The organizers of the annual Uganda Marketing Excellence Awards (UMEAs), Evolve Africa, have decided to extend the deadline for submissions for the 2023 awards. Initially set for October 22nd, the new submission deadline is now October 31st.
Shafique Ssemakula, one of the co-founders of these prestigious awards, explained that the extension was prompted by numerous requests from eager participants who sought more time to refine their entries.
“This extension offers an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the remarkable contributions of marketers and brands in Uganda,” said Ssemakula. He further elaborated that the decision to extend the deadline by a few days was driven by the desire to facilitate the preparation of more polished submissions.
Ssemakula also highlighted the promise of an even more exciting UMEAs edition for this year, thanks to the involvement of a distinguished panel of judges and strong support from various sponsors. His encouragement resonated with marketers and brands, urging them to seize the extended deadline as an opportunity to craft exceptional submissions.
A panel of six well-known industry professionals, meticulously chosen based on their leadership, contributions to the profession and brands, experience, and academic qualifications, will bear the responsibility of evaluating and selecting the winners for this year’s UMEAs.
This esteemed panel of judges comprises Rd. Benedict Mugerwa, Ngulumi Immaculate Nabatte, Johnpaul Okwi, Jackie Rukare Namara, Rogers Anguzu, and Barbra Arimi Teddy. Their task involves assessing entries across multiple categories to identify finalists and eventual winners, ensuring a level playing field for marketing professionals and brands of all sizes and sectors.
The UMEAs of 2023 are expected to be highly competitive, showcasing the innovation and creativity within Uganda’s marketing industry. As the awards enter their third year, they continue to celebrate exceptional marketing campaigns and initiatives that have made a significant impact in the industry.
The UMEAs 2023 are organized by Evolve Africa and sponsored by an array of organizations including I&M Bank, Kampala Serena Hotel, Centenary Bank, NSSF, Equity Bank, KFM, NTV, Spark TV, Daily Monitor, Radio City, Matooke Republic, Wango App, and Kadanke Brand House.
To submit entries in any of the categories, interested parties need to visit the UMEAs website at https://umeawards.org/entry-submission-form/.
The UMEAs 2023 offer several awards categories, including:
- Advertising campaign of the year
- Best use of partnership marketing
- Best use of digital marketing
- PR Campaign of the year
- Best innovation – new product/service
- Experiential marketing Campaign of the year
- Best Not for profit/Social good campaign (NEW – For entry but not for public vote)
- Best ESG campaign (NEW – For entry but not for public vote)
- Rising Agency of the year (For entry but not for public vote)
- Agency of the year (For Entry, not for public vote)
- Marketing Campaign of the year (For entry but not for public vote)
- UMEAs Marketing Pioneer Award (Not for entry and public vote)
The criteria for nominations and eventual winners of the Uganda Marketing Excellence Awards 2023 will encompass:
- Strategy alignment in relation to campaign objectives and costs/budgets
- Implementation in terms of creativity, target audience reach, and challenges faced
- Impact in terms of Return on Investment and budget control
Important Timelines:
- Submission Deadline: Tuesday, October 31, 2023
- Finalists Announcement: Monday, November 13, 2023
- Awards Gala: Thursday, December 1, 2023
