The MCA Jury
The Call for Jurors will be emailed directly to all current members of SMPS in January jury selection is based on a first come, first served.
We are excited to announce that the MCA program is celebrating its 47th Anniversary this year and we want you to be part of this standout competition among marketing communications award programs. Judging is an excellent way to learn industry trends and evaluate exceptional content. MCA jurors play a critical role in the success of this program. The peer-review judging process ensures the high caliber of the work selected to win an award.
Juror Requirements:
- a current, active member of SMPS
- agree to abide by the SMPS Code of Ethics
- willing to have name, title, firm name, city, and state displayed in the program guide/presentation (category and entries assigned are not disclosed)
- will not judge a category that contains an entry submitted by my firm (multi-office locations included) or by a third-party vendor with whom you are currently working
- will not print, photograph, copy, or share any entry images and/or information that has been submitted into this competition
- will hold all judging scoring and comments as confidential
- attend a one-hour juror orientation webinar which will take place on March 28, 2024.
- dedicate up to 4-10 hours for judging, scoring, and providing comments for all assigned entries. Jurors for our larger categories (i.e. website, video, holiday piece) will be required to judge a second round to get a consensus on the final placements for those categories, therefore requiring more time.
- be committed to having all assigned entries completed by the judging deadline of Monday, April 22, 2024.
- recuse themselves from any category that their firm/client has entered and then notify the program director immediately.
- Jurors are able to submit entries, as well as be judge. You will be moved to an alternative category if you have to recuse yourself. Jurors are assigned categories randomly; we cannot accept category assignment change requests unless your firm or client or any conflict of interest occurs by you judging your assigned category.
- Understand that SMPS has the right to revoke a juror if they do not meet the above requirements at any time.
Below are some frequently asked questions about judging the MCA program Be sure to reach out to molly@smps.org with any questions.
Who judges the MCA program?
The MCA program seeks judges who are SMPS members with the following areas of expertise:
- Marketing Director/Managers
- Business Development Directors/Managers
- Communication Directors/ Managers
- Editors
- Graphic Designers
- Photographers
- Videographers
- Web Content Directors/Managers
- Web designers
- Writers
Why Should I participate as a judge?
It is an excellent opportunity to serve your profession and gain knowledge from reviewing a vast selection of marketing communications content in the A/E/C industry. This is an opportunity to share your knowledge and expertise with your peers.
What are the dates of the Judging period?
Please note that all posted dates are tentative and dependent on judging progress and completion. Judging is scheduled to take place April 8 - 22, 2024 for the first round of judging. A second round of judging for large categories jurors only will take place after all scores/comments are submitted for the first round. The second round of judging is scheduled to take place in May 2024.
How much time should I allocate to judge?
You should anticipate dedicating up to 4-10 hours for judging. Jurors are required to provide scores AND comments for all assigned entries. Jurors for our larger categories (i.e., website, video, holiday piece) will be required to judge a second round to get a consensus on the final placements for those categories, therefore requiring more time. Judge and entry assignments are determined based on how many entries are received and how many judges sign up. Judges are assigned one category and then a certain number of entries within that category. In the past judges averaged 10-15 entries depending on the categories they were assigned. These numbers are subject to change based on entries submitted and the confirmed number of judges.
Can I enter the MCA competition and still participate as a juror?
Yes! To avoid a conflict of interest, all jurors are responsible for recusing themselves from judging categories their firm or their clients have entered and must notify staff immediately. You will be moved to an alternative category if you have to recuse yourself. Please review the Juror Requirements above. It is the juror's responsibility to report a conflict of interest.
Can I choose which categories I want to judge?
All juror assignments are done randomly on a first-come, first-served basis. We cannot accept change requests unless your firm or client or any conflict of interest occurs by you judging your assigned category.