BalticBest 2023 takes place online in the format of a live show. 

All shortlisted works will be reviewed LIVE by the jury and the winners will be announced right before the end of each session. 

Since the judging session will be broadcasted live online, it means that unlike in most creative festivals, the entrants will get instant feedback from the jury.

Jury will vote live and the winners will be announced instantly – right at the end of each category voting.

The aim of the BalticBest marketing and advertising competition is to recognize outstanding creativity. Entries will be judged by an international jury, who will take into account the originality and quality of the creative ideas.

SUBMIT YOUR WORK HERE!

(first make your own profile, log in and then click this link again)

If you have any problems, please contact [email protected] or +372 502 8561

Submission deadline: 09.08.2023

Shortlist published: 18.08.2023

Live judging and awards announced: 23.08.2023

What are the conditions for entering the competition?

Entries submitted for the competition must be approved by the advertiser. All the submitted works must be used, published or broadcasted between 1 July 2022 and 31 July 2023. Ineligible works will be disqualified.

Why should you participate?

All shortlisted works will be reviewed by the jury during the live broadcast, which takes place online. It means that unlike in most creative festivals, the entrants will get feedback from the jury. Jury will also vote live and the winners will be announced instantly – right at the end of each category voting.

All BalticBest 2023 gold medals and Grand Prix will be sent free of charge by the festival organizer Best Marketing to the international creativity festival EPICA.

How much does it cost to participate?

The cost of submitting one entry per category is 125 € (VAT will be added where applicable). The Gold winners of Kuldmuna 2023 competition can participate with the discount of 50%. There are 21 different categories in the competition and the same entry can be submitted in several different categories.

NB! Since all Gold and Grand Prix winning entries will be submitted to the EPICA Awards free of charge, the winners will be able to enter two festivals for the price of one!

Who can participate?

The competition is open to advertising and marketing agencies, their clients, media agencies, filmmakers, photographers, design studios, and individuals from small countries with a population of under 5 million people from Europe – for example, Croatia, Georgia, Slovenia, Georgia, Iceland, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, etc.

The reason is simple – we have to compare what is comparable. Small countries face similar challenges: limited budgets, small teams, and high price sensitivity. We are convinced that, despite the limited resources, there are BIG ideas in small countries.

The categories are the following:

CATEGORIES

Balticbest has 21 different entry sections which represent the broad scope of communications:

DESIGN & CRAFT

GRAPHIC DESIGN: design craft that has been used as an aid in communication and experience to inform brand ethos and product messages.

PACKAGE DESIGN: Packaging used to promote, sell or display items.

WEB DESIGN: the execution of design to aid the function and use of the digital product. Including websites, online publications, microsites etc

FILM/VIDEO CRAFT: Films where the narrative has been enhanced by the artful management of the cinematography, visual components, editing, sound, animation etc

PRINT/OUTDOOR CRAFT: print or outdoor advertising where craft that has been used as an aid in communication and experience to inform brand ethos and product messages.

ADVERTISING/BRANDING

TV ADVERTISING: Films designed and aired on TV or in cinemas

ONLINE VIDEO & FILM: Films created with the primary intention of being shared and/or user-distributed online.

PRINT ADVERTISING: Work that uses print media innovatively, exhibits ingenuity and outstanding craftsmanship in published media

OUTDOOR/AMBIENT ADVERTISING: work that uses public spaces to telegraph a message or immerse consumers in a brand experience. Free-format outdoor advertising that leverages the use of public spaces, objects, and environments in an unconventional manner.

ONLINE/BANNER ADVERTISING: work which is enhanced and amplified by strategical use of online platforms.

INTEGRATED ADVERTISING: campaigns using at least three different media for a synergistic effect.

PERFORMANCE MARKETING/DIRECT

DIRECT MARKETING OFFLINE: work applicating customer relationships, directly targeting a specific audience with a call-to-action that produced measurable and meaningful results.

SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING (DIRECT MARKETING ONLINE): Creative way of using Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, email and/or other social media platforms for increasing conversions/sales.

PROMO AND ACTIVATION: Brand activation and CRM programs, loyalty schemes, special offers, competitions, in-store activities, merchandising, tie-ins, etc designed for immediate results or to reinforce long-term customer relationships. Installations or campaigns allowing consumers to engage directly with the brand, physical brand spaces such as exhibitions, museums, and pop-up stores, in-store displays and merchandising, operations targeting consumers at the point of sale.

CONTENT/COMMUNICATIONS

CORPORATE AND PUBLIC SERVICE PR: Sponsorship, PR campaigns, and other activities designed to achieve specific objectives in the media on an unpaid basis.

CONTENT MARKETING, BRANDED CONTENT AND BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT: How content marketing (blogs/podcasts/films/games/social media posts, etc) led to increased brand affinity and commercial success.

EVENTS: events, parties, festivals, stunts, etc to build the value and reputation of a brand or communication project.

GENERAL MARKETING

INNOVATIVE MEDIA & MARKETING/USE OF TECHNOLOGY: The use of creative technology to increase brand affinity and commercial success (objects or devices invented exclusively for a brand or a campaign, including vending machines, wearable technology, interactive installations etc). The execution/campaign that is enhanced or driven by the creative use, interpretation, analysis or application of data. Media innovation in traditional media (advertising and media planning that uses conventional media, including digital, in an original way). Media innovation in alternative media (advertising and media planning that invents a new medium to carry its message; ambient, stunts, guerrilla marketing, installations etc).

MARKETING EFFECTIVENESS: creative work that drove tangible business results and demonstrates hard results over the long term

MEDIA PLANNING EFFECTIVENESS: media planning work that drove tangible business results and demonstrates hard results.

B2B MARKETING: Legal, financial, B2B technology, consultancies & professional services, other business services, internal & corporate comms.