The judging process for this year’s B&T Awards (presented by YouTube) isn’t quite over yet, with the first lot of shortlisted entrants getting ready to prove their worth once again.
Yes, that’s right – all the finalists who were named in part one of the B&T Awards 2021 shortlist (not part two) will participate in a (virtual) live judging day, sponsored by Twitch, on Monday 11 October, which is less than two weeks away.
To help all the companies with their preso, B&T has been catching up with some of the judges to get their hot tips on how to impress and what not to do.
If you haven’t already, it’d be well worth checking out our interview with The Leach Partnership’s William Leach.
Here, we chat to Ricky Chanana, head of sales for Australia and New Zealand at Twitch…
Firstly, why did Twitch decide to come on board as a sponsor of this year’s B&T Awards?
After a challenging year-and-a-half, we are excited to come together to celebrate the incredible results the industry has achieved despite being in the midst of a pandemic. At Twitch, we want to celebrate the power of creativity and the people behind each inspiration and innovative campaign that we see.
What should the winners of this year’s B&T Awards represent?
In my opinion, the most important attributes the winners of this year’s B&T Awards would represent is perseverance and resilience. Every single nominee deserves kudos for pushing through and achieving exceptional results during these difficult times.
As a judge for this year’s B&T Awards, is there some sort of formula or strategy you’ll be implementing during the live round to uncover the cream of the crop?
I’m always on the lookout for projects/campaigns that greatly improve the consumer journey with marketing to deliver customised content to their audiences through an integration of channels. This year, it is great to see so many entries that demonstrated how they pivoted and explored new ways of reaching out to audiences.
What’s going to really grab your attention and keep it? Are you a fan of theatrics when it comes to live pitches?
I’m down for stage-stealing moments but, ultimately, the data and numbers from a campaign will determine if something works. What will grab my attention is a balance of data-driven insights and an idea that makes me go, “Why did I not think of that?”
What are some absolute no-nos when it comes to live pitching?
Practice makes perfect: Don’t just wing it – make full use of this opportunity and showcase your passion.
Don’t make up numbers: Data makes the world go round and it’s the same for successfully building a convincing pitch. Be objective, not subjective.
Don’t trash talk your competition: Embrace the adventure; speaking ill of others is a reflection of a lack of confidence.
Will you show sympathy for any tech glitches that finalists might suffer during their live pitch?
Of course! Twitch is all about embracing live, regardless of the technical glitches that may happen during a stream – that’s the beauty of live.
Is there a preparation checklist finalists should be following prior to live judging day?
As the judges come from different backgrounds, it’s important to be open to understanding various perspectives. Most importantly, if you’re unsuccessful this time around, take the learnings and come back even stronger next year. Remember, a bend in the road is not the end of the road.
This year’s B&T Awards will take place on Friday 12 November at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney. You can secure your spot now HERE and then get your glad rags ready to celebrate what has been another year of brilliant work by adland!
B&T can’t wait to welcome guests to the Hordern Pavilion for a COVID-safe event! Adhering to the current NSW Public Health Order, all guests are to provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or NSW Health-approved vaccination exemption upon entry to the venue.
Kudos to all of our sponsors for this year’s B&T Awards. We wouldn’t be able to put on the industry’s favourite event without your support!
