BSME Talent Awards 2025
Rules, Criteria and Categories
GENERAL RULES
The eligibility period is from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024. For digital work, the content should have been posted online in 2024. For print magazines, this applies to the sale/availability date, not the date on the cover. Only work published during this period may be submitted as supporting material.
All categories are open to both digital and print titles.
If you work on a print title, the majority of distribution/circulation must be in the UK.
Digital editions should be produced by a British company and aimed predominantly at a British audience.
Your title/digital platform must be published in English.
Part-time and freelance staff are eligible to enter with the approval of the relevant brand Editor / brand lead associated with the entry. For each piece of work submitted, you must ratify this with the editor of the appropriate brand.
If you/your team work across several brands, a joint entry is acceptable.
If you are the most senior member of your team, you are only eligible to enter the main BSME Awards and are therefore not eligible to enter the Talent Awards – e.g. creative directors, art directors, editors, editors-in-chief etc. You are, however, eligible for team entries (ie. teams of more than one person).
Acting members of staff may enter all categories, except deputy editor. They may only enter the Best Section Team category if they worked on a submitted project.
Entries must also comply with specific rules for each category which are individually outlined below.
All entries must submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words with a word count.
In the interests of transparency, all entrants must disclose on their award entry form if they have used artificial intelligence in their entry and give a brief explanation.
Where there is any conflict of interest, members of the panel of judges will be excluded from judging that category.
The decision of the BSME committee and judging panel is final. Feedback will not be provided.
Winners will be announced at the BSME Talent Awards 2025 event in June.
Please contact us directly if you have any questions relating to your entries.
CATEGORIES FOR 2025
Click on a link below to see specific rules for a category and access to entry form links
Note: The Best Innovation category is moving to the main BSME Awards in 2025. If you have a great innovation to celebrate, please save until later this year.
ENTRY FEES & DISCOUNTS
The member rate applies to the person responsible for submitting the entry (usually the editor of the title or the art director). Check each category below to confirm who should be the member in order for the discount to apply.
| Entry submitter is | Excl VAT | Inc VAT |
| BSME Member | £135.00 | £162.00 |
| BSME Non-Member | £175.00 | £210.00 |
| BSME Indy Member | £80.00 | £96.00 |
| BSME Indy Non-Member | £110.00 | £132.00 |
| Freelance | £65.00 | £78.00 |
Discounts
Enter a brand in three categories and receive a fourth entry FREE. Subsequent entries receive a 50% discount.
For example;
Entry 1 - Full price
Entry 2 - Full price
Entry 3 - Full price
Entry 4 - FREE **
All subsequent entries - 50% OFF **
** The complementary fee for the fourth entry will apply to the lowest priced entry for the brand
SPECIFIC RULES FOR EACH CATEGORY AND ENTRY FORM LINKS
BEST SUBBING/PRODUCTION TEAM
Supporting Statement
Judges will be looking for entries that demonstrate the impact of the subbing/production team, giving specific examples with documents that the easily show of changes to copy (e.g. tracked changes, etc) and explaining why heads, sells, quotes, captions or copy are right for the audience that the title, website or social content, including video, is aimed at. Please also cover the management of resources and any extras the team provides.
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words with a word count.
Submitter
The chief sub/production editor is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the subbing team. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
The chief sub/production editor should submit three separate pieces of work, with before and after copy, which show the expertise and skill of their team.
Please ensure the title’s editor should ratify each entry.
The judges will be looking for:
Consistency of style across content
Creativity of heads/sells
Quality of copy
Innovative approach to editorial production
Proof of why your skills are relevant to your title
Relevance to audience
BEST SECTION EDITOR/TEAM
Supporting Statement
Judges welcome submissions from any section editor or team – eg. fashion, food, features, beauty, news, etc (art teams are not eligible to enter this category and must enter Best Art Team instead). The judges are looking for a person/team that has excelled in contributing to the brand. The section can be within a title (digital or print) or it can be a ‘special’ online hub, supplement or project. Judges will also be looking at the quality of writing, pictures and the creative management of resources and evidence of audience engagement (for example, site analytics or circulation).
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words with a word count.
Submitter
The section editor is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the entrant/s. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
The section editor should submit three separate examples of relevant work. The title's editor should ratify each entry but may not be listed as an entrant as they are eligible to enter the main BSME Awards.
