A social media awards contest with some sparkle

"Redefining an awards ceremony for the 21st century" is a bold descriptor for somecommsawards, a contest to celebrate the best in UK social media and, in the words of organizers Nicky and Andy Wake, "recognise the mavericks and  pioneers who are revolutionizing the use of online to communicate in cool and innovative ways."

[…] there’ll be a relaxed dress code, lots of surprises and enough tech to outdo the illuminations. The awards will be presented at The Hilton, Manchester on Thursday 9 December which ties in nicely with our city being the birthplace of the modern computer.

I’ve known Nicky and Andy since the early days of social media awareness-raising  – when it was known only as blogging and podcasting – and helping business understand it all, so I’m more than pleased to be part of it as one of the judges. They’ve gained some serious credibility over the past few years for the types of events they successfully do, and how they do them, with their event business Don’t Panic Projects.

The time for submitting your entries has been open since mid August. The closing deadline is fast approaching, though – you must have your entries in by September 20. You can choose from 14 categories including best use of Twitter, best industry blog, low-budget campaign, best in-house team, and more.

The contest is free to enter: you’ll pay to participate in the awards ceremony. So if you only wanted to enter, it won’t cost you a bean. But if you don’t come to the awards, you’ll miss those surprises and other things at the event on December 9 that I think will be unmissable.

More information on the somecommsawards website where you can also download the entry form (zip containing Word doc).

Remember: closing deadline for entries is September 20. Good luck and hope to to see you in Manchester on December 9!