In July 2025, we launched a survey asking our audience for feedback on which categories they’d like to see from the East Anglian Marketing Awards. We didn’t do this to be performative or just to garner attention; we really wanted to hear from you. It was only after the survey submissions closed on Friday, 25th July, that we landed on our first official draft of the category list (which will likely still evolve further).
So, having trawled through the data, we thought you might like to see some of the feedback. If you’re nosey like us, we hope this can serve as a little thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.
We began the survey by reminding everyone of the existing Individual categories we had in the Norfolk Women’s Marketing Awards (plus some extras) – to give everyone a starting point to think around. Then we dove straight in:
Question 1: If you could enter and win any award, what would it be?
When we asked, “If you could enter any award, what would it be?” – you didn’t hold back. Every response was oddly specific and tuned to a niche: from best directed shoot to education initiative, B2B lead gen to community engagement. It was a reminder of just how broad and specialised marketing really is.
Of course, we can’t have 16 million ultra-specific categories without boring everyone to tears (or hiring a second venue). But your answers gave us real food for thought, especially when it came to shaping the Work Awards. We already knew from running the Norfolk Women’s Marketing Awards that catch-alls like Best Campaign or Best Creative just don’t cut it. They’re too vague, and people don’t know where they fit.
So instead, we’ve introduced categories that speak more directly to the kind of work you’re doing – whether that’s on a shoestring budget, in a specific medium, or with a particular community in mind. You asked for more clarity and relevance, and we’ve done our best to deliver it.
Your answers:
Some answers were clear and category-ready – like The Marketer, Leader of the Year, Freelancer, or The Creative – which cropped up more than once. Others reflected a deep desire for more nuanced or values-based recognition, with entries like Perseverance, Partnership, Allyship, or Sustainable Business.
A few responses were wonderfully personal or tongue-in-cheek – ranging from “Standing ovation” to “An Oscar” or “Booker Prize” (you made me chuckle, so thank you!). Some shared heartfelt reflections on working in overlooked sectors like charities or juggling everything solo in a one-person marketing team.
Recurring themes included:
- Leadership and resilience
- Creativity and impact
- Recognition for teamwork and partnerships
- And, above all, the emotional weight behind the work marketers do.
I can assure you – you’ve been heard.
Question 2: Which type of award would you be likely to enter?
In the survey, we offered 3 options: Individual Awards, Work Awards, or Team Awards – a new approach for us, having only had 8 Individual categories and 2 Business categories in our previous awards programmes.
One of the key reasons for introducing the Work Awards is to address the rarity of a single person being solely responsible for a marketing campaign. Our judges have advised us that, when considering nominees for our previous categories, The Marketer and The Creative, it was incredibly challenging to separate the individual from their work. How can you judge someone’s creativity without seeing examples of their output? How can you judge the skill of a Marketer without analysing their results? Meaning these ‘Individual awards’ were really Work Awards in disguise.
And, while most people told us they’d be keen to enter individual awards, we were excited to see a significant proportion also showed interest in team and campaign-focused categories. In fact, over a third of respondents said they’d like the option to enter all three – highlighting the need for a broad but clear structure.
Questions 5&6: What would make you more or less likely to enter a category?
What Makes You More Likely to Enter?
✅ Simple entry forms – bullet points over big essays!
✅ Clear eligibility guidance
✅ Plenty of category options so you’re not ruled out early
What Puts You Off?
❌ Long forms and vague categories
❌ Entry fees
❌ Not knowing if you’re a “fit”
And, we must say, we’re inclined to agree! The good news? The East Anglian Marketing Awards are free to enter, with a simple 3-step nomination form, and (what we hope you’ll agree is) clear entry guidance.
In Summary
It’s pretty hard to come up with categories that will tick everyone’s boxes, but we’ve always known we can’t be everything to everyone. And, while we can’t reveal all of our plans quite yet, we can tell you that:
- The inaugural East Anglian Marketing Awards will have under 20 categories (so you won’t have to sit through a 5-hour-long ceremony).
- Our categories will be free to enter.
- We’ll have a broad range of Individual, Work and Team awards – designed so that there should be at least one category everyone could be eligible for.
- This initiative is non-profit and community-driven, so we’ll do our best to represent the East Anglian marketing community as best we can.
Thank you all again so much for taking the time to answer our survey. We’re so grateful for your engagement and ideas. Watch this space.