Executive Nick Reynolds, Appleyard Communications Director Avril Appleyard and The Moodie Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie. Entries close on 12 October (note extended deadline).

Winners will be announced online via The Moodie Report.com, The Moodie Report and Foodie Report Facebook pages, The Moodie Report App and The Moodie Report Twitter feed.

The awards categories are listed at the foot of this article. The judges reserve the right not to award in any category where the quality criteria are not met.

SUBMISSIONS

Submissions are now being accepted via email at the following address: moodies@themoodiereport.com

Submissions should feature a textual overview of the nomination (no less than 400 words), including the thinking behind its creation and why it meets the criteria explained above. Nominations should also include supporting facts and figures and an overall review of the initiative’s success.

Any additional links, images or video are also welcome via email, YouSendit or WeTransfer to the email address listed above.

The criteria by which entries will be judged fall under six broad headings, making up the Moodie 100 scoring system, as follows:

QUANTIFIABLE IMPACT

Here, judges will use quantifiable yardsticks to measure the impact of each nomination. For instance, nominated Facebook pages will be rated by the number of ‘likes’ and ‘check ins’; YouTube presence will be rated by the number of ‘views’; while the number of followers generated by a Twitter account will be noted. For airports, annual traffic will be taken into account when assessing the number of ‘likes’, ‘views’ or ‘followers’ their social media presence generates.

CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT

Many companies are present in social media, but too often they fail to update that presence or use it to create a meaningful relationship with their customers. Our judges will rate nominations according to how well companies engage their customers through digital and social media, to the level of interaction they achieve, and to the quality of the conversation they are able to generate.

VISUAL APPEAL

Visual quality and impact is critical across all categories, and especially so for the crucial On-Airport, In-Store Digital Media category. Our judges will look for quality of imagery, creativity and excellence in execution.

QUALITY OF CONTENT

The ways in which companies use digital and social media diverge considerably. Our judges will focus on originality and breadth of content and on methods employed to win the traveller’s attention. Extra merit will be earned by those companies aiming to do more than merely sell a product or service, but that use new media to create excitement and interest in the location in which they operate.

INCENTIVE TO SPEND

How are airports and operators using digital and social media to win spend from travellers? And how are they then ensuring those travellers become loyal customers? Our judges will look in detail at the methods deployed to encourage spend and their effectiveness.

IMPACT ON THE TRAVELLER EXPERIENCE

Today, most travellers use mobile devices when they travel. The Moodies will look at how airports and retailers have tapped into the SoLoMo trend to make their customers’ experience easier and more enjoyable, whether through practical information, gift incentives or other initiatives.

Willey commented: “New media has been our speciality since we launched The Moodie Report back in 2002. Just as our own communication has been revolutionised by the embracing of new technology, so the whole way that the airport and travel retail sectors reach out to consumers is being transformed by the power of social and digital media.

“These awards are designed to champion and reward thought leadership, innovation and consumer interaction.”

‘The Moodies’ categories are:

FACEBOOK

Best Facebook Page – Airport

Best Facebook Page – Travel Retailer

Best Facebook Page – Food & Beverage Operator

Best Facebook Page – Supplier

TWITTER

Best Twitter Feed – Airport

Best Twitter Feed – Travel Retailer

Best Twitter Feed – Food & Beverage Operator

Best Twitter Feed – Supplier

Best Individual Tweeter

YOU TUBE

Best You Tube Video/Video Campaign by an Airport

Best You Tube Video/Video Campaign by a Retailer

Best You Tube Video/Video Campaign by a Food & Beverage Operator

Best You Tube Video/Video Campaign by a Supplier

MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Best single marketing campaign via a social media platform

MOBILE APP

Best Mobile App – Airport

Best Mobile App – Travel Retailer

Best Mobile App – Food & Beverage Operator

Best Mobile App – Supplier

ON-AIRPORT, IN-STORE DIGITAL MEDIA

Best use of Digital Media on the Concourse – Airport

Best use of Digital Media in-store – Travel Retailer

Best use of Digital Media on-airport – Food & Beverage Operator

Best use of Digital Media in-store – Brand

Best airport digital advertising campaign (various)

INTERNET

Best Airport Website – Overall

Best Airport Website – Retail and/or Food & Beverage

Best Travel Retailer’s Website – Airport, Airline, Downtown

Best Food & Beverage Operator’s Website

Best Travel Retailer Supplier/Brand Website

Best Mobile Website

SOCIAL MEDIA – OVERALL

Best Use of Social Media by an Airport – overall

Best Use of Social Media by an Airport Retailer

Best Use of Social Media by an Airport Food & Beverage Operator

Best Use of Social Media by a Supplier/Brand (travel retail specific)

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