Effectiveness entries are judged on the following 100 point basis:

Degree of difficulty	15 points
Strategy	15 points
Creative	15 points
Effectiveness	55 points

It's important to remember that Effectiveness entries are judged primarily upon the results achieved and the strategy behind the work. The creative solution plays the smallest role in judging. As a result, winners will be excellent examples of the most effective direct marketing in which:

• Objectives and strategy are clearly stated within a business and marketing context
• Results meet or exceed the stated objectives
• An innovative, strategic approach is taken and creative execution produced

Creative entries are judged on the following 100 point basis:

Degree of difficulty	10 points
Strategy	15 points
Creative	60 points
Results	15 points

It's important to note that Creative entries are judged primarily upon originality and execution of the work, but strategy and results will also play a role in judging. As a result, winners will be examples of the most creative direct marketing demonstrating:

• A big, new idea
• Flawlessly executed work within the stated budget
• Innovation in approach or format
• An offer, purposeful call to action and measurable response
• Meaningfully expressed results which meet or exceed the stated objectives

There are 4 major awards that are judged with their own set of criteria.

The Lester Wunderman Effectiveness Award will be the entry judged to be the best in class by the Effectiveness Panel. To be eligible, an entry must have appeared in an Effectiveness category.

The Creative Award of the Year will be the entry judged best in class by the Creative panel. To be eligible, an entry must have appeared in at least one Creative category.

The Australia Post Winged Messenger Award is also judged by the Creative panel as the best in class mail entry. To be eligible, an entry must have appeared in at least one of the four Mail categories.

As our ultimate award, the ADMA Grand Prix is judged by an executive group of judges drawn from both the Effectiveness and Creative panels and including both Chairs. To be eligible, an entry must have been included in at least one Creative and one Effectiveness category.

The processes of judging for all categories have been designed to ensure a level playing field for all entrants and that entry is professionally and impartially judged on its merits. There are rules and guidelines that judges must adhere to including:

• To prevent bias, judges must abstain from voting on their own work and the work of their company, both past and present
• To ensure proper consideration of all entries, judges must take time to read and assess each one carefully
• To help protect the integrity of the Awards, entrants may be contacted during judging to confirm entry calculations and results.
• To prevent a judge exerting improper influence over the panel, there is no discussion amongst judges unless mediated by the Chair
• To ensure independent voting, judges conduct a secret ballot using an electronic voting system
• Final results are not revealed to judges and remain confidential until the Awards Presentation

Representing the industry's highest calibre in professional and personal standards, there are four separate judging panels.

To ensure a balanced judging process, clients and industry specialists, as well as Agency account service and creatives, are included on all panels.

Find out who this year's judges are here.