What You Should Know Before Choosing an “Award-Winning” Marketing Agency
In the world of advertising and marketing, awards often serve as shorthand for credibility and creative excellence. “Award-winning marketing agency” sounds impressive. But what exactly does “award-winning” mean? And more importantly, are all marketing awards created equal?
If you’re a business leader looking to hire a marketing agency, it’s worth digging beneath the surface of that “award-winning” label. At The Barbauld Agency, we believe in transparency, strategy, and measurable impact. That means celebrating the right wins and helping clients understand what those wins truly represent.
In this post, we’ll break down what differentiates top-tier marketing awards from the rest, why it matters to your business, and what to look for when choosing an agency with credentials that actually mean something.
WHY DO MARKETING AWARDS MATTER?
At their best, marketing awards validate smart strategy, creative thinking, and real results. They can:
Showcase the caliber of work an agency produces.
Provide third-party recognition from industry peers.
Reinforce that the agency stays on the cutting edge of media, design, and digital innovation.
Boost internal morale and attract top-tier talent.
But not all awards carry the same weight. Some are local or pay-to-play, while others—like the Telly Awards, Webby Awards, ADDYs (American Advertising Awards), and Cannes Lions—are globally recognized benchmarks for excellence. Understanding the difference can help you avoid being swayed by an agency that touts awards without context.
KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MARKETING AWARDS
Let’s explore the major factors that set industry-leading awards apart from the rest.
1. Number of Entries
Top-tier awards attract a high volume of submissions, which intensifies competition and the prestige associated with winning. For example:
The Telly Awards receive over 13,000 entries annually from all 50 states and six continents.
The Webby Awardstypically receive around 13,000 entries from nearly every country.
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity sees more than 25,000 entries each year.
By contrast, some lesser-known or niche awards may receive just a few hundred submissions. While winning is still an achievement, the smaller applicant pool significantly affects the level of distinction.
High-prestige marketing awards attract entries from around the globe. That’s a key indicator of both competitiveness and influence. Cannes Lions, for instance, draws campaigns from over 100 countries. Similarly, the Webby Awards are global in scope, recognizing websites, digital ads, social content, and more from agencies and brands across continents.
Agencies that win these awards have been judged against international standards, not just local or regional work.
3. Percentage of Winners
One of the clearest ways to evaluate an award’s value is to look at how many submissions win.
- At the Telly Awards, only about 20–25% of entries win a Bronze, Silver, or Gold award.
- ADDY Awards begin at a local level and move to district and national levels, with only a fraction making it to national recognition.
- The Webby Awards have two tiers: Honorees (about 25% of entries) and Winners (fewer than 10%).
Some awards, especially newer or pay-to-play ones, hand out “honors” or certificates to a much higher percentage of entrants, sometimes upwards of 50–60%. These can be morale boosters, but don’t carry the same weight when evaluating agency talent.
4. Past Nominees and Winners
If past winners of an award include global brands and leading agencies, that award is likely reputable. For instance:
- Webby Award winners include agencies that have worked with clients such as Spotify, Netflix, Nike, and The New York Times.
- Cannes Lions have recognized campaigns from Apple, Dove, and Burger King.
- ADDY Award winners range from national brands to standout local campaigns, depending on the competition tier.
If an agency lists an award you don’t recognize, look up who else has won it. If the list primarily includes small firms, solo consultants, or lesser-known work, the award may be easier to obtain but less meaningful as a measure of quality.
5. Size and Reputation of Winning Agencies
Top-tier awards don’t just go to mega-agencies. Smaller and mid-sized firms (like ours) win them too—but it’s rarer. That rarity is the point.
A small agency that wins a Telly, ADDY, or Webby award is punching above its weight. It shows that their work stacks up against some of the most prominent in the industry.
In 2020, The Barbauld Agency won a Silver Addy for the Porterfield Family Chiropractic Quote Wall.
Lower-tier awards, by contrast, often feature only small agencies. While this isn’t inherently bad, it’s essential to understand the playing field. Was the work judged against Fortune 500-caliber campaigns, or local ads with little strategy or budget?
6. The Campaign Itself
Not all award-winning campaigns are created equal, either. Top-tier competitions often highlight campaigns that:
- Solved a real problem
- Generated measurable results
- Engaged a specific target audience creatively and effectively
- Took calculated risks in storytelling, media, or branding
When evaluating an agency’s awards, ask:
- What campaign won?
- What was the challenge and solution?
- What metrics were achieved?
- How does that compare to your business goals?
At The Barbauld Agency, we don’t just submit work that “looks good.” We choose entries that show strategic thinking, collaboration, and results—because those are the campaigns that move the needle for our clients.
7. Judging Criteria and Process
Reputable awards are judged by panels of industry experts who follow standardized scoring systems. For example:
- The Telly Awards use a panel of over 200 industry professionals.
- Cannes Lions judging is divided into category-specific juries comprising creative directors, strategists, technologists, and media buyers from around the world.
- Webby Awards are judged by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, which includes figures from The New York Times, Adobe, Wired, and more.
Lower-tier awards may rely on public voting, use a small pool of judges, or have limited transparency into how winners are chosen. That makes it harder to assess the quality or objectivity of the award.
How to Evaluate an Agency’s “Award-Winning” Credentials
Here are a few tips to help you determine whether those marketing trophies truly mean something:
- Ask which awards they’ve won. Then look them up.
- Ask what campaign won. What was the objective? What results were achieved?
- Look at the competition. Who else entered and won that year?
- Read the judging criteria. Was it judged by industry professionals or decided by votes?
- Check for pay-to-play. Some awards exist mainly as revenue streams for organizers. That doesn’t mean they’re scams—but it does affect prestige.
Most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask how those awards translate to results for your business. Awards should be a signal, not the whole story.
WHY WE SUBMIT TO
TOP-TIER AWARDS
At The Barbauld Agency, we don’t chase awards for vanity.
We submit when we believe the work:
- Demonstrated a clear strategy
- Surpassed client goals
- Involved meaningful collaboration
- Innovated in its execution or delivery
Winning industry-recognized awards is a point of pride, but we do it for the same reason we build campaigns: to help our clients grow and succeed.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
SUBSTANCE OVER HYPE
If you’re looking for a truly award-winning marketing agency, ask the deeper questions. The best agencies are transparent about what they’ve won, how they won it, and what it says about their approach to client success.
Our advice? Don’t be dazzled by the trophy case. Be impressed by the strategy behind the spotlight.
Looking for an
AWARD-WINNING
MARKETING PARTNER?
At The Barbauld Agency, we bring more than just industry recognition to the table. We bring strategic thinking, bold creativity, and data-driven results, backed by award-winning campaigns that made a real impact. Check out our portfolio to see our award-winning work.
Contact us today to see how our experience can work for your business.