The judges will be looking for:
Editorial quality
Innovation
Relevance to audience
Evidence of audience engagement
Leadership and teamwork
BEST ART TEAM
Supporting Statement
Judges will be looking for original ideas, brilliant design and overall excellence and how these have been successfully translated to the brand or brands being worked on. We are also looking for any extra input the team provides and the creative management of resources.
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words with a word count.
Submitter
The art department head (or most senior person in the art department) is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the art team. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
The art department head should submit three separate pieces of work, which could be from one title or up to three separate titles, depending on the team’s remit. These may be stand-alone features or refer to a particular section of a title. The magazine editor should ratify each entry.
The editor of the title should ratify each entry.
The judges will be looking for:
Quality of design
Originality of ideas
Creative management of resources
Multimedia work
Relevance to audience
BEST DESIGNER
Supporting Statement
Submissions are welcomed from any designer of a British brand who is at least six months into their role.
Judges are looking for the star designer in a team - the individual who has demonstrated consistently brilliant design, helping to move a title forward.
Submissions should clearly explain how the designer’s work has contributed to the title’s success, paying particular attention to any innovations. Judges will be looking for exceptional creativity and originality and a designer who has helped create an easily recognisable and consistent brand identity.
For digital entries, judges will be looking for a designer who has carried that identity across all digital and social media platforms as well as video. They will also be looking for any interesting and clever use of fonts, imagery, digital graphics, and animation.
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words with a word count.
Submitter
The art department head (or most senior person in the art department) is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the designer. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply. The art department head is not eligible to enter this category.
Requirements
Three separate pieces of work should be submitted for this award. For digital entries this may include online features and social posts and video, where relevant. Work should be as varied as possible to showcase the designer’s breadth of ability.
Should you wish to enter more than one person for this category a separate entry must be submitted for each person.
The editor of the title should ratify each entry.
The judges will be looking for:
Quality of design
Innovation and originality
Creative vision
Relevance to audience
Easily recognisable and consistent brand identity
Interesting and clever use of fonts, imagery, graphics and digital tools and channels
BEST PICTURE TEAM
Supporting Statement
Picture editors and teams including researchers and designers are eligible to enter this category, providing they have researched or created the image/s themselves.
Judges will be looking for examples of work that demonstrate a unique vision. This could be an exclusive shoot, a single picture or a series of pictures that bring content to life. The creative use of resources is vital, and judges welcome entries from individuals who have created images with limited resources. The entry should include details about size of budget, timeframe and size of team, where relevant. Judges would also like to see evidence of how visuals have helped a brand move on artistically.
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words with a word count.
Submitter
The art department head (or most senior person in the art department) is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the picture team. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
Three separate examples of work should be submitted for this award. The editor of the title should ratify each entry.
The judges will be looking for:
Originality
Creativity
Best use of budget / resources
Evidence of collaboration with wider editorial team
Relevance for the brand
BEST WRITER - HEALTH & WELLNESS
Supporting Statement
Judges will be looking for exceptional flair and originality, expert knowledge of the subject matter, and the writer’s progression during the eligibility period. Please also explain why the writer’s work is appropriate to the magazine’s readership and what impact their writing has with its target audience.
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words.
Submitter
The editor is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the writer. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
Editors should provide three separate examples of work published during the eligibility period. Should you wish to enter more than one person for this category, a separate entry must be submitted for each individual.
The judges will be looking for:
Exceptional quality of writing
Exceptional flair and originality
How the journalist has brought their specialism to life
Expert knowledge of the subject matter
Impact on brand and audience
BEST WRITER - SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Supporting Statement
Judges will be looking for exceptional flair and originality, an evidence-based approach to the subject matter, and the writer’s progression during the eligibility period. Please also explain why the writer’s work is appropriate to the magazine’s readership and what impact their writing has with its target audience.
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words.
Submitter
The editor is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the writer. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
Editors should provide three separate examples of work published during the eligibility period. Should you wish to enter more than one person for this category, a separate entry must be submitted for each individual.
The judges will be looking for:
Exceptional quality of writing
Exceptional flair and originality
How the journalist has brought their specialism to life
Evidence-based approach to the subject matter
Impact on brand and audience
BEST WRITER - SPECIALIST (B2B)
Supporting Statement
Judges will be looking for exceptional flair and originality, expert knowledge of their B2B specialism, and the writer’s progression during the eligibility period. B2B can include any aspect of business, financial, professional or trade journalism. Judges would like to see how the writer has brought their specialism to life through their individual approach and exceptional quality of writing. Please also explain why the individual’s work is appropriate to the brand’s readership and what impact it has had on the target audience.
