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Silver Quill FAQs

WHAT IS THE ENTRY DEADLINE?

Enter by Sept. 20, 2023 and pay a reduced entry fee. The final deadline is Sept. 27, 2023.

WHAT IS THE TIMEFRAME FOR ENTRY SUBMISSIONS?

Work submitted should be work implemented, published or broadcast between Jan. 1, 2022 and the day of submission. If you entered your work in 2021 or 2022 and it did not win an award, you may revise and re-enter your project as long as the work was imple­mented, published or broadcast between Jan. 1, 2021 and the day of submission. Entries that have won in previous years may not be resubmitted. All entries must be submitted and paid for online.

WHERE CAN I GET HELP TO PREPARE MY ENTRY?

You can find detailed information on divisions and categories, as well as directions on how to prepare your entry in the 2023 IABC Silver Quill Awards Call for Entries. IABC has also created How-To guides for the Gold Quill Awards which provide detailed reference to the criteria used to evaluate your entry. There are four versions —

CAN I SUBMIT MORE THAN ONE ENTRY?

You may submit as many entries as you wish. You will need to submit a separate entry form, work plan and work sample for each entry.

CAN I SUBMIT THE SAME ENTRY IN MORE THAN ONE CATEGORY?

You can submit the same entry into any category, provided it fits the category description. For example, if you are submitting a multimedia campaign targeted at several audiences, you may enter it in Marketing, Advertising and Brand Communication, Community Relations, Issues Management and Crisis Communication, and Digital Communication. However, you will have the best chance of winning if you customize your work plan to suit the category description. You must pay a separate entry fee for each category you enter and provide separate supporting documents with each entry. You will have to upload each entry separately – you cannot upload the entry once and then select multiple categories.

IF MY PROJECT WAS CREATED BY A TEAM, WHICH NAME DO I USE AS THE ENTRANT’S NAME?

The entrant should be the person who was principally responsible for the development, management and execution of the entry. If you want to recognize your team, submit the entry form and the work plan with your name and refer to the team, such as Jane Doe and Team Example. The name on the entry form must match the name on the work plan. Each entry receives one trophy. However, following the awards ceremony, you may purchase as many trophies as you need (see below). Should the main contact change (i.e., leave the company, change email address, etc.) it is your responsibility to let us know.

HOW DO I ENSURE THAT OTHER MEMBERS OF THE TEAM RECEIVE CREDIT FOR WORKING ON THE PROJECT?

When you submit your entry, you have the option to provide the names of your team members next to “Name(s) for Award.” You may list up to three individual names or a team name if you have more than three names to list. Provided names will be engraved on your award, published on the Silver Quill Awards winners list and acknowledged during awards ceremony. (Please enter this information carefully, as incorrect information may result in incorrect trophy production.) Each entry receives one trophy. However, you may purchase as many additional trophies as you need following the awards ceremony – details on how to order will be made available at that time. If desired, you may order a duplicate award so each member of your team can have their own individual trophy.

IF A PROJECT WAS CREATED BY AN AGENCY AND CLIENT, WHO SHOULD ENTER IT?

Either one can enter, as long as the entrant includes a letter of consent acknowledging the different roles in the project, and written permission to disclose corporate information as part of the entry requirements. If the material is proprietary, be sure to clearly indicate this in your entry and entry form. Entries that do not include this letter of permission will be disqualified. A sample permission letter is available to download.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY ENTRY HAS BEEN RECEIVED?

You will receive an automated confirmation email after you have submitted your entry via our submission system.

HOW ARE ENTRIES, EVALUATIONS AND TYPES OF AWARDS DETERMINED?

IABC award entries are scored using a seven-point global scale of excellence as a guide. All scores start at four (4), which represents a fully competent approach to communication planning and execution. Work is scored up or down, depending on the content. Scores of seven (7) and one (1) are very rare.

WHAT IS IABC’S GLOBAL SEVEN-POINT SCALE OF EXCELLENCE?

  • 7 – Outstanding: An extraordinary or insightful approach or result
  • 6 – Significantly better than average: Demonstrates an innovative, strategic approach; takes all elements into account and delivers significant results
  • 5 – Better than average: Demonstrates a strategic approach and aligns the communication solution with the business need to deliver meaningful results
  • 4 – Average: Competent approach or results, professionally sound and appropriate
  • 3 – Somewhat less than satisfactory: Several key elements that are critical to the strategy or execution are missing, incorrect or under-represented
  • 2 – An inadequate approach or result: A significant number of critical elements are missing
  • 1 – Poor: Work that is wrong or inappropriate

Entries must receive 5.25 to receive an Award of Merit. Entries scoring 5.75 and higher receive an Award of Excellence.

DO ENTRANTS RECEIVE FEEDBACK?

For each entry submitted, entrants receive a comprehensive evaluation with scores and comments provided by a team of two evaluators.

HOW ARE WINNERS NOTIFIED AND RECOGNIZED?

Winners of 2023 IABC Silver Quill Awards will be notified in October. Notification for finalists, non-winning entrants and disqualified entrants also will be sent. Winners will be featured on the IABC Silver Quill Awards website, the regions social media channels, press releases and in chapter newsletters.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE ENTRIES?

All entries become the property of IABC. (If the material is proprietary, indicate this clearly on your online entry submittal.) IABC is not responsible for lost or damaged entries.

WHAT CATEGORY OR DIVISION SHOULD I ENTER?

You can find detailed information on divisions and categories, as well as directions on how to prepare your entry in the 2023 IABC Silver Quill Awards Call for Entries. If you are stuck, email awards@iabcsouthern.com.

DO JUDGES REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO DETAILS SUCH AS PERMITTED FONT SIZE AND LENGTH OF WORK PLAN?

Yes, they do. Following award entry parameters is crucial to earning an award-winning evaluation. Any work plans submitted that do not follow the template and guidelines will be disqualified without refund.

WHEN DO I PAY MY ENTRY FEE?

After you submit your entry and you have uploaded all the required files, you will see the checkout button on the summary page. Payment is required by credit card. To receive the IABC member rate, the entrant must be an IABC member.

WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STUDENT ENTRIES?

The stand-alone student categories were folded back under the main categories in 2020. A student or a group of students may submit entries. At the time the work was created, the student must be attending school full-time or part-time working towards a degree at a college, university or other educational institution. Entrants who were enrolled as a student but have professional communication experience or are employed in the communication profession must submit their entry as a regular member or non-member. Work produced for educational courses, a club or volunteer association, an internship or commercial and non-commercial activities, including work for an IABC chapter or region are eligible for submission. If the entry was not fully implemented, please make note of this to the evaluators. It will not disadvantage your entry, however you must show how the program would have been evaluated, had it been implemented in practice. Professors or advisers may not enter on behalf of a student.

IS THERE A COST FOR THE AWARD TROPHY?

IABC provides one award at no charge for each Silver Quill Award winner. If winners would like to order duplicate awards, they may do so following the awards ceremony. All winners will be notified about the procedure for purchasing additional awards.