Facebook to reward small business advertisers in 2016 Facebook Awards

Facebook on Tuesday announced that entries are open for the 2016 Facebook Awards.

The awards, now in their fifth year, are designed to celebrate the best creative advertising work being shared on the Facebook platform as well as on Instagram.

Facebook expects the awards to experience continued growth in 2016 after it reviewed more than 2 700 submissions from 160 countries in 2015. It also says it’s aiming to internationalise the awards more this year in the wake of increased entries from outside the US.

For the first time, the awards will also recognise small business advertisers who have earned effective, eye-opening results.

Here’s Facebook’s breakdown of what’s new for 2016:

1. Internationalizing the Awards Program

• All countries will now have the ability to be recognized for great work within their region, with local creative executives from each region as judges at the Regional Voting Events.
  1. Regional awards: “Best of APAC”, “Best of EMEA”, “Best of LATAM” and “Best of NA”
• Top winners from each Regional Voting Events will move to the Global Judging Event
• The judging process is in three rounds this year due to the volume of entrants
  1. April: Members of the Facebook Creative Shop will review the submissions and announce those moving on to the Regional Voting Events
  2. May: Regional Voting Events take place and Best of APAC, LATAM, NA, and EMEA are selected
  3. June: The top winners of each Regional Voting Events will move to the Global Judging Event in NYC, where Global Creative Council will select the best campaigns in each category

2. Facebook Awards + SMB
For the first time ever, the FB Awards will recognize small business advertisers who have earned effective, eye-opening results. Winners of this category will also receive FB Ad Credits.

3. Updated Categories

• Recognizing more aspects of creative excellence in marketing and effective business results

1. Best Use of Facebook family of brands: Awarded to the most creative, original and well-executed Facebook and/or Instagram campaign concepts. Example: Lexus 1000 to 1
2. Innovation: Awarded to campaigns that aren’t only creative, but engage audiences in ways we’ve never seen before. Example: GT Ride – Viral Gaming for Kia
   Small business Awarded to those who successfully captured the attention of local audiences and drove gained results with creative thinking on Facebook and Instagram.

3. Social for good: Awarded to charitable/non-profit org campaigns that creatively and successfully raise awareness and drive positive social change using Facebook or Instagram. Example: ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, Kafa
4. Integrated: Awarded to campaigns that creatively use Facebook as part of a larger, overall media mix. Example: P&G Always “Like a Girl”

4. All Mobile Entry & Judging Process

• For the first time ever, the entry and judging process will be entirely mobile.