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words with a word count.
Submitter
The editor is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the writer. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
Editors should provide three separate examples of work published during the eligibility period. Should you wish to enter more than one person for this category, a separate entry must be submitted for each individual.
The judges will be looking for:
Exceptional quality of writing
Exceptional flair and originality
How the journalist has brought their specialism to life
Relevance with audience
Impact on the brand, including contribution to traffic and/or sales where relevant
BEST WRITER - SPECIALIST (Consumer)
Supporting Statement
Judges will be looking for exceptional flair and originality, expert knowledge of their consumer specialism, and the writer’s progression during the eligibility period. Consumer could include but is not limited to culture, fashion, food, motoring, sport, travel etc. Judges would like to see how the writer has brought their specialism to life through their individual approach and exceptional quality of writing. Please also explain why the individual’s work is appropriate to the brand’s readership and what impact it has had on the target audience.
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words with a word count.
Submitter
The editor is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the writer. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
Editors should provide three separate examples of work published during the eligibility period. Should you wish to enter more than one person for this category, a separate entry must be submitted for each individual.
The judges will be looking for:
Exceptional quality of writing
Exceptional flair and originality
How the journalist has brought their specialism to life
Relevance with audience
Impact on the brand, including contribution to traffic and/or sales where relevant
BEST WRITER - NEWS
Supporting Statement
Judges will be looking for exceptional news sense in an individual who has produced content for their brand or brands on or off line. Judges would like to see how the writer has set a news agenda with great reporting, strong exclusives and exceptional quality of writing. Please also explain why the individual’s work is appropriate to the brand’s readership as well as the impact it has.
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words with a word count.
Submitter
The editor is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the writer. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
Editors should provide three separate examples of work published during the eligibility period. Should you wish to enter more than one person for this category, a separate entry must be submitted for each individual.
The judges will be looking for:
Exceptional quality of writing
Evidence of great reporting and sourcing of news
How the journalist has brought their stories to life
Evidence of breaking exclusives and wider industry pick-up
Relevance and audience
Impact on the brand, including contribution to traffic where relevant
BEST WRITER - FEATURES
Supporting Statement
Judges will be looking for exceptional flair and originality of an individual who has produced outstanding features content and is a brilliant story-teller. Please also explain why the writer’s work is appropriate to the title’s readership or how they can adapt their style if working on multiple brands or platforms.
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words with a word count.
Submitter
The editor is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the writer. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
Editors should provide three separate examples of work published during the eligibility period. Should you wish to enter more than one person for this category, a separate entry must be submitted for each individual.
The judges will be looking for:
Exceptional quality of writing and story-telling
Exceptional flair and originality
How the journalist has brought their features to life
Relevance with audience
Impact on the brand, including contribution to traffic where relevant
BEST NEW WRITER
Supporting Statement
Judges will be looking for exceptional flair and originality of an individual in their first 5 years of professional writing who has produced outstanding features content and is a brilliant story-teller. Please also explain why the writer’s work is appropriate to the magazine’s readership or how they can adapt their style if working on multiple brands or platforms.
The writer should have no more than 5 years’ professional writing experience in magazine journalism. Please include brief, biographical information about the writer’s journalistic career to date.
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words with a word count.
Submitter
The editor is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the writer. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
Editors should provide three separate examples of work published during the eligibility period. Should you wish to enter more than one person for this category, a separate entry must be submitted for each individual.
The editor must confirm that the writer was aged under 30 years old on 31 March 2025.
The judges will be looking for:
Exceptional quality of writing and story-telling
Exceptional flair and originality
How the journalist has brought their features to life
Relevance with audience
Impact on the brand, including contribution to traffic where relevant
UNSUNG HERO
Supporting Statement
Unsung heroes are the secret powerhouses of many magazine and digital media brands: the superstars who work quietly and brilliantly in the background to keep all the plates spinning, come what may. The judges want to recognise and celebrate these talents who excel, yet elude the limelight.
The judges welcome submissions from editors wishing to nominate their editorial assistant or office junior, perhaps a writer, designer or managing editor who operates at an exceptional level, yet rarely wins the plaudits they deserve.
