The shortlist of entrants for the 2012 RAD Awards has been announced, following a judging process that moved the judges to remark on the extremely high standard of this year’s entrants.
The awards, which for 22 years have celebrated the best in recruitment marketing and communications, include four new categories to reflect the ever-changing recruitment landscape. They are:
- mobile (to recognise activity specifically designed to engage and recruit candidates via mobile technology);
- employer brand (activity designed to promote the client organisation as an employer of choice);
- international (single-media or integrated campaigns designed to solve international recruitment challenges); and
- emerging talent (focusing on the recruitment of school-leavers, apprentices and industrial placements).
Another change for the 2012 awards is a new judging process and the absence of an awards long list. Instead, the shortlist represents the very best entrants, and all work will be showcased on the night of the awards.
The judges praised the overall high quality of the entrants for the 2012 awards, with much of the work demonstrating key audience knowledge and effective client relationships.
Some of the work was highlighted as challenging current standards in their categories, and the judges noted “brave” examples of social media use. In addition, the judges were keen to point out the level of effort made to reinforce employer brand across all categories.
Rupert Grose, CEO of RSCG Riley and chairman of the judges panel, described how the new judging process had enabled the judges to better carry out their roles: “We added a preliminary judging stage this year which allowed the judges to focus on particular categories in more detail prior to us meeting. With real experts in certain fields, we got a greater level of insight up front that really helped the judging process in its latter stages,” he said.
Commenting on the quality of the work, Grose added: “As always, the awards have been well supported with some very high-quality work submitted. With new categories in mobile, emerging talent, employer brand and international, we are seeing how agencies are developing their service offering and adapting to a changing market. Throughout, there are some excellent examples of agencies and clients working in partnership to produce really brave, innovative and challenging work.”
Peter Clarke, agency sales director for Reed Business Information Recruitment Media, said: “Special thanks go to all of our judges and sponsors who gave up their valuable time to take part in our new judging process. We will continue to adapt and evolve the judging process each year to ensure entries receive all of the attention they deserve.”
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To view the shortlist in full, visit the RAD Awards website.
The awards ceremony takes place on 19 January 2012 at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel. The awards website also includes information about the awards ceremony and on how to buy tickets.
