APACD Awards FAQs

Q: What are the APACD Awards?
The APACD Awards are overseen by the APACD Board, which represents the region's premier association for in-house communications directors. The APACD Awards focus specifically on excellence and achievement by in-house communications teams and professionals. 

Q: What are the eligibility requirements?
The eligibility period is limited to the 18 months directly preceding 1 June 2023, and only allows entries from teams and professionals who are based in the Asia-Pacific region. 

Q: Who can enter?
The APACD Awards are open to anyone working in corporate communications, public relations, public affairs, marketing, digital and social media, investor relations, employee communications or any other field related to in-house reputation management and stakeholder engagement. We welcome entries without restriction, but they must focus specifically on teams and professionals working in in-house roles — ie, not PR, advertising, marketing or digital agencies. Consultancies and agencies are welcome to enter on behalf of their clients but the entry must focus on the in-house client.

Q: Can only APACD members enter?
Anyone can enter the APACD Awards, as long as the entry focuses specifically on teams and professionals working in in-house roles — ie, not PR, advertising, marketing or digital agencies.

Q: How many entries can I make?
You can create as many entries as you like.

Q: Can jury members enter the APACD Awards?
We welcome entries from individuals and companies on our judging panel. We make every effort to ensure that judges are not assigned to categories in which their own work is in competition, but winners are picked by panels of at least three judges — all of them senior figures with strong opinions. This makes it difficult — not to mention embarrassing — for judges to advocate on behalf of their own work.

Q: What if a judge is assigned to categories in which their own work is in competition?
We do not ask judges to recuse themselves from judging their own agencies’ work. Our experience is that most of our judges are capable to acting with integrity and delivering an honest verdict. The reality is that every campaign is judged by three or more judges, and so the ability of one judge to ‘play favorites’ is limited if none of the other judges agrees with their selection. Similarly, if judges do choose not to evaluate their own company’s work, that work will still rise to the top if the other judges like it.

Q: How should I format my entry?
While we are not prescriptive about the format that an entry must take, they must include the information as required by the entry criteria of the relevant category. For further guidelines, please see here. 

Q: Do you require budget information?
We do not require budget information and we understand that many clients are sensitive about releasing this information. If budget information is included (and many of our judges find it helpful), it will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Q: What is the judging process?
APACD Awards judges will judge each entry to determine the shortlist for each category. Finalists will then be invited to present to their relevant jury panel in August 2023, following which APACD Awards judges will determine Winners and Commendations, as required. 

Q: How much does it cost to enter?
A single entry costs $240.

Q: Are there discounts for APACD members?
Yes, APACD members can receive a 15% discount code by contacting us here. 

Q: What are the deadlines?
The early deadline for entries is July 1, 2023.  Although we will accept entries until August 12, 2023.