The submission should provide evidence of the individual’s superb day-to-day support, giving examples of editorial excellence, creativity, initiative, dedication and determination. In short, tell us why they deserve to be the BSME’s Unsung Hero.
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words with a word count.
Submitter
The editor is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the nominee. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
The editor should submit a supporting statement outlining why their nominee is an Unsung Hero worthy of the award. Please include examples of work, backed up by evidence and data where applicable, to prove the achievements of the individual concerned.
The judges will be looking for:
Editorial excellence
Reliability and collaboration
Initiative
Creativity
Dedication and determination
Measurable progress/development over the past year
BEST DEPUTY EDITOR (B2B)
Supporting Statement
A great deputy editor is an invaluable asset. The BSME committee wants to pay tribute to these editorial powerhouses who offer a unique blend of hard work, formidable organisational skills and an engine room of creative ideas.
Judges welcome submissions from editors in B2B publishing wishing to nominate their deputy for special recognition. Nominees need not carry the Deputy Editor title, but they must be the de facto deputy to the editor (e.g. managing editor, assistant editor, executive editor etc). The submission should give evidence of the deputy's superb day-to-day editorial support, as well as examples of creativity, initiative, leadership and audience understanding that mark out the nominee as an editor of the future.
Submitter
The editor is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the deputy. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words with a word count. Examples of supporting work are not required for this category, only a strong supporting statement outlining why they think their deputy is the best.
The judges will be looking for:
Editorial excellence
Evidence of invaluable support to the editor and the team
Evidence of organisation and leadership
Initiative and creativity
Understanding of the audience
BEST DEPUTY EDITOR (Consumer)
Supporting Statement
A great deputy editor is an invaluable asset. The BSME committee wants to pay tribute to these editorial powerhouses who offer a unique blend of hard work, formidable organisational skills and an engine room of creative ideas.
Judges welcome submissions from editors in consumer publishing wishing to nominate their deputy for special recognition. Nominees need not carry the Deputy Editor title, but they must be the de facto deputy to the editor (e.g. managing editor, assistant editor, executive editor etc). The submission should give evidence of the deputy's superb day-to-day editorial support, as well as examples of creativity, initiative, leadership and audience understanding that mark out the nominee as an editor of the future.
Submitter
The editor is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the deputy. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words with a word count. Examples of supporting work are not required for this category, only a strong supporting statement outlining why they think their deputy is the best.
The judges will be looking for:
Editorial excellence
Evidence of invaluable support to the editor and the team
Evidence of organisation and leadership
Initiative and creativity
Understanding of the audience
BEST VIDEO PRODUCER/TEAM
Supporting Statement
Judges welcome submissions from any video franchise featured on any digital or social media platform of a magazine brand. You may submit more than one entry for this category.
Judges will be looking for exceptional creativity, originality and impactfulness of an individual or team who have produced and edited either long-form or short-form video content (or both) as part of their brand’s 360 offerings. This could be across any content pillar - fashion, beauty, food, entertainment, news, celebrity, finance, health, travel etc. Judges would like to see how the team has answered and executed a brief or strategy, and used clever storytelling, graphics and editing techniques to engage with their audience. Please include separate cuts of the video that may have been used across different platforms (e.g. Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat Shows, TikTok, Instagram).
Submitter
The editor is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the team. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
The editor should submit three separate videos which should be as varied as possible on behalf of the video team or individual along with 500 words explaining what impact they have on the success of the brand’s views, reach, revenue, and content. Please include any accompanying metrics in terms of views, reach, engagement, and revenue to show the success of each video.
The judges will be looking for:
Exceptional creativity
Originality
Impactfulness- e.g shares, views, engagement, audience growth, revenue
Clever storytelling, graphics and editing techniques
Clear strategy for each platform
BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Supporting Statement
An individual or team who has grown a social media footprint in an innovative and highly engaging way on one or more social media platforms. Judges will be looking for editorial excellence, originality of ideas and for proven evidence of impressive growth of social followers, referral traffic, social media video revenue, affiliate revenue, social subscriber revenue, and engagement, plus a clear illustration of how the social activity has benefited the brand.
Open to any member of the creative team (except the editor) of a magazine brand who has developed the brand’s or their social media following to the benefit of their brand.
The judges will consider a member of an editorial team who has grown a unique and impressive social media following and influence of their own, which in turn reflects and benefits the values and KPIs of the brand they work on in a tangible way.
