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VOLUME 42 ISSUE 6
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Molly Dall’Erta Director, Member Recognition and Programs, SMPS
MCA 2024
Discover the Perks of Throwing Your Hat in the Competition Ring
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Molly Dall’Erta Director, Member Recognition and Programs, SMPS
Football has the Vince Lombardi Trophy; hockey has the Stanley Cup; the film industry gives out Oscars; and Broadway has the Tony Awards. So, how does, SMPS honor winning projects within A/E/C firms? Through the Marketing Communication Awards (MCA)! So, step aside, MTV moonman, we have our own custom award, the M award!
Recognized by Hubspot, as one of the top marketing award programs worth entering, the MCA program provides an opportunity for firms to showcase their best marketing practices and to educate the A/E/C industries about the critical role of marketing. In its 47th year, this annual competition is the longest-standing, most prestigious awards program recognizing excellence in marketing and communications by professional services firms in the design and building industries.
You may be asking why should I enter a marketing competition? Here is how the MCAs benefits companies in multiple ways:

Validation

The MCA competition gives your team an opportunity to validate the value of your work. The process of submitting an entry to the MCA program allows marketers the added benefit of documenting and benchmarking the work they do for their firm.

Recognition

Offers recognition for your firm. Who doesn’t want to work for (or hire!) an award-winning firm? MCA provides a unique opportunity to showcase your firm as a leader in marketing communications through best practices. All finalists’ entries become part of an MCA Gallery, which offers great exposure.
Provides recognition for your marketing team. Get noticed by your colleagues and industry peers. MCA provides a unique opportunity for the marketing and communication teams of A/E/C firms to stand out and be recognized.

Benchmarking

Provides criteria that marketing teams can use with their marketing projects. Many entrants find the entry form questionnaire is a great resource for their marketing planning outside the MCA program. The criteria are based on five areas: marketing objectives, research/planning, target audience, messaging, and results.
Farnsworth Group’s marketing team was ecstatic to win not just one but two MCA Awards of Excellence this year! Winning these awards was a huge morale boost to our marketing team and our entire firm was excited to see our department’s accomplishments acknowledged on a national scale. This recognition has inspired us to keep pushing the boundaries of creativity for both our internal and external marketing materials. Additionally, it has become a powerful recruiting tool in the few months since we received this prestigious award. We even made a fun video of our award heading home to Farnsworth Group from the award ceremony!
— Stacy Chaney, CPSM, Farnsworth Group

Publicity

Entering the MCA competition can generate more media coverage to gain exposure for your firm and raise its profile by reaching a wider audience.

Employee Morale and Team Building

Entering an awards competition is a powerful way to say, “We’re proud of the work our team accomplishes!” It also offers an opportunity for your team to work together and synthesize that energy into a well-performing show of strength.
“It’s always fantastic to win an M! What makes the award extra special to us is the recognition of the firmwide teamwork that goes into it. Winning an M celebrates not just marketing prowess, but also the work and skill our technical staff bring to a winning submission, whether it’s for a holiday gift or our blog. Teamwork makes the dream work!”
— Melanie Pliskin, CPSM, GBBN

Peer Evaluation and Feedback

Every entrant receives feedback on their submission. The feedback offers great insight and has proven to be valuable for firms who enter the program.

Open Doors

The MCA competition can open doors to new opportunities, collaborations and partnerships within the industry.

Enter Today at www.smps.org/mcaentry. Our final deadline is March 22, 2024, and the early discount rate ends on February 15, 2024.
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Molly Dall’Erta supports the recognition of SMPS members, chapters, and firms for their achievements and excellence in A/E/C marketing and business development.
Contact Molly molly@smps.org