Please give examples of ways this person’s influence has benefited the brand they work on positively, both creatively and also in the brand’s relationship with commercial partners.
Submitter
The editor is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the social media team. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
The editor should submit three to five social posts along with accompanying data with up to 500 words explaining how the creator has used the brand’s channels, or their own reach and influence, in these posts to benefit the brand they work on, and enhance the reach of the work they do in their day job.
You may use metrics to support this such as year-on-Year growth %, Year-on-Year engagement growth %, views, comments, likes, shares, saves, retweets etc.
The judges will be looking for:
Originality and flair
Creative use of art, design, imagery and video
A clear strategy for each social media platform
Demonstrate via a campaign or viral moment that was cutting edge and social-first
How you have used social media as part of your brand’s wider objectives
Evidence of a unique and impressive social media following and influence
BEST CAMPAIGN
Supporting Statement
Judges welcome submissions from any editorial campaign featured on any platform by a British magazine brand. You may submit more than one entry for this category.
Judges will be looking to recognise editorial excellence and the editorial thinking behind the campaign, how the campaign was built, what resources were utilised and the impact. Include a description of the campaign and an explanation about why it deserves to win.
Submitter
The editor is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the social media team. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
The editor should submit a supporting statement and include no more than three pages supporting examples of the campaign. Should you wish to enter more than once for this category a separate entry must be submitted for each campaign.
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words with a word count.
The judges will be looking for:
Editorial strategy underpinning the campaign
Originality
How the campaign was built, what resources were utilised and quality of execution
Relevance to brand
Resonance with readers
Measurable impact
BEST PODCAST (B2B)
Supporting Statement
Any podcast featured on digital or social media platforms of a magazine brand. You may submit more than one entry for this category.
Judges will be looking for exceptional creativity, originality and impactfulness of the podcast.They will want to see how the team has devised a unique concept or format, thoroughly researched and thoughtfully structured the content, secured excellent talent and developed a deep connection with their listeners in a tangible way. The winning podcast will be a genuinely compelling listen, fronted by engaging presenters who are adept at steering, challenging and otherwise encouraging their guests.
The judges will consider how the podcast has performed in terms of listeners, engagement time, revenue, promotional strategy and impact. Audio editing techniques, music and promotional design will also be considered, as will podcasts hosted on YouTube or non-audio platforms.
Submitter
The digital editor (or line manager) is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the social media team. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
The digital editor/line manager should submit the following:
Three full podcast episodes accompanied with a time range of 10-15 minute “best of” segment for each episode. The episodes and time ranges selected should demonstrate the best of what the podcast has to offer in terms of content, performance, and impact.
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words with a word count. You may also include any accompanying metrics for each episode, and averages for the podcast overall, in terms of listens, engagement time, followers, revenue, and promotional strategy.
Should you wish to enter more than one podcast for this category a separate entry should be submitted for each show.
The judges will be looking for:
Exceptional creativity
Originality - of the format, concept or certain episodes
Impactfulness and performance - listens, engagement time, revenue, and promotional strategy
Clever storytelling, graphics and audio editing techniques
Clear promotional strategy and how it fits with the wider editorial brand
BEST PODCAST (Consumer)
Supporting Statement
Any podcast featured on digital or social media platforms of a magazine brand. You may submit more than one entry for this category.
Judges will be looking for exceptional creativity, originality and impactfulness of the podcast.They will want to see how the team has devised a unique concept or format, thoroughly researched and thoughtfully structured the content, secured excellent talent and developed a deep connection with their listeners in a tangible way. The winning podcast will be a genuinely compelling listen, fronted by engaging presenters who are adept at steering, challenging and otherwise encouraging their guests.
The judges will consider how the podcast has performed in terms of listeners, engagement time, revenue, promotional strategy and impact. Audio editing techniques, music and promotional design will also be considered, as will podcasts hosted on YouTube or non-audio platforms.
Submitter
The digital editor (or line manager) is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the social media team. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
The digital editor/line manager should submit the following:
Three full podcast episodes accompanied with a time range of 10-15 minute “best of” segment for each episode. The episodes and time ranges selected should demonstrate the best of what the podcast has to offer in terms of content, performance, and impact.
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words with a word count. You may also include any accompanying metrics for each episode, and averages for the podcast overall, in terms of listens, engagement time, followers, revenue, and promotional strategy.
Should you wish to enter more than one podcast for this category a separate entry should be submitted for each show.
The judges will be looking for:
Exceptional creativity
Originality - of the format, concept or certain episodes
Impactfulness and performance - listens, engagement time, revenue, and promotional strategy
Clever storytelling, graphics and audio editing techniques
Clear promotional strategy and how it fits with the wider editorial brand
BEST NEWSLETTER
Supporting Statement
Email newsletters are one of the most important and creative ways for magazine brands to engage readers and subscribers, build a loyal and returning audience, and drive digital traffic and other brand activities.
The BSME is recognising email newsletters and rewarding the teams who build and produce them. The judges will be looking for a newsletter that combines editorial excellence and flair with a data mindset to drive engagement and traffic, enhance the reputation of the brand and stand out from the competition.
Entrants should explain the frequency of their newsletter, provide visual examples of their work and analytics (such as audience numbers, email and story open rates, site traffic and/or revenue) to demonstrate the effectiveness of their work and, where relevant, growth during the judging period.
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words.
Submitter
The editor is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the writer. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
The editor should submit a supporting statement outlining why their newsletter team is worthy of the award. Please include three examples of newsletters (please supply in a PDF format), backed up by evidence and data where applicable, to prove the achievements of the individual concerned.
The judges will be looking for:
Exceptional creativity and originality – of the overarching concept and format and/or as showcased by particular episodes
A truly engaging listen, including compelling presentation style and/or skillful interviewing techniques
Solid crafting, from depth of research and guest selection through to clever storytelling, smart use of graphics and audio editing techniques
Clear promotional strategy and how it fits with the wider editorial brand
Impactfulness and performance: listens, engagement time, revenue and (ideally qualitative) proof of growth
BEST AFFILIATE EDITOR/TEAM
Supporting Statement
Affiliate teams are a key part of many magazine brands in search of new revenue streams. Affiliate journalists offer a hybrid between journalism and commerce – and balance the fine line between the two. Teams that do it well help build authoritative and authentic content that drives traffic, creates trust with the reader and provides a welcome revenue stream for many publishers.
The judges will be looking for journalists who bring editorial integrity and commercial flair to their brand, maintaining quality while synthesising data and driving significant earnings.
The best affiliate teams will be judged on the authenticity of their reviews, buying guides and shopping edits, as well as evidence of their ability to use search intent data to recognise high traffic commerce opportunities, their creativity, initiative, dedication – and their financial growth results.
For this category, judges welcome submissions from editors wishing to nominate their commerce teams (or standalone commerce writers) who operate at an exceptional level and have proved that commerce content can reflect high journalistic values and the brand’s editorial pillars.
Please submit a supporting statement of no more than 500 words (with a word count).
Submitter
The editor is responsible for submitting this entry on behalf of the team. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
The editor should submit a supporting statement outlining why their affiliate team is worthy of the Best Affiliate Team award. Please include examples of work, backed up by evidence and data where applicable, to prove the achievements of the individual concerned.
The judges will be looking for:
Journalistic integrity
Authentic work that reflects the brand’s key content pillars
Best use of data
Creativity
Financial growth
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AWARD
Supporting Statement
The Diversity and Inclusion Award is to recognise an individual or team that is championing diversity and inclusion within their brand or to their audience. This can be via print, web, social, campaign, brand extension, podcast, processes, or an initiative which enhances or promotes diversity and inclusion across the editorial business and/or industry as a whole.
It must have shown a clear strategy to address challenges around diversity or build on work previously done in this area and can include content which has promoted inclusivity within the industry at large or wider society. Judges will be looking for content designed to address diversity issues, the impact of the entry, and tangible evidence of how efforts have been received.
You may submit more than one entry for this category. Campaigns should be entered in the Campaign category.
Submitter
The head of the team or line manager of this entry on behalf of the entrant. If this person is a member of the BSME then member rates apply to this entry, otherwise, non-member rates apply.
Requirements
Editors should submit a supporting statement and include no more than 500 words supporting examples of diversity and inclusion.
The title's editor should ratify each entry.
The judges will be looking for:
A consistent focus on making the world of media more accessible and inclusive
Clear evidence of the impact within the company and/or the wider editorial industry or society
Best practice for promoting a more diverse editorial workforce
Any systemic change that has come from the initiative
How sustainable it is in the long-term